The Danger. Part 20

"YourEagleralreadyhadthesameidea,"Tonysaid."Halftheholiday-makerson thispatchofsandareeffingplainclothesmenquizzingtheotherhalf.They've beenoutheresincebreakfast."

ItappearedthatTonyhadgotonverywellwithEagler.Tonyconsideredhehad "constructiveeffingideas,"whichwasTony's.h.i.+ghestmarkofapproval.

"Eagler'salreadysortedoutwhatarsondevicewasusedtofirethedinghy.The dinghywa.s.stolen,whatasurprise."

SomesmallchildrenweredigginganewsandcastlewhereDominic'shadbeenwiped outbythetide.

"AlittlegirlofabouteightgaveMirandathekidnapper'snote,"Isaid."What doyoubetshe'sstillhere?"

WithoutdirectlyansweringTonyrosetohisfeetandlopeddownontothesand, wherehewaspresentlypa.s.singthetimeofdaywithtwoagilepeoplekickinga football.

"They'lllookforher,"hesaid,returning."They'vefoundplentywhosawthe boat.Somewhosawwholeft.i.t.Theonewiththegreenshortshasastatof Giuseppeinhispocket,butnoluckwiththat,sofar."

Thetwoboyswhohadhelpedmecarrytheboatupfromthegraspofthetidecame byandsaidh.e.l.lo,recognizingme.

"Hi,"Isaid."Iseetheboat'sgone,whatwasleftofit."

Oneofthemnodded."Wecamebackalonghereaftersupperandthereweretwo fishermantypeswinchingitontoapickuptruck.Theydidn'tknowwhoseitwas.

TheysaidthecoastguardshadsentthemtofetchitintoayardinItchenor."

"Doyoulivehere?"Iasked.

Theyshooktheirheads."WerentahousealongthereforAugust."Oneofthem pointedeastwards,alongthebeach."Wecomeeveryyear.MumandDadlikeit."

"You'rebrothers?"Iasked.

"Twins,actually.Butfraternal,asyousee."

Theypickedupsomepebblesandthrewthematanemptyc.o.kecanfortarget practice,andpresentlymovedoff.

"Givesyouathoughtortwo,doesn't.i.t?"Tonysaid.

"Yes."

"Eaglerwantedtoseeusanywayataboutfive,"hesaid."IntheSilverSail Cafeinthatplacetheboymentioned.Itchenor.Soundslikesomedisgusting effingdisease."

Thefootball-kickeringreenshortswaspresentlytalkingtoalittlegirlwhose motherbustledupinalarmandprotectivelyshepherdedhernestlingaway.

"Nevermind,"Tonysaid."Thatsmas.h.i.+ngbitofgoodsinthepinkbikiniover thereisapolicewoman.What'llyoubetgreenshortswillbetalkingtoherin twoeffingticks?"

"Notapebble,"Isaid.

Wewatchedwhilegreenshortsgotintoconversationwithpinkbikini."Nicely done,"Tonysaidapprovingly."Verynatural."

Thepink-bikinigirlstoppedlookingforsh.e.l.ls.e.xclusivelyandstartedlooking forsmallgirlsaswell,andItookmys.h.i.+rtoffandbeganturningadelicate shadeoflobster.

Nodramasoccurredonthebeach.Thehotafternoonwarmedtotea-time.The football-kickerswentoffacrossthebreakwatersandthepinkbikiniwentinfor aswim.TonyandIstoodup,stretched,shookandfoldedourtowels,andingood holidaymakerfas.h.i.+ongotintomycaranddrovewestwardstoItchenor.

Eagler,inconspicuousinanopen-neckeds.h.i.+rt,baggygrayflannelsandgrubby tennisshoes,wasdrinkingteaintheSilverSailandwritingapicture postcard.

"Maywejoinyou?"Iaskedpolitely.

"Sitdown,laddie,sitdown."

Itwasanordinarysortofcafe;saucebottlesonthetables,muralsofsailing boatsroundthewalls,browntiledfloor,plasticstackingchairsinblue.A noticebyacashdeskstated"Thebestchipsonthecoast"andacertainwarm oilinessintheatmospheretendedtoprovetheirpopularity.

"MyW.P.C.foundyourgirlchild,"Eaglersaid,stickingastamponhis postcard."NameofSharonWellor,sevenyearsold,stayinginaguesthouse untilSat.u.r.day.Shecouldn'tdescribethemanwhoaskedhertodeliverthenote.

