# Death Hand Play

Лев Переводчик Шкловский

****** Result for Image/Page 1 ******

(13 of 212)

110%

PROLOGUE

Patrick Foster, Central Intelligence Agency liaison officer

with the British Secret Intelligence Service, stepped out of

the front doors of the U.S. embassy on Grosvenor Square in

London and sniffed the damp night air. It smelled of auto-

mobile exhaust, of the Thames, and of that something else

that all big cities have in common.

It was nearly ten in the evening, and Foster was tired. It

had been a long day. The Russians were at it again; at least

three new Aeroflot employees, just flown in, were almost

certainly KGB agents.

On top ofall that, Major Carey Harrell, his old friend from

the SIS, had telephoned that Juan Rojas was in town, and

probably up to no gocxl.

Rojas was a name long known to Foster, who before his

I-mdon assignment had been stationed at the consulate in Rio

de Janeiro. Rojas was a fabulously wealthy Brazilian who

owned tens of thousands of acres of farmland and timberland,

two newspapers, an asbestos mine, and a significant portion

of Rio's magnificent waterfront.

As rich as Rojas was, he was equally anti-American. It was

said, but not yet proven, that Rojas had many connections

with Cuba and with Libya. He had been seen on more than

2

NICK CARTER


2

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

one occasion meeting with PLO leader Yasir Arafat. And he

was considered persona non grata in a number of countries,

including, of course, Israel.

It was suspected that the tall, handsome, suave, and very

sophisticated Rojas had been involved in a numtxr of

schemes to hun or at least to embarrass the U .S. government.

In all likelihood , a number of his subsidiary companies had

been at work for years in an attempt to manipulate the

American stock market. He had been linked to at least three

major counterfeiting rings. He had been tied to organized

crime as well as to dmg connections between Colombia and

Florida's Gulf Coast.

Whenever Rojas moved, the United States was very in-

terested.

In the back courtyard of the embassy Foster into

his Ford Cortina. then drove around to the front and was let

out the main gate, where he merged smoothly with the Friday

night traffic.

Foster was a short man, thin but wiry, with a terrier's face.

He had been born and raised in Brooklyn, and had been a

tough, streetwise kid. He was no different now. He the

big-city savvy, but it was tempered with the sophistication

that comes with doing a difficult job in a variety of locations.

He lit a cigarette as he drove to his rendezvous with

Harrell. Rojas had apparently entered the country sometime

that morning. His passport had been flagged, and in due

course the information had gotten over to the SIS offices in

Y\fitehall.

The South American had checked into a suite at the Ritz on

Piccadilly. There he had rested, then had had a couple of

drinks at the bar before going out for the evening.

Ie was currently at the Alhambra, London 's poshest pri-

vate gambling establishment. Harrell and another SIS leg-

DEATH HAND PLAY

3


3

(15 of 212)

+ 110%

DEATH HAND PLAY

3

man were stationed nearby, watching. They hal telephoned

Foster and invited him along.

"After all, he is your show, even if he's on our turf at the

moment," Harrell had said brightly.

Foster promised he'd be right there, but Harrell had as-

sured him that Rojas probably wouldn 't be moving from the

club until well after two in the morning.

' 'These things often go all night, you know, " the SIS man

had said.

Before Foster had left the embassy, he had pulled out

Rojas's folder, then had called up the computer at Langley

via their real-time satellite link for more information.

The data had still been coming over when he had finally

left. But he had annotated the file as well as the station log

that he was going out with Harrell and an SIS stakeout team to

see what Rojas might be up to.

Cover your ass. At all costs, cover your ass. Don't put

yourself out on a limb no matter how busy or distracted you

might be. It was axiomatic. And he had complied, although

he didn 't think much would come of this.

Rojas probably just breezed into London for a little gam-

bling. When he was done, he 'd be offto another world capital

somewhere, giving some other case officer heartburn.

But in the meantime, he was Foster's headache.

The Alhambra was well out on Road, and it

took Foster forty-five minutes to make it to where his SIS

friend was parked in a Volkswagen minibus, its windows

covered with reflective screens.

He circled the area twice, cruising slowly past the van,

which had been parked half a block from the ornate front

entrance to the exclusive club.

A constant stream of luxury automobiles came and went,

pausing a moment at the front doors of the club to either take

4


4

(16 of 212)

4

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

on or discharge their beautifully dressed passengers. Rolls-

Royces, big Mercedeses, Bentleys, and Jaguars gleamed

under the streetlights.

Foster finally pulled up behind the VW and killed his

lights. He sat there for ±æveral seconds, the motor softly

ticking over, until he shut off the ignition and climtEd out.

Harrell got.out the back door of the van and carne over to

Foster.

"Patrick—so glad you could join us for this little party , '

he said. They shook hands, nmey could just see the Alham-

bra's entrance from where they stood hidden by the van.

"Anything interesting happening?"

Harrll shook his head. ' 'Nothing yet. But I didn't expect

anything much different. " He glanced again toward the club.

'We tracked him from the Ritz around eight, as I told you on

the phone. He's been inside ever since. "

' 'No back dcx)rs?"

"Two. I've got a man on each. "

A Mercedes rolled slowly by, its powerful headlights

illuminating them as if they were onstage under spotlights.

neil it slid past and pulled up to the front of the club.

"Inside," Harrell said.

He and Foster climbed into the van. A third man, in shirt

sleeves, was hunched over a set of very r)werful-looking

binoculars trained out the windshield toward the front en-

trance.

"Pat Foster, this is Lieutenant Hoyd Chamberlain. "

Chamberlain looked up from the binoculars and nodded.

He and Foster shook hands, and the Englishman moved

aside.

"Care for a look-see, sir?"

"Sure," Foster said.

Ihrough the windshield, without the binoculars, the club

DEATH HAND PLAY

5

entrance was just a well-lit blur. Foster could see people and


5

entrance was just a well-lit blur. Foster could see people and

movement, but not in any detail.

He hunched down the binoculars and lcx)ked

through the lenses. The entrance to the building up at

him in startling detail and clarity. He could see that the

screws holding the license plate into its holder on the back of

the Mercedes were of the normal, slotted And he could

see that the man was wearing formal pumps, one of the bows

bent over.

"Nice, " he said, and he whistled.

"Rather, Qiamberlain agreed.

Foster looked up. "He went in, but he hasn't come out?"

"Just so, sir," CharntMlain said. He reached over and

flipped on a radio. "One," he said softly.

' 'Negative. "

' 'Two?" Chamberlain said into the microphone.

nere was no resm)nse.

Harrell, who had been staring out the windshield toward

the club, looked back.

'*Two?" Chamberlain repeated.

Still there was no answer.

Chamberlain looked up at Harrell, who grabbed the mi-

crophone. ' 'One," he said.

' 'Nothing out of two. Pop 'round and check. "

"Right-o. "

"Probably just equipment trouble, sir, " Chamberlain

said.

Foster lit a cigarette after first offering the pack. Both of

the other men declined.

Several cars slid up to the club to let off passengers, and

6

NICK CARTER

ik amin.


6

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

still there was nothing. Harrll keyed mike again.

S 'One," he said.

There was nothing.

e One. • • he •qid a little more or t»o-...-

come in, please. s'

hell. " Qumtx•rlain muttered after a mynent. He

climbed forward ami got tk*hind wheel oi van. In

seconds he had the engine started and tlry were rxing

block. amund corner. and finally around seco{id

corner. t*hind the club.

• •lhere. Harrell said softly. touud a Vumhall

parked half up on curb. Harrell his gun out as

Qumtx»riain drove past. lhere wer two men in front seat

of car.

Foster didn't like this at all. Something big going

d0%T1. He palled out his .38 Police as Qumtk•riain

stcxxi on tre brakes.

All three of them out of the van arri reing bxk to tt•r

small cars •hen ear 0Bned arui men

jumped out.

Harrell called.

late Foster realized what hapß•ning. ami he

had achanee to raise his weal»n. "Aw. shit

said

tX)th men from the little car drom•ed into clÄ-sic

stance and 0B*ned fir. He never felt a thing. last thing

was aware of was Harrell and Chamtx•riain *Qing on

either side of him. sprayng every* here.


ONE

Nick Carter was not overly tall, perhaps a little over six

feet. He was very well built and seemed athletic in a rugged

sort of way. He was slightly graying at the temples, and had

craggy features and deep, silent dark eyes that at times could

very hard. But there was a bit of humanity in the lines

around the comers of his mouth and eyes. His was the face

that had seen a lot and would probably see more.

He was a professional and very good at his job, which lent

him an air of confidence that was unmistakable to even the

most casual observer.

It was early on a Saturday morning, before eight, when he

emerged from his Arlington condo, got into his gunmetal

gray E-type Jaguar, and headed across the Potomac toward

Dupont Circle.

