strapped it on, went running into the living room.
“Put some clothes on before you tangle with anybody,” called Angelica.
“Take a look at this rascal,” said the door. “Should he be someone you know, which is hardly likely, I will admit him. Otherwise it’s the house dick for him.”
The door’s view hole irised open to reveal Canguru in a white two-piece tourist suit and off-white shoes. The blond little spy was carrying a bunch of tulips, shifting from foot to foot. “What a way to build a door,” he was saying. “The bell push way up there and when I ring it my finger gets all smudgy.”
The door told Conger, “I took the precaution of fingerprinting him, senhor, in case you want to run a check on him with the International FBI.”
Conger approached the talk hole. “What is it, Canguru?”
“I assume,” said the little agent, “you’re not in there against your will.”
“No,” said Conger. “How did you find me?”
“How do I find anybody? I work at it.” Canguru moved closer to the door. “I have a couple of important messages for you.”
“I’ll meet you back in my hotel in an hour or so.”
“Too important to wait that long.”
Frowning, Conger said, “Okay, hang on. I’ll let you in shortly.”
“They keep this hall much too warm, especially on such a fine, for Rio, spring morning as this.”
Back in the bedroom Conger started to get into his clothes. “Mind if I talk to my contact out in your living room for a few minutes?”
“Not at all.” The pretty Angelica was still sitting in bed with her knees drawn up. “Is it that curly-haired little one?”
“He’s the only contact I have.”
“You really ought to ask for a bigger field allowance.”
Dressed, Conger kissed the girl.
As Canguru stepped into the living room, he handed over the flowers.
“For the young lady. I picked them last night in the public gardens, figuring you can always find something to do with a bunch of tulips.”
“What are the messages?” Conger dropped the yellow and red flowers on a floating coffee table.
“Your boss, Senhor Geer, is unhappy about your being friendly with the young lady,” said Canguru. “He says to knock it off or he’ll tie a can to your tail.”
“How did Geer find out about it?”
“ Sinto muito, senhor.” The little spy locked his tiny hands over his waist, watching them. “I’m afraid I told him when I answered your phone this morning.”
Conger’s left eye narrowed. “How did you come to answer my phone?”
“It kept ringing,” said Canguru. “Your shower stall is equipped with a phone, you know. All that buzzing began to interfere with my singing, so I answered.”
“You took a shower in my shower?”
“The one in my room at the Ultimo Splendido Hotel doesn’t work right,” explained Canguru. “I can get only tepid water and maple syrup. What they must have done when they connected the …”
“You mentioned two messages. What’s the other one?”
In a much quieter voice than he had been using Canguru said, “I know where they revived Machado.”
“Sandman’s lab?”
“At least one of his temporary labs. I think you should be able to find out something by visiting the site.”
“Okay,” said Conger. “Wait for me down in the lobby.”
“I prefer the street. They keep the lobby way too chilly here,” said Canguru. “How long will you be?”
Conger said, “I don’t know.” He walked toward the door of Angelica’s bedroom.
CHAPTER 10
The jungle was creeping higher up the giant dome which covered the town. Shaggy ropey vines, dark green, had crawled thirty feet up the curve of the pale yellow dome. Thin tendrils, rich with spadelike leaves, snaked and snarled among the vines. Wide flat scarlet flowers seemed splashed against the clear wall which protected The American Colony from the Brazilian jungle. Fist-size spiders jittered in and out of the intricacies of foliage. Multi-color birds fluttered down and then
“Put some clothes on before you tangle with anybody,” called Angelica.
“Take a look at this rascal,” said the door. “Should he be someone you know, which is hardly likely, I will admit him. Otherwise it’s the house dick for him.”
The door’s view hole irised open to reveal Canguru in a white two-piece tourist suit and off-white shoes. The blond little spy was carrying a bunch of tulips, shifting from foot to foot. “What a way to build a door,” he was saying. “The bell push way up there and when I ring it my finger gets all smudgy.”
The door told Conger, “I took the precaution of fingerprinting him, senhor, in case you want to run a check on him with the International FBI.”
Conger approached the talk hole. “What is it, Canguru?”
“I assume,” said the little agent, “you’re not in there against your will.”
“No,” said Conger. “How did you find me?”
“How do I find anybody? I work at it.” Canguru moved closer to the door. “I have a couple of important messages for you.”
“I’ll meet you back in my hotel in an hour or so.”
“Too important to wait that long.”
Frowning, Conger said, “Okay, hang on. I’ll let you in shortly.”
“They keep this hall much too warm, especially on such a fine, for Rio, spring morning as this.”
Back in the bedroom Conger started to get into his clothes. “Mind if I talk to my contact out in your living room for a few minutes?”
“Not at all.” The pretty Angelica was still sitting in bed with her knees drawn up. “Is it that curly-haired little one?”
“He’s the only contact I have.”
“You really ought to ask for a bigger field allowance.”
Dressed, Conger kissed the girl.
As Canguru stepped into the living room, he handed over the flowers.
“For the young lady. I picked them last night in the public gardens, figuring you can always find something to do with a bunch of tulips.”
“What are the messages?” Conger dropped the yellow and red flowers on a floating coffee table.
“Your boss, Senhor Geer, is unhappy about your being friendly with the young lady,” said Canguru. “He says to knock it off or he’ll tie a can to your tail.”
“How did Geer find out about it?”
“ Sinto muito, senhor.” The little spy locked his tiny hands over his waist, watching them. “I’m afraid I told him when I answered your phone this morning.”
Conger’s left eye narrowed. “How did you come to answer my phone?”
“It kept ringing,” said Canguru. “Your shower stall is equipped with a phone, you know. All that buzzing began to interfere with my singing, so I answered.”
“You took a shower in my shower?”
“The one in my room at the Ultimo Splendido Hotel doesn’t work right,” explained Canguru. “I can get only tepid water and maple syrup. What they must have done when they connected the …”
“You mentioned two messages. What’s the other one?”
In a much quieter voice than he had been using Canguru said, “I know where they revived Machado.”
“Sandman’s lab?”
“At least one of his temporary labs. I think you should be able to find out something by visiting the site.”
“Okay,” said Conger. “Wait for me down in the lobby.”
“I prefer the street. They keep the lobby way too chilly here,” said Canguru. “How long will you be?”
Conger said, “I don’t know.” He walked toward the door of Angelica’s bedroom.
CHAPTER 10
The jungle was creeping higher up the giant dome which covered the town. Shaggy ropey vines, dark green, had crawled thirty feet up the curve of the pale yellow dome. Thin tendrils, rich with spadelike leaves, snaked and snarled among the vines. Wide flat scarlet flowers seemed splashed against the clear wall which protected The American Colony from the Brazilian jungle. Fist-size spiders jittered in and out of the intricacies of foliage. Multi-color birds fluttered down and then
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