Shesayshegaveherarolloffruitpastilles,andshe'sscarednowbecauseher mother'salwaystoldhernevertotakesweetsfromstrangers."

"Didsheknowwhetherhewasoldoryoung?"Iasked.

"Everyoneovertwentyisoldtoaseven-year-old,"Eaglersaid."Shetoldmy W.P.C,whereshe'sstaying,though,soperhapswe'llaskagain."Heglancedat us."Comeupwithanymoreideas,haveyou?"

"Yeah,"Tonysaid."Kidnappersoftendon'ttransporttheirvictimsveryfarfrom theirs.n.a.t.c.hingpoint.Lowerstherisk."

"Inholidayresorts,"Isaidmildly."Halfthehousesareforrent."

Eaglerfiddledaimlesslywithhisteaspoon."Thousandsofthem,"hesaiddryly.

"Butoneofthemmighthavebeenrentedsometimelastweek."

Wewaited,andafterawhilehenodded."We'lldothelegwork.Askthetravel agents,estateagents,localpapers."Hepaused,thensaidwithoutemphasis, "Thekidmayhavebeentakenoffinaboat."

TonyandIpaidfastattention.

"Therewasamotorboatthere,"Eaglersaid."Oneofthoseputt-puttthingsfor hirebythehour.Mydetectiveconstablesweretoldthatwhenthedinghywenton firetheotherboatwas...o...b..ngroundintheshallowswithnooneinit,buta maninswimmingtrunksstandingknee-deepinthewaterholdingontoitbythe bows.Then,ourinformantssaid,thedinghysuddenlywentupinflames,very fast,withawhoosh,andeveryonerantowardsit,naturally.Ourinformantssaid thatafterwardsthemotorboathadgone,whichtheythoughtperfectlynormalas itstimewasprobablyup."Hestopped,lookingatusneutrallybutwithasmile ofsatisfactionplainlyhovering.

"Whowereyourinformants?"Iasked.

Thesmilealmostsurfaced."Aten-year-oldca.n.a.ldiggerandhisgrandmother."

"Veryreliable,"Isaid.

"Theboatwasblue,clinkerbuilt,withanumberseventeeninwhiteonitsbow andstern."

"Andtheman?"

"Themanwasaman.Theyfoundtheboatmoreinteresting."Hepausedagain.

"There'sayardhereinItchenorwithboatslikethatforhire.Thetroubleis they'vegotonlyten.They'veneverhadonewithseventeenonit,ever."

"Butwho'stoknow?"Tonysaid.

"Lookforahousewithaboatshed,"Imurmured.

Eaglersaidbenignly,"Itwouldn'thurt,wouldit,tofindthekid?"

"Iftheyspotanyonelookingthey'llbeoffinaflash,"Isaid,"anditwould bedangerousfortheboy."

Eaglernarrowedhiseyesslightlyatouralarm."We'llgoroundtheagencies,"

hesaid."Ifweturnupanythinglikelyonpaperwewon'tsurrounditwithout tellingyoufirst.How'sthat?"

Webothshookourheads.

"Bettertoavoidraidsandsiegesifpossible,"Isaid.

TonysaidtoEagler,"Ifyoufindalikelyhouseonpaper,letmesussitout.

I'vehadallsortsofexperienceatthissortofthing.I'lltellyouifthe kid'sthere.Andifheis,I'llgethimout."

Chaptertwelve.

THEREWASanurgentmessagefromtheofficeattheBreakwaterHotelformeto telephoneAlessia,whichIdid.

"Miranda'sdistracted...she'sinpieces,"shesaid,soundingstrungupherself beyondsympathytonearsnappingpoint."It'sawful...She'stelephonedmethree times,cryingterribly,beggingmetogetyoutodosomething..."

"SweetAlessia,"Isaid."Takethreedeepbreathsandsitdownifyou're standingup."

"Oh..."Hercoughofsurprisehadhumorinit,andafterapauseshesaid,"All right.I'msitting.Miranda'sdreadfullyfrightened.Isthatbetter?"

"Yes,"Isaid,halfsmiling."What'shappened?"

"SuperintendentRightsworthandJohnNerrityaremakingaplanandwon'tlisten toMiranda,andshe'sdesperatetostopthem.Shewantsyoutomakethemsee theymustn't."Hervoicewa.s.stillhighandanxious,thesentencescomingfast.