It was early fall, and Washington, D.C., was in full ses-

Sion after the summer recess. nere had been a cocktail party

at the Salvuioran embassy on California Avenue the night

before, one of several Carter had attended in the last couple of

weeks as per a State Department request. Carter, along with a

numtxr of Central Intelligence Agency spooks and a few

knowledgeable old hands from the FBI, had asked to

cover the rounds of parties as the season got into full

swing.

8

7

NICK CARTER

Dimitri Romanov, the KGB rezident here in Washington,


8

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

Dimitri Romanov, the KGB rezident here in Washington,

was up to something. It was a sort of all-hands alert—at least

for the moment.

Caner, who worked for AXE, the most surrrsecret intelli-

gence agency in the free world, had been languishing at

headquarters on Circle for want of an assignment for

six months. Even the embassy 'binge-and-barfcircuit, " as it

was so picturesquely called, was better than nothing. Except

that it raised hell with his physical conditioning regimen.

Carter was a case officer, a field man. One of the best AXE

had ever seen. For some years he had been a member of an

elite group of men with a license to kill in the course of

carrying out their assignments. His designation was N3. A

Killmaster. And he was good. Very good.

He tumed on the radio and lit one of his very strong,

custom-blended cigarettes as he drove.

The Jaguar was his latest acquisition. He had flown out to

California six weeks earlier to purchase the vehicle, and he

had driven it back from L.A. nonstop in a little over forty-

eight hours. It wasn't something he had to do, nor was fast

driving a compulsion with him. AXE 's doctors called him a

"hard-charger" for want of a better description. He was a

man with a very high degree of survival instinct and with a

very low tolerance for boredom. A very dangerous combina-

tion.

He punched the Jag into second gear and stood on the

accelerator, the RPM needle winding out around six grand,

then slipped it into third, the car shooting around the long

curve toward P Street.

An hour and a half ago, he had been awakened out of a

fitful sleep by the telephone. It was David Hawk himself. The

sun had just come up, and the top-floor apartment was bathed

in a golden glow.

DEATH HAND PLAY

' 'Nicholas?" Hawk's

voice came over the line.

9


9

' 'Nicholas?" Hawk's gruff voice came over the line.

Carter was instantly awake. There were very few men that

Carter totally resrrctd David Hawk, AXE's hard-bitten

chief, was at the top of that very short list. Over the years,

Carter and the ex-OSS man had developu:i a very close

relationship; it was almost that of father and son, minus most

of the outward trappings of affection.

ney were two men who had each other's measure. Each

resrcted the other. One was a professional; the other, older

and wiser, was a professional's professional.

' 'Gocxi morning, sir, 9' Caner said. He looked over at the

clcrk radio as the pretty Salvadoran stirred in sleep. The

sheet had slipped off her shoulder, exposing her left breast.

Her skin was soft and tawny, the areola and nipple of her

breast a dark brown, almost black.

"How are you feeling?"

' WThis moming, sir, or in general?" Carter asked, sud-

denly very alert. Hawk only a conversation like that

when he wanted to propose a particularly tough assignment.

"Both. "

' 'Fit, sir. Very fit. "

"We'll see."

'Sir?

eight. The others are on

"I want you over here by .

their way. "

The others would be there. The entire team. Armorer.

Backgrounds. Archives. Coordination. It was an assign-

ment.

'I can be there in half an hour, sir—" Caner started to say,

but Hawk cut him off.

"Er, I believe you have an obligation to take care of

first. . -s"

Carter down at the girl. Her name was Maria Ines.

10

NICK CARTER

He remembered it from the name tag she wore on her very


10

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

He remembered it from the name tag she wore on her very

low-cut cocktail dress. It was off the shoulder and a vivid

pink.

"Yes, sir," he said. The girl was now awake. She was

looking up at him with very large, dark brown eyes.

"Eight o'clock will be sufficient. I don't want any suspi-

cions centered around you just at this moment. "

' 'Is that an order, sir?" Carter asked delicately.

For a moment there was silence on the line, then Hawk

laughedout loud. "An order, " he managed. "Yes, Nick, I'll

see you at eight. "

"Yes, sir." Carter said, and he hung up the telephone.

Maria Ines was smiling.

"You have to attend to something this moming?" she

asked innocently. Almost certainly she was with her gov-

ernment's small but reasonably effective military intelli-

gence service.

Carter nodded. S That was my boss with my orders. "

' 'Yes?" the girl said, her eyes shining.

'He knows you're here. "

She said nothing. But a wary expression had crept into her

eyes.

"He told me that no matter what happened this morning, I

was to attend to you. "

"What does that mean?"

Slowly Carter pulled the sheet back, revealing her other

lovely breast, her slightly rounded stomach, the very dark

tuft of pubic hair, and her long, beautifully formed legs.

"What do you think it means?" Carter asked seriously.

don't know," the girl replied. She was somewhat

uneasy.

"lhere were a number of old scars on Carter's body. At

least three of them were obviously gunshot wounds. Inevita-

bly when he made love with a woman for the first time she

DEATH HAND PLAY

11


11

was drawn to the scars, fascinated by what they meant. But

very few came out and asked him about them. But they did

color his relationships. It was no different now with Maria

Ines. She was at once fascinated and frightened by Caner,

esp3cially since he was now being so mysteri-

ouse

He reached out and caressed the nipples of her breasts with

his fingertips, then trailed upward to her long, slender neck,

where he lingered for a moment.

She licked her lips, her mouth half partd It was obvious

she wanted to be excited, but she was nervous.

' 'You seem to frightened of something, " Carter said.

She touched his cheek with her long fingemails. "Who are

you?" she asked softly. 'SWhy were you at the party last

night? Who invited you?"

Carter smiled, not unkindly. "lf I told you the State

Department, would you believe me?"

She shrugged, her right leg coming up. Her nipples were

erect. Carter could feel himself resm)nding. "I might. But it

still doesn't answer my question. "

"I was sent to seduce you, " Carter said.

' 'Really? ' ' she said. She was frightened again, but she was

tying to hide it. She seemed at that moment like a doe in the

deep forest who had never seen a man before but somehow

knew this one was very dangerous.

Carter leaned forward and kissed her breasts, circling the

nipples with his tongue. She arched her back, a slight groan

of pleasure escaping from her sensuous lips.

He raised his head and looked into her eyes. "My boss

thinks you are here to spy on us. "

'What do you think? ' " she asked. She was already starling

to breathe hard. Last night she had Imn a tigress, proving

there was something to the Latin-lover myth after all. And it

12


12

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

applied equally well to women. . . .

It was his turn to shrug. He bent down again, this time

trailing his tongue from the nipples of her breasts downward

to her stomach and her navel.

"Madre," she breathed. "You did not answer me. "

Again Carter lifted himself up so that he could at her.

Her lips were moist; her breasts rose and fell. She was

beginning to pant.

"l don't give a damn if you are or you aren't. You didn't

get anything from me, tpcause I don 't have anything worth

telling. "

' 'What about your report?"

He caressed the tops of her legs, then the insides of her

thighs as she automatically up for him. * eemere will

be no report. What would I say—that we made love?"

She laughed deep in her throat, but that changed to a deep,

primal moan of pleasure as Carter bent down, his head

between her legs, his hands on the taut rounds of her but-

t(Xks, and he parted her soft folds with his tongue.

Soon she was moving almost uncontrollably, pressing his

head to her with her hands, and then her back was arched

high, her heels dug into the mattress, and she stifled a long,

low scream that slowly subsided, her body in such fine tune

now that the slightest movement from Carter caused her to

jerk as if she were shot with a gun.

When he finally pulled himself away and looked down at

her, her eyes were wild, her lips parted.

She pushed him over onto his back, and she was on him,

taking him into her mouth, while her fingers caressed every

part of his body that she could reach.

Carter smiled as he braked to a halt at P Street, then turned

right and drove the last few blocks to Dupont Circle. He had

had the devil 's own time getting rid of her in time to take a

DEATH HAND PLAY

13


13

quick shower, jump into a pullover sweater, slacks, and a

pair of soft, slip-on txx»ts, and getting out of there himself.

When she got back to her embassy she would very

embarrassed to find out that Caner had discovered the tiny

recorder in her purse and had erased everything. She

would be hard pressed to explain what she had done with her

night. In any event, Carter figured she wouldn't last t(X) long

- in her present job. Using sex to gain an intelligence goal was

as old a technique as the very act of spying. But the technique

did not work if the agent was so passionate she forgot what

she was supposed to doing. Maria Ines was such a woman.

Shehad alot of sensuality. . . too much forthejobshewas

trying to do.

AXE was housed in the Amalgamated Press and Wire

Services Building on Durx»nt Circle. As far as intelligence

agencies the world over went, it was fairly small. It did have

offices---under the guise of the wire service—in many

foreign cities, but its budget was nowhere near the CIA 's or

the KGB's. But AXE was highly effective. ne dirtiest,

messiest situations were grist for Hawk 's mill. A job the CIA

or the National Security Agency would not or could not do,

AXE took on.

