"I happened to notice you going upstairs with one of Lord Carfax's young

ladies

a few moments ago, and now here you are, having a good stiff drink."

"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," said Royce

stiffly.

"Ah, well, perhaps I misunderstood you. You see, I recognized you from your

photographs in the financial pages, and I was about to warn you. I didn't

know

if you knew about the sort of things that went on here. Perhaps I assumed too

much and spoke out of turn."

"No, wait," said Royce. "Warn me about what? What did you mean about the sort

of

things that went on here? Who are you?"

"Agent Damon, B.O.T.," he said, reaching into his jacket pocket and producing

an

ID that hadn't existed a second earlier. He flashed it covertly, glanced

around,

and put it back into his pocket. "I've had occasion to work with your son,

Chief

Inspector Blood. Good man. I take it this is your first time at one of Lord

Carfax's little soirees?"

"Yes. I'm not really much of a party goer, but a friend of mine talked me

into

coming. Why?"

He nodded knowingly. "I thought as much. You had that sort of overdosed look

of

someone who's encountered rather more than he expected." He leaned closer. "I

gather you didn't know that Lord Nigel Carfax is one of those people known as

an

'information broker,' if you get my meaning. Works very much behind the

scenes,

but he makes it his business to find out what people's weaknesses are, and

then

he exploits them for personal gain."

Royce frowned. "Are you telling me that he's an extortionist, a blackmailer?"

"One of the very best. His methods are often quite ingenious. Sometimes

they're

even legal." He glanced toward the stairs. "You've just met one of them."

"You don't mean Terri? Miss Clancy?"

"Oh, yes. I know it must be very gratifying, having a beautiful woman like

that

seem attracted to you, but at the risk of wounding your ego, the truth is

that

Terri Clancy is a calculating nymphomaniac—and a felon, to boot. We have quite

a

dossier on her, and we're very familiar with her modus operandi. First she

will

make her attraction to you seem self-evident by subtle means, then she will

start a coy flirtation. After that, if you still have any reservations —which