"What'stheplan?"Iasked.

"Johnisgoingtopretendtodowhatthekidnapperstellhim.Pretendtocollect themoney.Thenwhenthepretendmoneyishandedover,Superintendent RightsworthwilljumponthekidnappersandmakethemsaywhereDominicis."She gulpedaudibly."That'swhatwentwrong...withme...inBologna...isn't.i.t?"

"Yes,"Isaid,"anambushattheR.V.istomymindtoohigharisk."

"What'stheR.V.?"

"Sorry.Rendezvous.Theplacewheretheransomishandedover."

"MirandasaysJohndoesn'twanttopaytheransomandSuperintendentRightsworth istellinghimnottoworry,hedoesn'tneedto."

"Mm,"Isaid,"well,IcanseewhyMiranda'supset.Didshetalktoyoufromthe telephoneinherownhouse?"

"What?Oh,mygoodness,it'stapped,isn't.i.t,withthepolicelisteningto everyword?"

"Itisindeed,"Isaiddryly.

"Shewasupinherbedroom.Isupposeshedidn'tthink.And...heavens...shesaid JohnwasregrettingcallinginLibertyMarket,becauseyouwereadvisinghimto pay.SuperintendentRightsworthhasa.s.suredhimthepolicecantakecareof everything,there'snoneedtohaveoutsidersputtingtheiroarin."

ThephrasehadanauthenticRightsworthring.

"MirandasaysJohnisgoingtotellLibertyMarkethedoesn'twanttheirhelp anymore.Hesaysit'sawasteofmoney...andMiranda'sfrantic."

"Mm,"Isaid."Ifshetelephonesyouagain,trytoremindherthephone's tapped.Ifshehasanysenseshe'llringyoubackfromsomewhereelse.Then rea.s.sureherthatwe'lldoourbesttochangeherhusband'smind."

"Buthow?"Alessiasaid,despairing.

"Getourchairmantofrightenhimsilly,Idaresay,"Isaid."AndIneversaid that.It'sforyourearsonly."

"Willitwork?"Alessiasaiddoubtfully.

"TherearealsopeoplewhocanoverruleRightsworth."

"Isupposethereare."Shesoundedhappierwiththat."ShallItellMirandato telephonedirectlytoyou,inyouroffice?"

"No,"1said."I'llbemovingabout.Whenyou'veheardfromher,leaveamessage againformetocallyou,andIwill."

"Allright."Shesoundedtired."Ihaven'tbeenabletothinkofanythingelse allday.PoorMiranda.Poor,poorlittleboy.Ineverreallyunderstooduntil nowwhatPapawentthroughbecauseofme."

"Becauseofyourkidnappers,"Isaid,"andforloveofyou,yes."

Afterapauseshesaid,"You'retellingmeagain...Imustfeelnoguilt."

"That'sright,"Isaid."NomoreguiltthanDominic."

"It'snoteasy..."

"No,"Iagreed."Butessential."

SheaskedifIwouldcometolunchonSunday,andIsaidyesifpossiblebutnot tocountonit.

"Youwillgethimbackalive,won'tyou?"shesaidfinally,noneoftheworry dissipated;andIsaid"Yes,"andmeant.i.t.

"Goodbye,then..."

"Goodbye,"Isaid."AndlovetoPopsy."

LibertyMarket,Ireflected,puttingdownthereceiver,mighthaveanoverall successrateas.h.i.+ghasninety-fivepercent,butJohnNerrityseemedtobe headinghimselfperilouslytowardstheothertragicfive.Perhapshetruly believed,perhapsevenRightsworthbelieved,thatanambushatthedropproduced thebestresults.Andsotheydid,ifcapturingsomeofthekidnapperswasthe overridingaim.

TherehadbeenacaseinFlorida,however,whenthepolicehadambushedtheman whopickeduptheransomandshothimdownasherantoescape,andonlybecause thewoundedmanrelentedandtoldwherehisvictimwasafewsecondsbeforehe slidintoafinalcomahadtheyeverfoundtheboyalive.Hehadbeenleftin thetrunkofaparkedcar,andwouldslowlyhavesuffocatedifthepolicehad firedafractionstraighter.

ItoldTonyofNerrity'splansandhesaiddisgustedly,"Whatishe,aneffing optimist?"Hebithisthumbnail."Havetofindthatlittlenipper,won'twe?"

"HopetoG.o.d."