For Nick Carter to called in, something like that was

apparently brewing.

His identification was checked at the entrance to the sub-

basement garage, and he parked his car in his private slot,

then went up in the elevator to his little office in Operations.

Only the weekend OD and his two runners were on duty

in Operations as Caner crossed the long, fluorescent-lit

room, flipped on the lights to his office, checked his recorder

for incoming messages, and lit another cigarette.

There was nothing of consequence on the machine: a

couple of bitches from housekeeping about his misuse of the

AXE safe house in Athens—but that complaint was nearly a

14


14

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

year old—and one question about some expense account item

of eight months ago.

Back out in the Operations room, the OD looked up. ' 'Mr.

Hawk would like you to go right up, sir. "

S Thanks , ' ' Caner said, crossing to the back and taking the

restricted access elevator up to Hawk 's office. He had to sign

in with security before he was allowed through the heavy

steel doors into the main corridor.

Hawk 's secretary, Ginger Bateman, was not there, but the

inner door was open. Spasso Kerchefski, AXE's eccentric

but brilliant armorer, came to the door. "He's here. Come in,

Carter. We're waiting. "

David Hawk, a short, tough-looking, craggy-faced man

with a thick shock of white hair and the inevitable cheap cigar

clenched in his teeth, sat behind his littered desk. His jacket

was off, his tie loose, his shirt sleeves rolled up. He had

almost certainly been there most of the night if not all of it,

Carter thought.

Hawk looked up. "I trust you took care of everything with

the girl, N3?"

s 'Yes, sir, s' Carter said. Kerchefski was the only member

of the AXE team there with Hawk.

"That will be all, Mr. Kerchefski, " Hawk said.

' 'Shall I remain on call?"

"Yes. We may need you a little later this moming. "

'Of course, " the bushy-eyebrowed armorer said, and he

left, quietly closing the office door behind him. A green light

came on over the door. indicating that the room 's automatic

debugging and sweeping devices had discovered nothing. In

the parlance, they were "clean. "

' 'Have a seat, Nick, " Hawk said. "No complications this

morning?

"None, sir. I'll dictate a "

Hawk nodded. He relit his cigar, apparently giving himself

DEATH HAND PLAY

15


15

time to think out just how he was going to put whatever it was

he to say to Carter.

Carter knew his boss well enough to understand this ges-

ture as well. When Hawk stalled for even a second of time,

something very unusual and difficult was in the offing. Caner

a deep breath , forcing himself to calm down. He wanted

out of the humdrum routine of Washington in the worst way.

"Does the narne Juan Rojas mean anything to you?"

Hawk sitting back.

Carter searched his memory, but the name meant nothing

to him. "No, sir. Afraid not."

"He's not exactly a household word in this country, al-

though in Brazil and a few other places he's either a saint or

the devil, depending who you talk to. "

"I see."

Hawk opened a thick file folder, pulled out a few glossy

eight-by-tens, and handed them across. "Rojas, " he said.

The first showed a man dressed in a tuxedo in a group of

men and women about to get into some kind of a luxury bus.

He was tall, well built, and good-looking in a dark, Latin

way. *Ihe second showed a man in swimming trunks beside a

pool. 'lhere were a half-dozen other men, and at least a dozen

women, at poolside; all the women were all of

them nude. The third showed Rojas from an overhead cam-

era. He was seated at a baccarat table in some casino. He had

a seven and a king, and had apparently just drawn another

card. It was a two, making a perfect nine.

Caner up.

"The first is outside his office in Rio de Janeiro. The

second was taken at his home outside the city, and the

third—Monte Carlo. "

"He is a very lucky man at gambling, " Carter said.

' 'Rojas is very lucky at everything he does, N3. But he has

a lot of help with his luck, if you get my meaning. "

16


16

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

g 'Does he cheat at cards?"

Hawk smiled. "Wouldn •t we all if we could get away with

it?" he asked rhetorically. s The man was fabulously wealthy

by any standard. His fortune was estimated, four years ago,

at somewhere in the neightx»rhood of five hundred million

dollars. "

e 'Was wealthy, sir?"

'From what we can gather. Senhor Rojas has been having

some tmuble lately. One of his mines suffered a series of

disasters—that was in His newspapers were

süuck. Terrorists have blown up his television studios, and

the world money market has not been kind to his investments

in the last quarter."

"Have we had anything to do with any of that. sir?"

"AXE hasn 't. At least directly. *Ihe CIA has a few TEOPle

in Geneva, and the Israelis seem to have managed some of the

messier operations. "

"Why are they picking on this guy?"

"He's a friend of Arafat and of Colonel Kaddafi. The

Israelis have even contemplated assassination or kidnapping,

but they were talked out of it. "

Now Hawk was getting to it. Carter guessed.

Hawk 0fkned the file folder and consulted a couple of

documents. "You'll get this file this morning, and you'll

have plenty of time to it over. To make a long story

short, Rojas has been conclusively linked with Soviet intelli-

gence. From what we understand, he's promised the Rus-

sians he could deliver the Caribbean basin to them on a silver

platter. He's been helped in certain areas during the last few

years, but now, ever since Grenada, things have changed.

The documents we found there were damned embarrassing to

the Cubans as well as to the Russians.

"You think the Russians are calling in their chit?' • Carter

asked ,

DEATH HAND PLAY

17


17

(29 of 212)

+ 110%

DEATH HAND PLAY

17

' That's exactly what we thought a couple of months

ago, ' ' Hawk said. glancing again at some of the pages in the

file. He closed the cover and handed the bulky folder across

to Carter. "You can pull up the Company's info on the

computer after we •re done here. ' ' Hawk looked at his watch.

'*You have a few hours yet txfore your London plane

leaves. "

*London?"

"Yes. I haven't bringing you up-to-date yet, 't

"No, sir. "

*Rojas is planning something; we're fairly certain of it. A

KGB agent has met with him on three occasions that we know

of. lhe pressure is on. Deliver or else. "

S 'What can he do? I mean with his fortune either mostly

gone or dried up, what's left for him?"

' *Don't underestimate this man, Nick. He may no longer

have control of a half billion in cash, but the and

influence the man wields is enormous. "

"l don't understand. "

's not exactly destitute—at least not yet. No hotel in

the world would turn him away. His credit is good in any

room of any casino in the world. "

'That's all well and gocxj, sir, but—

me man has the power to make waves , very large waves.

If he decided to publicly announce that he was going to buy

Anaconda Copper, there'd be a rush on the stock, which

would, of course, immediately go up. "

"But just temporarily, until it was discovered he had

nothing with which to back his announcement. "

Miat doesn 't matter. By then the harm would be done. "

"Hess planning something for the Caribbean? A revolu-

tion? Something coordinated with Castro, no doubt. Perhaps

even through drug connections . . . I assume he's been into

that?

18


18

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

Hawk nodded. ' 'The President's war on drugs in norida

was mostly aimed at Rojas's operations.

"And were we effective?"

' 'Very."

' 'Why are we still worried about Rojas 's adventures in the

area?"

' 'Until last night," Hawk said, "we had t*gun to think

that Rojas was dormant. We now think our previous

tions were wrong.

It was like a The focus was becoming finer by

the second.

"A Company man by the name of Patrick Foster, trade

mission with our embassy in London, along with four SIS

men—among them, Carey Harrell—was on a routine surveil-

lance last night of Rojas, who had entered the country that

morning. They traced him to a suite at the Ritz, and later that

evening the man went gambling at some fancy club outside of

the city."

Something was coming. Caner could feel it.

"While Rojas was in the club, Foster, Harrell, and the

three others were gunned down in the street. "

"Who did it?"

Hawk smiled wanly and shook his head. "It was made to

apB%ir that two of the SIS men had been tumed, and shot it

out with Foster, Harrell , and another fellow narned Chamber-

lain. "

"And Chamberlain or one of the others, before he died,

just managed to kill the other two. "

Hawk nodded. "Rojas is up to something. We want to

know what. And we want to stop it, of course. "

"Why us, sir? I would have thought this would be a hot

item for the Company. One of their own dead and all. "

"The DCI called me personally last night," Hawk said.

DEATH HAND PLAY

19


19

' 'He thinks this is going to a particularly . . . unique

job."

Hawk sat forward. His cigar had gone out. "Rojas nms in

some fairly exclusive circles. In order to find out what he 's up

to, in order for us to effectively find out why Foster and the

others were killed, we going to have to put someone in the

midst of Rojas's world. Someone who can handle himself

aboard a yacht or in a drawing room. Someone who knows

how to dress . . . who knows how to handle himself with

spoiled, pampered, beautiful women. Someone who can

gamble. In short, we need a playboy

. or someone who

can pass as a playtxy yet is deadly enough to handle him-

self. "

Carter held himself very erect but said nothing.

s 'The CIA has no one. •me SIS might, but they have other

troubles. The DCI asked me. You 're the man, Nick. You fill

the bill Æxrfectly. "


TWO

The SIFsonic British Airways Concorde, its futuristic

nose drrxving like some stylized bird of prey's, came in

gracefully for a landing at Heathrow Airport. Nick Carter

was processed through VIP customs, and literally

within minutes of the moment the big plane had touched

down, he was climbing into the back seat of a Rolls-Royce

Corniche convertible—with the top up, of course—and was

being whisked into London.

