Chapter Forty-four
He went down to his office and picked up his jacket from his chair, checking that the letters of transit were still in the pocket.
It had been careless to leave them there. But, until now, those letters had little value to him. They had been a risk to keep, but worthless to him.
Things had changed. One of those letters would see de Chagny out of Casablanca…out of Christine's life forever.
And what of the other two? He could take Christine out of this dreary, dusty town…take her where?
Where could they go where his mask would not attract the curiosity and fear of others? Could she stand to live that sort of life, to see his horribly marred face before her every day, to lie beside that monstrosity every night?
From the bar, he heard the scrape of a chair and the low clink of glass.
He unlocked the center drawer of his desk and slid open a panel in the bottom of it. He lifted out the revolver and put it in the out pocket of his jacket.
From the stairs, he could see a single lamp glowing behind the bar. Three men were gathered there.
Sam Reyer, a thin man he knew by sight as Monsieur Philippe…and Raoul de Chagny.
He went down into the club and they all turned, clearly startled by his approach.
He said nothing to the latter two, but pulled his friend aside.
"Sam, what in the name of hell is going on here?"
"A secret meeting. Daniel and I were both there. Major Hetzner's men must have followed Phillipe and Monsieur de Chagny to the new safe house. There was a raid…not every escaped."
"What about Daniel?"
"He was hurt climbing out a window. A serious cut to his arm."
"Where is he?"
"Don't worry about him. We brought him to the upper room at Estelle's. He's always been popular with the whores there. Estelle and her girls will take good care of him."
"I want you to go upstairs. Christine is there, waiting for me. Take her back to her hotel…make sure she gets to her room safely and stay with her until either I…or her husband…gets there."
His hand tightened around Sam's arm as he went on.
"Make sure nothing happens to her, Sam. Be certain no one follows you. Do you understand me...don't let any harm come to her."
He watched as Sam hurried up the shadowed stairs, then he turned to face Raoul.
"Did anyone recognize you at the meeting? Did Major Hetzner or his goons see you there?"
"No…we were in a back room and heard them out front. We got out before we were seen."
"Good. Listen…about the letters of transit…I want you and Christine to come back here tomorrow night. At seven."
"At seven?"
"There are arrangements I need to make."
"Arrangements, Erik," they heard a voice from the door, "why, it sounds almost if you were conspiring to help Monsieur de Chagny leave Casablanca."
They all turned to see Inspector Giry standing in the entrance.