Noir: Looking for a Lifeline

"No, I never did. _You_ can trust _me_, but I don't know if _I_ can trust _you_."

She blanched.

I continued, "Look, because I loved you once, I'll lay it on the table. I've never heard of this Bet Nwar and I don't know it's yours. You deliberately chose to meet me in your _husband's_ joint and he's nervously keeping an eye on you. You're up to something and I wonder if I'm just a pawn in your game."

"What I've told you is the truth, Nick."

"I'll be the judge of that. Excuse me for a minute. I'll be back."

I pushed the chair back, stood and walked to the bar.

"Pass me the phone," I demanded of the bartender.

"Sure. No long distance calls."

He set the phone on the bar. I picked up the receiver and dialed.

"Hey, George. It's Nick."

"Again?" he said, good naturedly.

"Yeah. I'm trying to swim in your waters and I'm drowning."

"No problem. What do you need?"

"Do you know anything about a gem named the Bet Nwar?"

"The Bête Noire? Sure. Large, smoky diamond set in a gold necklace. What about it?"