A uniformed chauffeur drove, the smoked glass partition

berween the front and back up, and a secretary in a bowler hat

sat in the back with Carter.

The car, the driver, and the secretary were all from

César Ritz's pile on Piccadilly. From the moment he had

anived at the airport, stateside, Carter had been on his own.

Hawk had assured him that they'd have the complete

ccx)peration of the SIS, at least initially. There were a lot of

hard feelings around Whitehall about the fledgling operation ,

but no one had actually stated his disapproval. Work fast as

long as it was on British soil. If Carter failed, or if the

situation seemed to be getting out of the ultimate control of

the SIS—such as if Rojas suddenly made a dash for one of the

22

21


22

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

Warsaw Pact countries—-then they'd move quickly, agree-

ment or no agreement.

The CIA, of course, had called for AXE's help. They

would not interfere.

Most of Carter's wardrot:r for this caper had come out of

his own closet, although there were a few items from New

Bond Street and Savile Row waiting for him in his suite at the

Ritz. And Cartier in New York had provided a few acces-

sories, not the least of which was a solid gold cigarette lighter

and an ultrathin, hand-harnmered gold Vacheron & Constan-

tin dress watch with a band of black water buffalo hide.

AXE's funding section had provided him with a couple of

hundred thousand pounds cash, along with a letter of credit

on Citicorp for twice that. In his Mark Cross wallet was a

gold American Express card, a platinum Diners Club card,

and a totally unlimited Cane Blanche card. In addition,

memberships at all the clubs had been secured for him.

It seems that Carter's father----of the Carters of Long

Island--—and two extremely wealthy uncles had all died

within the past few years. All three had left their entire estates

to Nicholas Carter, who, it was said in certain circles, was

supposed to be an absolute marvel at three distinct but related

endeavors: playing the American stock market, gambling,

and making love.

He wasn 't a fighter, but to be blessed with three out of four

wasn't bad.

All that was on the plus side. There were some minuses, of

course.

AXE's latest intelligence indicated that Rojas had what

amounted to practically his own army with him wherever he

traveled, If a man could be said to be as impregnable as a

fortress, that was Juan Rojas.

Besides his muscle, Rojas was, in the words of AXE

Archives, "gun-shy to the limit. "

DEATH HAND PLAY

23


23

After all, the man had lost a major fortune in the last few

years. He was battered. Hc wasn't going to allow many

people to get close enough to hurt him.

Yet that view was hardly consistent with Rojas 's gambling

in London. That was one of the most foolhardy of all risks.

And Rojas, if anything, was certainly not a foolhardy man.

Also on the negative side was the fact that Rojas's people

killed a CIA agent and two SIS officers. All professionals.

All good men. He was not afraid of overt action. If and when

it suited him, he would murder.

The hotel secretary who had been sent out to Heathrow to

fetch Carter was a tight-lipped elderly man who had seen

kings and queens and billionaires come and go. He was not

particularly impressed now, nor was he interested in carrying

on a conversation. Had the man the ordinary, garden-

variety hotel employee anywhere else, Carter would have

been able, for a fee, to pump the man about the comings and

goings of Rojas. Such a suggestion would tE unthinkable to

this sort, however.

At the hotel, which was near Buckingham Palace, the

Royal Academy , St. James 's, and almost everything else that

was historical or famous in London, Carter made a great

show of moving up the grand staircase and crossing the lobby

to register.

His ten suitcases carne after him, and he followed them up

the gold elevator to his suite on one of the top floors overlook-

ing Green Park, St. James's Park, and beyond, the Thames.

"Ihe assistant manager and four bellmen, including the bell

captain, opened up the room, poured the champagne, un-

packed Carter's bags, hung up his clothing. and arranged his

cash and credit needs.

When they were finished, Carter passed three hundred

pounds to the bell captain to distribute. He had taken the man

aside after the assistant manager had left.

24


24

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

"Pop back up here in the next half hour, like a gocxi man, "

Carter said.

'Ihe bell captain, a wily, streetwise man ak»ut Caner's

age, gnnned, showing his teeth. ' 'You'd interested in a

little companionship, sir?" he asked.

"Information, " Carter replied.

The man compressed his lips.

' 'Well-paid-for information. '9

The bell captain grinned again, and nodded. 'Of course,

sir. The Ritz is here to serve. " He clicked his heels, turned,

and breezed out, closing the dcx)rs quietly tEhind him.

Carter waited a minute or so, then he went to the doors and

threw them orrn. The wide comdor was empty. He closed

the doors, locked them, and went back inside.

Since the advent of airport security measures. even in VIP

processing, Carter had tven carrying his weaB)ns in a large

radio/cassette recorder that Kerchefski had built for him.

On the bed. he pulled the big radio out of its case, set the

controls so that the back would open, then eased out

the top circuit board.

Fint out was Wilhelmina, his 9mm Luger, two spare clips

of ammunition, and the stubby silencer. He worked the

ejector slide several times, loaded the automatic, and levered

a round into the charntrr. He checked the safety, then laid the

weapon aside.

Next came Hugo, his pencil-thin, razor-sharp stiletto with

its very plain, haft. The weaFx)n was silent,

deadly and had gotten him out of more impossible situations

than he cared to think about.

Finally came Pierre, a tiny, egg-shaped capsule filled with

a deadly and exceedingly fast-acting nerve gas. This, the

most sophisticated piece in his arsenal, fit into a pouch high

on his inner thigh, very much like a third testicles

He made sure the doors to his suite were locked from the

DEATH HAND PLAY

25


25

26

inside trfore he stripped and into the shower, the

needle-sharp spray as hot as he could B)ssibly stand it at first.

Later he tumed off the hot water and steeled himself to

remain under an icy blast for a full two minutes.

Afterward , when he had dried himself, he padded back out

to his sitting room, put some music on the stereo, poured

himself a stiff cognac, and went back into his bedroom. He

dressaj slowly, strapping his weapons on with care.

Carter was a different sort of person on assignment than

when relaxing on vacation or at home. On a job he was almost

like an actor, the consummate actor whose audiences had the

power of life or death over his

Everything he did out in the field was done with care and

with the skill he had on hundreds of assignments over

the years.

He stopped for a moment to inspect himself in the full-

length mirrors on the closet doors. Every assignment brought

its own each its own dangers. Carter had de-

a sixth sense about such things. At this moment

something was telling him to be very carful of Rojas, very

careful indeed,

He tumed away, sipping his cognac. Rojas was nothing

more than a man, once very rich and still very pwerful. But

there was more. Caner could feel it in the air like some

B)werful scent.

Back at the mirror he put down his snifter, finished tying

his black tie, and then he slipped into his tuxedo jacket,

adjusting his shoulder holster so that the bulge of his Luger

could not be detected—at least not by a nonprofessional.

Caner had just walked back out to his sitting room when

the bell captain amved. He let the man in.

' 'Gocxi evening, sir. You're looking grand now .

' Vlhank you, my man, " Carter said, smiling. He pulled

out his wallet and withdrew a stack of hundred-pound notes.

NICK CARTER


26

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

'Okay, sir, " the Fell captain said, the obsequiousness

gone from his voice, "what is it you want to know?"

"Senhor Juan Rojas. "

The captain stiffened, but then he smiled. 'Ofcourse.

sir. What can I tell you?"

Bingo, Caner thought, He had struck a nerve, The man

was most likely already on Rojas's payroll. It was interesting

to know that Rojas was himself womed his safety here.

"How long has he tren here in the hotel?"

"Do you mean tonight. sir?"

Carter shook his head.

S •Yfhen did he amve? Two days ago, sir.

' •»vtlere is he at this moment?"

"Downstairs, I t*lieve. in the casino. '4

"Does he gamble here?"

"Yes, sir. But not very much. Mostly he dcrs his gam-

bling. from what these ears hear, out at the

. The bell

captain paused as if he had had a lapse of memory. Carter

passed him a hundred-pound note. "Oh, yes—it comes to me

now. He does most of his gambling out at the Alhambra.

"Where's that?"

The bell captain explained how to get to the place. "Any

cabby will know where it is. though.

"Has he been winning?"

"That I couldn't say, sir. "

Carter held out another hundred-pound note.

"Sorry. sir. but that one I really can't answer. "

Carter nodded and handed him the note anyway. "Is he

here alone?"

"Oh, no. sir. Mr. Rojas has quite a contingent with him.

Quite a contingent.

"Some of them. A lot of bruisers, if you catch my drift.

