Into it, Gavin Brice dumped his valuables, and with a clawing motion, scraped a handful of loose tobacco over them.

Then he returned to his former inertly supine posture.
The whole maneuver had not occupied three seconds.

And, by the time Standish had the door closed and had started back toward the couch, the watch and money were safe-hidden.

At that, there had been little enough time to spare.

It had been a matter of touch-and-go.