The Soft Centre

He isn’t coming, she thought. Oh, God! What am I going to do? Daddy said he wouldn’t be around until five o’clock. If only I knew where… no! I mustn’t tell him! He’s the very, very last person I will tell. But who can help me? Dr. Gustave? Yes, perhaps I’d better call him. But what can he do? I can’t expect him to go rushing all over the place looking for Chris. The police? They could find him, but once they know who Chris is, the newspapers will get on to his disappearance and then… oh, not I’m not going to start that awful publicity all over again.

Again she looked at her watch. It showed twelve forty-five. She heard an approaching car and she leaned forward to watch a Rolls-Royce glide up to the entrance of the hotel. A fat woman, carrying a fat Pekinese, descended and walked slowly and heavily up the steps to the terrace.

He could be here any moment, Val thought. I just mustn’t panic. I must have faith. I’ll wait until one o’clock, then I really, really must do something.

A few minutes to one o’clock, she saw Jean Dulac, the manager of the hotel, coming along the terrace: a tall, handsome man with impeccable manners and the polished charm that is unique to the French. He paused at each table to exchange a word with his guests.

Val watched him come. It was a little after one o’clock before he finally reached her table. ‘Madame Burnett… alone?’ He smiled down at her. ‘But this is quite wrong.’ Then he paused, looking sharply at her white, strained face. ‘Perhaps there is something I can do? Can I help you?’

‘I hope you can,’ Val said shakily. ‘Please sit down. I…’?‘No, I won’t do that. People here have nothing else to do but to observe and gossip. Please come, in a few moments, to my office.’ He smiled at her. ‘Your worries are naturally my worries. Come and let me see what I can do.’ He gave her a little bow and moved on.

She waited a long and painful interval. Then as people began to leave their tables and move towards the restaurant, she got up and walked with controlled slowness to Dulac’s office. The office was behind the reception desk. A clerk, busy with an adding machine, paused to give her a bow as she came up to the counter.

‘Please go right in, Mrs. Burnett,’ he said. ‘Monsieur Dulac is waiting for you.’

She went into the big room with windows overlooking the bay. It was a gracious room with flowers, comfortable furniture and a small desk at which Dulac was sitting. He rose at once as she came in and led her to a chair.

‘Sit down,’ he said. ‘Now we can cope with the problem between us, Madame. It’s Mr. Burnett?’

Val sat down. She had a sudden urge to cry and she had to struggle hard not to break down. Dulac walked to the window and paused there for a moment, then returned to his desk. He gave her enough time to control herself before going on. ‘I have had quite a lot of unhappiness in my own life, but looking back, I have always found there is a solution to most problem. Mr. Burnett has driven away and you are very worried about what has happened to him. That is the problem, is it not?’

‘Then you know about my husband?’?‘I know about all the people who stay with me. How else could I serve them?’ ‘He’s—he’s gone away and I’m very frightened.’?‘He has been away over an hour.’ Dulac shook his head. “That is too long. We must consult the police.’

Val flinched, but Dulac lifted his hand.?‘I assure you you don’t have to worry about unwanted publicity. If you will allow me, I will arrange everything. Captain Terrell, the Chief of Police, is a good friend of mine. He is understanding and will take immediate action in the most tactful way possible. You can be quite sure he will not only find Mr. Burnett quickly, but no one besides ourselves will be any the wiser. I can promise you that.’

Val drew in a long, deep breath.?‘Thank you. Yes, of course… I’ll leave it to you. I’m very, very grateful.’?‘Everything that can be done will be done,’ Dulac said, getting to his feet. ‘Now may I suggest you go to your suite? I’ll have a tray sent up to you.’ He smiled as Val began to protest. ‘Something very light, but you must eat, you know.’

He led her to the door. ‘In half-an-hour, Captain Terrell will be with you.’?*****

Captain Frank Terrell was a large man with sandy hair flecked with white. His heavy featured face ended in a jutting, square jaw and his eyes were steel grey. He was well liked by the men who served under him and feared by the criminals who infested the rich stamping ground of Greater Miami.

He sat in an armchair that was dwarfed by his bulk and looked thoughtfully at Val as she sat opposite him, her hands gripped tightly between her knees.

‘Dulac has told me something about this problem, Mrs. Burnett,’ he said. There was a gentle note in his usually stern voice. ‘I have already sent out a description of your husband and his car. I have no doubt that within an hour or so one of my men will find him. I want to assure you that you have nothing to worry about.’