Muscle, you know. "

DEATH HAND PLAY

27


27

(39 of 212)

+ 110%

DEATH HAND PLAY

"l see," Carter mused thoughtfully.

27

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I was just wondering

who . . e"

Carter tumed away as if he were distractd He poured

himself another cognac. "Yes?" he said.

"It's not often we get guests who ask about other guests. I

mean. . . "

Carter waved him off. ' Oh, it's nothing illegal, I assure

you. I'm here in London for a little action, that's all. I've

heard of Rojas. Heard he was quite the gambling man. " He

grinned. • 'I intend challenging the fellow. Heard he's well-

heeled. "

' Vlhat he is, sir. Ihat he is indeed. But if you don't mind

me saying so, I'd be watching my step if I were you. His

muscle doesn 't take kindly to anyone prying into Mr. Rojas 's

private affairs. "

'Of course, " Carter said. ' 'I think I •II just down and

pay my "

"Up, sir. He's in the penthouse. "

"Yes, I'm sure he is. But I thought you said he was in the

casino at the moment. "

*Oh, yes—indeed he is, sir, ' ' the bell captain said. He had

pocketed the money. He saluted, turned on his heel, and left.

When he was gone, Carter tossed back his cognac, put the

glass aside, then made sure his tie was straight he

pocketed his room key and left.

It was interesting but not surprising that Rojas was here

with muscle and that he was surveying his surroundings. But

why was he gambling at the Alhambra and apparently no

where else? And why, Carter wondered, was he in Inndon

gambling at all? It didn 't make a lot of sense for a man in his

position, a man with a huge IOU due the Soviets.

Carter took the elevator down to the hotel lobby, where he

crossed over to the entrance to the casino. He showed his

28


28

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

membership card at the door.

It was barely eight o'clock, the dinner hour, so for the most

part the tables were practically empty. baccarat table had

not yet orrned. The velvet was still strung across the

in the railing, arui the chairs were pushed up to the

long table.

He angled left, walking down the two stairs and across to

the bar, where he ordered cognac. He turned around and

looked over the club, his back against the bar.

There were the usual few elderly ladies at the roulette

wheels, and several American tourists at one of the

blackjack tables. A couple of British naval officers were

gambling at the craps table, and around the comer from the

bar, a half-dozen men and three women, all dressed in eve-

ning clothes, were seated at a round table talking and laugh-

ing.

Carter almost missed him, his eyes sliding past, but then he

casually looked that way again just as Juan Rojas raised a

hand for the waitress. There was no mistaking the man.

Caner stared at him. willing him to tum to the left. And

Rojas did, his eyes locking with Carter's. He nodded. Carter

raised his snifter in salute, then turned back to the bar and lit a

cigarette.

He took his time finishing his cognac, and when he was

done, he turned the opposite way from where Rojas was

seated with his friends and started toward one of the gaming

tables.

Halfway across the floor, a short, very stocky man dres

in a well-tailored tuxedo approached him. "Mr. Carter? " he

inquired politely.

Carter stopped and looked at the man for a long moment.

'Who would like to know? ' he said in a low voice, but it ha

a harsh, menacing edge to it.

The other man bridled. But he held himself in check

DEATH HAND PLAY

29


29

' 'Senhor Juan Rojas—-the man you saluted at the table back

there—would like to buy you a drink, sir," the man

explained in Portuguese-accented English.

' 'Rojas?" Carter asked, lcx)king past the little man back

toward the table. Everyone there, including Rojas, was

ing his way. Rojas nodded again.

"Ah, that gentleman," Carter said. "But of course. "

"You are Mr. Caner the stocky man started, but

Carter brushed past him and over toward Rojas 's

table.

Rojas and the other men all stood as Carter approached.

The three women up. They were all lovely, but the

one seated at Rojas 's left was particularly stunning.

Rojas held out his hand. ' 'Mr. Carter, I

Carter ncxided, and they shc»k hands.

"Welcome to U»ndon. sir. Permit me. I am Juan Rojas. "

Caner grinned. ' 'You have me at the disadvantage. I knew

you, naturally. But tell me, how did you come to know who I

Rojas laughed. "l have spies everywhere, Mr. Caner. "

"And what have your spies told you?"

' That you were spying on me. That you are well-to-do.

1

And that you have come to London to seek some .

believe your word was 'action.' "

Carter smiled weakly. "Your spies seem to better than

mine. But essentially what they have told you is true. " He

glanced at the ladies. "But please forgive me, sir. The only

reason I spied at all was to find someone who might challenge

what I might consider a certain skill with cards.

"What sort of cards, might I ask?" Rojas asked. He was

intrigued.

'Poker, ' ' Carter said, naming the one game unogEcted in

these circles.

"How very. .

30


30

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

hardness creeping into his voice. "But tell me. Mr. Carter,

how long do you plan on staying in London?" He motioned

for Carter to have a seat at the table.

When thev were all settled and all had fresh drinks. Caner

tumed back to Rojas. ' 'My plans at this moment are indefi-

nite, Senhor Rojas. 's

"Upon what do your plans depend. Mr. Carter?" the girl

to Rojas's left asked.

• •Permit me to introduce Senhorita Carmella Perez.

Rojas said.

"Senhorita Perez." Carter said. inclining his head. He

smiled. • •My stay her is devrndent upon only one thing.

is?" the woman asked.

or not I find a gambler man enough to challenge

me at my own game.

Rojas stiffened.

am looking for—if the ladies will please pardon my

expression—a man with the balls to gamble with me.

Carmella hid her smile tk•hind an ornate lace fan. Her eyes

were very large and very dark.

Carter tossed down his remaining cognac. then up

and bowed deeply to Rojas. "If you will now excuse me.

Senhor Rojas. ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for the drink

ard the very pleasant company. ' ' The last he directed to

Carmella.

Rojas was angry. Caner could see it in the way the man

abruptly got to his feet. It lcx)ked as if his b«iyguards wanted

nothing more than to yank out their artillery and blow Caner

away.

will you be

looking for your action this

evening. Mr. Carter?" Rojas said. It sounded more like a

command than a question.

Caner smiled and his time answering. • •I thought I

might wander out to the Alhambra. • '

DEATH HAND PLAY

31


31

Rojas n«ided. A faint sheen cf Frspiration covered his

lip.

'I understand I might find an amateur or two out there, "

Carter

Rojas was visibly shaking.

'l'm told there 's usually a high roller or two playing who

fancies himself gcxxl but who couldn 't win at a tea social even

if his luck was with him. '

For just a moment Carter thought he had gone too far. The

mountain of muscle next to Rojas started to reach inside his

jacket. But Rojas held the man off with a glance, then tumed

to Carter with a tight smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Poker, you say?"

Carter stepped away from the table and held out his hand.

Rojas tcx)k it reluctantly.

"Poker is my game," Carter "But I "ve been

known to stoop so low as to with a bit of chemin de

fer. "

' 'Baccarat?"

Carter laughed. ' 'A ladies' game, actually. But I •ve

played it from time to time.


THREE

At the front desk, Carter asked if there were any messages

for him. In the glass front of the cabinet the long

counter, Carter could see the reflection of two of Rojas's

gorillas. They hung back by the bell captain's desk. ney

obviously had been sent to follow him.

"No, sir. No messages this evening. '

g Thank you, " Caner said. "I would like an automobile. "

' 'Of course, sir. Your driver will be with you—-"

' *No," Carter said sharply. A few heads turned his way.

"I would prefer a self-drive. "

The clerk seemed flustered for just a moment. "I would

not advise that, sir. "

"I've been to London before, and I've driven here. "

' 'As you wish, sir, " the clerk said. He turned away and got

on the phone. As he did, Carter watched the glass and saw

Rojas, the three women with him, and his other four body-

guards emerge from the casino and leave the hotel by the

front entrance. The two bodyguards who had evidently been

assigned to Carter remained in the lobby.

The clerk put down the telephone and tumed back to

Carter. ' 'A small Mercedes—I believe it will be a 450SL--—

will be at your disposal momentarily, sir. "

34

33


34

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

Caner smiled. "Thank you. I'll be at the Alhambra. " He

placed a twenty-pound note on the counter, turned, and

headed across the lobby. Out of the corner of his eye he

noticed with satisfaction that one of his tails was scrambling

toward a side door, while the other came his way.

Outside, a minute or two later. his tail humed up the block

and climbed into a Jaguar sexlan with some kind of a shield on

its radiator. A minute after that, a powder blue Mercedes

450SL convertible slid up to the curb, and a uniformed hotel

employee jumped out.

' •Mr. Carter?" he called.

Carter crossed the sidewalk and climtrd into the car,

passing the dnver a ten-pound tip. The man closed the door.

w •Now be careful driving, sir. The traffic is a bit fierce out

there this evening. "

"Right," Carter said through the orxn window. He

slammed the car in low gear and hammered the accelerator

pedal to the floor.

The Jaguar's lights came on, and the car leaFEd away from

the curb, but within seconds Carter was careening around

Piccadilly Circus much too fast, up Regent Street, and then

West on Oxford Street toward Hyde Park.

Rojas's goons never had a chance. They had lost Carter

from the moment he had pulled away from the hotel.

Down on Bayswater Road, Carter pulled into a side street

where he doused the lights and parked. He wasn't too far

from Paddington Station.

He locked the car and hurried up to the station on fc.X)t,

where he quickly found a cab and directed the driver to take

him to the Ritz.

Mueh to the cabby •s puzzlement, Carter got out a block

before the hotel and paid a very handsome tip. Yanks're

bloody crazy, the driver thought, folding the money and

putting it into a pocket.

DEATH HAND PLAY

35


35

After the cab had gone, Caner made his way around to a

side entrance to the hotel. He climbed a flight of stairs to the

third floor, where he took an elevator the rest of the way to the

top

Rojas and his men-—except for the two still out looking for

Caner—were on their way to the Alhambra. Carter figured

Rojas 's suite would be unattended this evening, at least for a

few hours.

There were four penthouse suites on the top floor, and it

took Carter only a few minutes to find out which belonged to

Rojas. Two were occupied and had parties in progress. The

third was empty; it was tRing redecorated. Which left the

fourth. ne front unit. The most prestigious of them all.

He used his stiletto to pick the easy lock, then he slipped

inside. For a minute he just waited in the vestibule, listening

to the sounds of the apartrnent.

Lamps had been left on in the sitting rcx)rn, aml there was

light in what appeared to be a kitchenette and serving area on

the inside wall. But there were no sounds. If anyone was still

in the suite, he was either sleeping or very much on guard.

Carter withdrew his Luger, screwed the silencer on the

barrel, and advanced carefully into the suite, The living room

was clear, as was the front bathroom and second bedroom.

He slipped around the comer, down the short corridor, and

into the master suite. The big bed had been slept in, and

clothing had been tossed carelessly around it. But there was

no one there. Nor was there anyone in the huge walk-in

closets or in the master bath.

He unscrewed the silencer and reholstered his weapon,

then went to work. Beginning with the master bath and

efficiently working his way back toward the front door, he

quietly searched the suite.

Carter found nothing of interest except for two names

scrawled on the pad by the telephone in the master suite:

36

NICK


36

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

CHATEAU LE FAVRE

BARNET

Barnet was a small town just north of London. But Chåteau

Le Favre? Carter thought about the name, but it didn 't ring a

Was it in England? Or perhaps France?

Carter took one last look around the suite to make sure he

had not moved anything out of place, and then he went to the

He it a crack and looked out into the corridor.

The bell captain was there with one of Rmas's men. It was

one of the men who had followed Carter from the lobby.

They were arguing about something and had evidently just

come up on the elevator. Carter figured it was a safe bet they

would come into the suite.

Carter closed and latched the door, hurried across the

sitting room, and let himself out onto the balcony.

Far traffic on Piccadilly was heavy. Above, there

was no way to the roof, which, even if he on the railing,

was too far to reach.

Lights came on in the sitting room, and the sound of the

voices of Rojas's man and the captain rose and fell.

Carter put his ear to the door.

despite what you may have to say, Senhor Rojas

told me to come back here and to stay here. "

"I have no argument with that."

"You had better not," an angry voice shouted. ' 'All you

have to do is keep this floor clear. "

"Impossible. This is a public hotel, not a private for-

tress."

Then at least keep watch. If someone comes up, give me

a call. If Carter—"

"If that bastard shows up here, I 'II waste him," snapped

the bell captain. "And you can tell that to your boss if you'd

like. I don't care. He's nothing but a mouth with a lot of

money. He's nothing to be worTied about, I assure you. "

DEATH HAND PLAY

37


37

Rojas's man laughed. ' Vlhat is my worry, not yours. Just

do as you are told, and when it is over you will well paid. "

"I want no trouble here. "

"You will get none from me if you do as you are told. "

There was silence for a while, but then Caner distinctly

heard the front door to the suite open and close. A few

minutes later the television came on.

Rojas's txxiyguard was obviously going to remain in the

suite for the rest of the night. There would be no getting past

him without killing him, which would ruin everything. Get-

ting to know Rojas and what he was up to wa.sn 't going to be

easy. Rojas would have to tE convinced that Carter was

nothing more than what he appeared to an arrogant

playboy with far more money than sense.

Carter again checked the possibility of gaining access to

the roof, but there was simply no way up. No decorative

bricks to climb up. No downspouts. No wires. Nothing,

The sitting room balcony was separated from the master

suite balcony by a space of about ten feet. Directly below that

balcony was the balcony of the room on the floor txlow. It

was a drop of around fifteen feet, and it was angled to the left.

Quickly, Carter stepped over the railing and, holding on

with one hand, leaned way out and leaped for the master suite

balcony, making it easily.

He stepped over that railing, went to the far side of the

balcony, and looked over the edge.

There was a light shining from the window below, casting

its pale yellow glow on the narrow strip of concrete.

There was no other way. Carter took a few deep breaths.

The street was six stories below. A very long drop.

He climbed over the railing, then, hunching down, eased

his body over the edge. He started swinging, first in short

little arcs, then going wider and wider, his movements pull-

ing his hands from the balcony floor.

38


38

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

At the precise moment he was certain his grip would no

longer hold, he gave one final swing and dropped off into

space.

The balcony came up beneath him, and he hit feet first but

off-balance, striking the railing painfully with his left

forearm and chest.

He straightened up just as thecurtains were yanked back in

Rojas 's suite above. The balcony door opened, and someone

stepped out.

Carter flattened himself against the far comer of his bal-

cony. From where he stocxl he could just see the edge of

Rojas 's balcony. A pair of shoes and trouser legs appeared,

stopped a moment, then went away. The balcony door

closed. and it was quiet again.

Carter breathed a sigh of relief, then put his ear against the

door. He thought he could hear running water—maybe a

shower—and he could hear someone talking. After a minute

or so he realized the talking was the television, and the

running water was indeed a shower.

He tried the balcony door. It was unlocked and slid back

easily. He parted the curtain and looked inside.

A black slip and a black cocktail dress were laid out on the

king-size bed. The bathroom door was ()EEn.

Carter slipped into the room, closing the balcony door

behind him, and made his way across the room to the bath-

room door.

The shower stopped as he stepped past the OEkn door. He

could hear the door of the shower stall opening, and a woman

started to hum some tune.

He opened the door to the hotel corridor and looked out for

a second. He was just turning back after closing the dcx»r

when an attractive young woman stepped out of the bath-

She stopped in her tracks. Startled. And nude.

DEATH HAND PLAY

39


39

Carter smiled. "Pardon me, miss, but apparently I have

the wrong room. Either that or I have a tRautiful albeit

unknown visitor. "

She smiled back. ' s You have the wrong mom, unfortu-

nately, Monsieur . . . She was French.

"I'm so sorry, " Carter said. He turned, hurried down the

corridor, and pushed the button for the elevator. Before the

car came he looked back. The woman was peering around the

comer of the doorframe.

"Au revoir, -he said as he stepped into the elevator and

the doors closed.

His chest hurt, and his ann ached. He didn't think he had

broken anything. But he'd be sore as hell in the morning.

He got off on the ballroom floor, then crossed to the back

where he took a service elevator to the ground floor and let

himself out the back way.

A few of the hotel staff saw him, but no one paid him any

attention. A block away he hailed a cab, which he took back

to Paddington Station. From there he walked back to the

Mercedes.

Forty minutes later Carter pulled up in front of the

Alhambra. It was ten o'clock, and he was very hungry and

very sore.

"Welcome to the Alhambra, " an olive-skinned valet

greeted him as he got out of the car. Cuban? Carter wondered

as he started through the gates and up the walk.

He was ready to meet Rojas tonight. The man was here to

gamble. Carter would give it to him. His plan was to gently

hammer at the man and to keep hammering at him until

something popped, until Rojas made a mistake.

He was greeted at the door by the club manager. "Wel-

come to the Alhambra, sir. Are you a member?"

"Yes," Carter said. "But this will be my first visit."

40


40

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

s 'I see, sir," the manager said. He was about to show

Carter to the registration desk, when he "Your

name, sir?"

s Carter. Nick Caner. You may contact the Ritz for

my—

"lhat will not be necessary, sir. Senhor Rojas has

vouched for you. He is expecting you. "

Carter just looked at the man.

"Sir?" the manager asked.

"I'd just as soon you check with the Ritz in town. I'm

nobody's guest here but my own. Especially not Senhor

Rojas's."

w course, sir," the man said smoothly. He had been

down this path with other guests. He picked up a telephone,

asked for a number, and within two minutes he was hanging

up, a huge smile on his face. "What sort of a line will you be

needing this evening, Mr. Carter?"

"A hundred thousand for now. And a dealer. "

"Pounds, sir?"

"Of course. And we'll be playing poker. " Carter wrote a

check for that amount.

"Yes, sir. "

"I drink cognac. Good cognac, "

'Of course. And will you and Senhor Rojas be needing a

private room?"

Caner appeared to think about it for a moment, but then he

shook his head, "No, I don't believe so. Let's make this

public. It should be educational. "

Carter went through the entrance hall, up three stairs, and

into the main gaming rcx)rn. It was very large, and unlike Las

Vegas rooms with their low ceilings, this one had high,

soaring ceilings with huge chandeliers, making it seem al-

most like a church.

Slot machines were to the left, blackjack and craps tables

DEATH HAND PLAY

41


41

(53 of 212)

+ 110%

DEATH HAND PLAY

41

were straight ahead. and to the right were the roulette wheels.

Beyond them stood the baccarat tables, two of them.

A band was set up along the back wall, and on the near wall

to the right was the bar. To the left were three SBEial gaming

tables. One of them was set up now.

Rojas was nowhere to be seen. Carter got himself a cognac

fmm the bar and wandered off to the right, toward the roulette

tables.

The woman who had been with Rojas was there. She was

winning. Carter stcxxi her for a minute or two before

she tumed and looked up at him.

"Mr. Carter, " she said. Her voice was as lovely as she

was.

"Senhorita Perez, I believe it is. "

She smiled and inclined her head. "You are here to see

"Yes, I am."

"He is most anxious to meet with you at the gaming

tables, " she said. Without looking, she placed large on

black and on even.

"And this makes you nervous?"

"Somewhat," she said, smiling softly. "Juan is. . . how

. a very intense man. For him now, winning is

shall Isay. .

everything. He would stop at nothing, Mr. Carter, at noth-

ing. "

' 'Does he cheat?"

' 'l never cheat, sir, but I always win. "

Carter turned around to face the tall, handsome South

American. They shook hands.

"I understand you wish to play a little poker. "

'The thought had crossed my mind on the way out here. ' '

"Did you have trouble finding the place?"

"None whatsoever, Senhor Rojas. I drove right to it. "

It was all Rojas could do to maintain his self-control, His

42


42

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

goons behind him lcx)ked as if they wanted to take the place

apart.

' SA thousand-pound ante and a three-raise limit suit you? ' '

Carter asked.

"Twenty-five hundred pounds might be better," Rojas

replied, smiling.

Carter looked back at Carmella , whose eyes were wide. He

tumed back to Rojas.

"Is it high-stakes poker you're after, then?"

' 'Exactly," Rojas replied.

Carter let the smile fade from his lips. S Vlhen let's cut the

bullshit, Rojas, ' ' he said, his voice soft. and low and menac-

ing. Ten-thousand-pound ante with no raise limit. Just you

and me and the dealer. No one else. "

Rojas was taken aback. There were several people

gathered around them now that it was understcxxl some kind

of a gambling duel was in the offing. Rojas finally ncxided.

'Go«xi, ' • Carter said. brushing past the man and his goril-

las and heading toward the poker table. "I'm just in the

to kick some ass tonight. s'

A young man dressed in a tuxedo was seated the

dealer's position at the table that had been set up for them.

lhe club manager was standing nearby to make sure every-

thing would go smoothly.

Carter stalked up to the table and stopped by his chair.

The young dealer was dark-haired and very

Carter would have bet his last dollar the man was Cuban,

Rojas was dealing with the Russians on this one, and some-

thing was about to happen in the Caribbean basin. Cuba and

Russia were close allies.

Caner decided to take this opportunity to again shake up

Rojas and his people.

DEATH HAND PLAY

43


43

"You," he said to the dealer. 'Get out of there. Get away

from the table. "

The young man was shocked. He stcx:xi up but didn 't move

away.

"I said I want you to get the hell out of there. Don't you

understand English?"

The club manager rushed up to Carter. Rojas and his

people stcxxi aside, watching.

"Sir, what is the trouble?"

s 'I don't want this man as my dealer, " Carter snapped.

The manager started to sputter something, but Carter cut

him off.

s 'I just don't like his looks. "

s Of course, sir," the manager said, recovering his com-

posure. "Do you have anyone in mind? We can bring in

another dealer. ' '

"I want you, " Carter said. The man was British, and the

club would rise or fall on his honesty. Whereas one of his

dealers might be able to get away with something and not

seriously hurt the club's reputation, its manager could not.

"Impossible, sir," the man said.

But Carter had already seated himself. "I would like

another cognac," he said, holding up his glass. ' 'And I

would like to begin. I am here to play cards, not argue. "

"But Mr. Carter, it is impossible for me to act as your

dealer. I have many other duties. "

Carter looked from the man to Rojas. "What say, Senhor

Rojas?" he called out, deliberately mispronouncing the

man's narne.

Rojas went white. His bodyguards were shaking with

ambition, but Rojas held them back. He nodded to the man-

ager.

"It would be a personal favor to me, Mr. Danners. "

44


44

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

I

The manager from Rojas to Caner and back again.

Finally he nodded. ' 'As you wish, gentlemen. ne Alhambra

is here to serve. "

'SI wonder where I've heard that line Carter

mumbled under his breath but loud enough for the crowd

nearest him to hear what he said.

Rojas sat down, his bodyguards on either side of him, two

of his girls nearby.

Danners, the club manager, took his seat, passed a sealed

deck to each man for their inspection, and then one.

Deftly he spread the cards out in the perfect dealer's arc,

then flipped them over in a fan, smoothly extracting the

jokers.

s 'Mr. Ca.rter, you named the action, which makes you the

challenger," Danners •aid. He tumed to Rojas. "Senhor

Rojas, it is up to you to narne the game. "

"Five card stud," Rojas said without hesitation. "First

and last card up, tkts double on the first pair or better. "

Caner grinned. He glanced at his chips. 'Golds are ten

thousand pounds, reds are five thousand, and blue, a

thousand?"

Danners nodded, passing the shuffled deck to Carter, who

cut. Danners smoothly closed the deck and quickly dealt the

first cards as Carmella Perez came up behind Carter and lit a

cigarette.


FOUR

It was just a little after midnight. A fairly large crowd had

gathered behind Rojas and Carter at the pker table where

Claude Danners, the Alhambra's manager, was dealing.

Rojas had tEen winning quite heavily. At this he was

at least L 15000 ahead. Carter had had to write a check for a

second

nere was already a certain pessimism in the crowd, that

was common in any totally one-sided contest. Rojas had

begun by winning, he had continued to win, and it looked as

if nothing would stop him.

But Caner had let the man win. As far as he was able to

tell, Danners had not cheated. But Caner susrrcted that had

the handsome Hispanic dealt, there would have been no

question who was going to win.

Rojas had begun as a conservative gambler in an unfamil-

iar game against an unfamiliar player.

Early on, however, after Carter had had a couple of very

desultory wins and some fairly heavy losses, Rojas had

begun to smile and enjoy himself. He had lcx)sened up im-

mediately, swinging his wide. searching for fills for his

pairs and triplets for his full houses.

It was time, Carter figured, to teach the man a little bit

about poker.

46

45

NICK CARTER


46

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

Danners had just dealt the first cards up: a king for Rojas

and an ace for Carter. The second card, down, carne, and

Carter, without bothering to look at it, slid a pile of chips

across.

"Ace bets fifty thousand, " he said.

Rojas blinked and stiffened. A slight stir rustled through

the crowd.

"The man has a pair of aces," Rojas said. matching the

The previous largest bet had only Iren C 20.0(X). With

the antes. there was in the center of the table now,

with only two of the five cards out.

*The table is set?" Danners asked.

Carter ncxided, Rojas grinned and nodded.

The third card each. down. came out. Still Carter did not

bother looking at his two down cards.

"Ace tkts another fifty thousand. Carter said.

The crowd murmured.

Danners sat forward. am sorry. Mr. Carter. but you

have exceeded your credit limit.

"You are going to stop me with a hand like this?"

"But you have not even looked at your cards. sir!

"You are going to tell me how to play poker, then?"

Carter snapped. He reached for his wallet. Rojas's goons

nearly jumped out of their tuxedoes. But Carter pulled out his

wallet, opened it. and tossed out his three premier credit

cards. "Between them. I have a credit limit ofa million anda

half, . . pounds. More if I wish tomake acall. Doyou wish

to challenge my marker?"

Danners scooped up Carter's credit cards. • 'I am most

sorry, sir. I meant no Of course your marker is

good with the Alhambra. "

Carter smiled. ' "Ihankyou. ne ace bets fifty thousand. as

I was saying."


47

(59 of 212)

+ 110%

DEATH HAND PLAY

47

Danners passed over L in gold markers, and Car-

ter diverted L to the center of the table.

Rojas checked his down cards, smiled ever so slightly,

and shov«i out five markers. "See your fifty

thousand, ' ' he said and pushed out two more. S 'And raise you

twenty thousand more.

The entire club was deathly silent , except for an occasional

slot machine. Someone in the back was oblivious to the

drama at the table.

Carter laughed out loud. '"Ihe man has spirit. I lüce that! "

He shoved outL 20,ßX). "See your twenty' '—he shoved out

five more gold markers—"and raise you another fifty

thousand. "

A gasp ran thmugh the crowd. Rojas looked at his down

cards again. Carter lit a cigarette and ordered another cognac.

His eyes met Cameila's. She looked very frightened.

The moment stretched for a long time. Carter 's drink came

even though it was illegal to drink at a gaming table.

txt has been placed, Senhor Rojas, " Danners finally

said. His voice was soft and very obsequious.

see it," Rojas snarled. He shoved five gold markers

into the huge pile at the center of the table.

"No raises, Senhor Rojas?" Carter taunted.

"Let's play poker. "

Carter nodded.

Danners dealt the fourth card, the last one down, and sat

back. Rojas enced his card up so that he could just see it. He

brightened ever so slightly. Car-ter figured the man had a pair

of kings. Anything tEtter and he'd be betting more heavily

than he had been, just on the come.

Carter made a show of not looking at his down cards, and

he shoved out "Ace bets fifty big ones. "

Rojas grinned. "I'll see that and raise you another fifty,"

NICK CARTER


48

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

he said. shoving ten gold chips across.

was right. A pair of kings and the man gets frisky."

Carter shoved a huge pile of chips across. "See your fifty

thousand—and raise you a hundred grand.

One could almost touch the tension in the atrnosphere of

the club. Even Danners. whom Carter wa.s sure hai seen a lot

of gambling in his time. wxs on his tces. In of the

table rested C 660.10. And there was more to come.

Rojas leaned back and spoke with one of his g'Nns for a

moment. Ihe man and one of his buddies Bieled off fmm the

crowd and left. Trouble. Carter figured.

Very slowly Rojas pushed across thec raise. • •I'll

hold here," he said.

• •The table set. gentlemen?" Danners a.oced.

Rojas nexlded.

• • You're not so proud of your pair of kings. senhor•.••

Carter asked with an American twang. mangling his pronun-

ciation of the Ponuguese word,

••Let•s play cards: • Rojas snapß*d.

"I thought that •s what I was doing." Carter said inmv

cently. sitting forward. He motioned for the next card.

Danners dealt Carter a second ace. and Rojas a queen. Ihe

South American seemed confused for a moment. then

crstfallen. and finally he sat back and just Kvked at Caner. a

very look in his eyes.

Caner chuckied. "Pair of aces tx•ts a hundred thousand.

and he hopes for a substantial raise from the Banut galleo.

Rojas at his down cards. A thin sheen of Frspira-

tion coated his brow. He up at Carter. "You play this

without looking at your cards" •s

Carter slammed his hand on the tabletop. • •Is everyone in

this goddamned club going to tell me how to play

Rojas said nothing. Dannen looked away. Ihe crowd was

excited.

DEATH HAND PLAY


49

' 'Play," Carter whisErred. "Bet or fold, I don't give a

damn. "

g 'I think you have the third ace," Rojas said calmly.

"You'll have to pay to see it, senhor. One hundred

grand. " There was on the table.

Rojas had less than in chips left. He was good for

more. Everyone that. He toyed with the chips for a

bit.

"You going to play pker or count your money?" Carter

asked.

Rojas smiled and shcx»k his head. much forme, " he

said. He flipped his cards down and them toward

Danners. "I need another few hundred thousand. The next

hand will be "

Carter grinned and sto«l up. ne crowd ga.sr*d. He tossed

a L chip toward Danners, another illegal move under

British law. S' Thanks for an interesting game. Send my

winnings over to the Ritz. "

Rojas up. "You're not quitting now .

' 'Indeed I am, " Carter said pleasantly. "I always make it a

practice to quit while I'm ahead. You should take a lesson,

Senhor Rojas. "

One of Rojas 's bodyguards had come around the table, He

brushed past Caner and reached down for his hand, intending

to turn over the three down cards. Carter's hand shot out,

pinning the other man's hand to the table.

For a moment there was a little struggle that was mostly

hidden from the spectators ' view. Caner had the advantage in

strength and, because of his position, in leverage.

Rojas ncxided, and the bodyguard relaxed. For a long

moment Carter held tight, a very hard look coming into his

eyes.

"You ever attempt anything like that again with me, big

IX)Y, and I'll kill you."

50


50

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

Carter released the man's hand and stepped back, his

muscles taut and ready for whatever the goon might take it

into his head to do.

But the bodyguard had more control than Carter had given

him credit for. He backed off, rubbing his wrist.

"I am sorry, sir. I atx)logize. I meant nothing. I was

curious • i"

Carter rudely turned away from him. "As I was saying,

Mr. Danners, have my winnings sent to the Ritz. "

Danners nodded. He was hoping for no trouble.

' 'And it would be unfortunate .

. most unfortunate if

anything should happen to my funds between here and

there."

Danners puffed up. "I assure you, sir—

'Yes, you do, ' ' Caner said. He tumed and t»wed slightly

to Carmella, then nonchalantly headed out of the club, the

crowd parting with for him. No matter the establish-

ment, to bet and win more than three quarters ot a million

pounds was an achievement.

Outside, a Mercedes sedan took off into the night, back

toward London, and Carter grinned. The frontline troops , no

doubt.

The parking valet came, saw Carter, and hurried back for

his car. A minute or two later the 450SL slid upto the canopy,

and the valet jumEkd out.

Caner got in behind the wheel , the door was closed, and he

headed out, swinging around toward London. He figured

he'd give them a couple of miles to do whatever it was they

wanted to do before he'd double back.

He had hurt Rojas. He had seen it in the man's manner.

Now he wanted to see what the Brazilian 's reaction would be

. other than sending his gorillas after the opposition, of

course.

It happened less than two blocks from the club. The big

DEATH


51

Mercedes was slewed across the road, its front right wheel

just over the edge.

There was no one in sight. ne road was very dark. Carter

unbuttoned his jacket and came to a complete halt.

For a moment or two he just sat there, then he doused his

headlights, leaving only his parking lights on, and he pulled

his car over to the side of the road. He left himself plenty of

room to get the hell out of there in a hurry if necessary.

He got out of the car and stepped around toward the

Mercedes sedan some twenty feet away. The big car's head-

lights were on. As Carter got closer, he could see a man

dressed in a tuxedo hunched over the steering wheel as if he

had hit his head in the crash and was unconscious.

Carter didn't think they'd kill him. Not until they knew

what he was all about. And not until they had a chance to get

Rojas 's money back. But they were going to rough him up.

Or at least they were going to try.

He carne around the rear of the sedan cautiously

moved up to the open window on the driver's side. The man

hunched over the steering wheel didn 't move. Carter reached

out and touched his shoulder, and the man sat up, a big

Russian automatic in his right fist.

Carter stepped back, his hands going up, as someone else

came out of the shadows in the trees the road.

The man in the car started to get out at the same moment

the goon reached around for Carter's gun.

Carter stepped aside, knocking the man's gun away with

his elbow, then turned, grabbed the second man, spun him

around, and shoved him against the half-(WI car door.

"Son of a bitch," one of them shouted.

Carter stepped forward, his weight swinging to his left foot

as he planted a right hook on the goon's chin.

The bodyguard 's head snapped back, bouncing against the

roof of the car, and he started to sink to his knees.

52


52

+ 110%

NICK CARTER

I

Carter grabbed his lapels and propelled him away from the

car, sending him skidding on the roadway.

He yanked the car door the rest of the way open, reached

inside, and pulled out the half-dazed "accident victim. " He

hit him once very hard in the solar plexus and again just as

hard in the face. The man to his knees and then fell

on his face on the road.

Working quickly now, in case another car came along,

Carter bent down and retrieved tX)th men 's guns and wallets.

Back in his own car, he swung the Mercedes sedan around

and drove another half a block until he found a driveway in

which to turn around. Then he headed back to the Alhambra.

Carter remained where he was, parked half a block from

the front entrance to the club, for nearly an hour, smoking

one cigarette after another. For a while he thought he had

already missed Rojas. He figured the man had already left the

club.

He had almost decided to risk going inside and looking

around when Rojas, four of his bodyguards, and the three

women, including Carmella Perez, came out of the club.

They stocxi there, laughing and talking, waiting for the

valet to bring their car.

Carter was somewhat disappointed. He would have bet

almost anything that a wounded Rojas , losing at cards , would

head out without his entourage—or at least without most of

it—to confer with whoever he was doing this for.

Actually, Carter thought, his logic was a little thin. De-

spite what AXE's files indicated, and despite their best pre-

dictions as to what Rojas was up to, the man could very well

be here in London for nothing more than was apparent—

merely to have a gcxxl time gambling.

Two cars pulled up to the curb, and two valets popped out.

Ca.rter grinned.

DEATH HAND PLAY

53


150