The Danger. Part 37

Imadenoimmediatereply,andafterapausehesaid,"Ididn'ttellheryou wouldn'tmakeit.Thatifyoudid,itwouldbeamiracle."

"Theyhappen,"Isaid;andhenodded.

"Onceinawhile."

WelookedbackalongtheroadtowhereI'descapedfrom.

"Thehousebackthereisthreeandahalfmilesinaprettydirectroutefrom theRitzCarlton,"hesaid."And...didyounotice?Nopumpkins."Hewa.s.smiling inthesemidarkness,histeethgleaminglikeHalloween.

Hecheckedthingsprettythoroughly,however,whenhiscarscame,climbinginto thebackofoneofthem,withmebesidehim,andflickingthroughsheetsand sheetsofcomputerprint-out.Theprint-out,Idiscovered,wasofproperties offeredforrental,orrented,duringthepasteightweeks,notonlyinthe DistrictofColumbiaitselfbutinadjacentArlingtonandpartsofMarylandand Virginia.Itseemedtometohaveentailedaprodigiousamountofwork:and again,likeEagler'sefforts,itproducedresults.

Kentgrowledadeepsyllableofsatisfactionandshowedmeoneparticularsheet, pointingtothelines: #5270CherrytreeStreet,20016, RentedOctober16,period26weeks,fullrentalprepaid.

Hepickedupamapalreadyfoldedtotherightpageandshowedmewherewewere.

"There'sthehouseyoucalledfrom,onDavenportStreet.Wewalkedablockup diagonallythroughthewoodstoCherrytree,whichisparallelwithDavenport.

ThewoodsarepartofAmericanUniversityPark."

Inodded.

Heheavedhimselfoutofthecartotalktohismen,andpresentlywewere ridingbackinthedirectionof5270,drivingslowlywithsidelightsonly.

KentandLieutenantStavoski,who'dcomeinthesecondcar,wereinfull agreementwitheachotherthatasuddenall-outraidwasbest,butaraidon theirownwell-preparedterms.Theysenttwopolicementhroughthewoodsto approachfromtherearbutstayoutofsight,andpositionedthecarsalsoout ofsightofthehouse,butready.

"Youstayouthere,"Kentsaidtome."Youkeepout,understand?"

"No,"Isaid."I'llfindFreemantle."

Heopenedhismouthandcloseditagain,andIknewthatlikeallpolicemenhe'd beenconcentratingalmostexclusivelyoncapturingthevillains.Helooked a.s.sessinglyatmeforamomentandIsaid,"I'mgoingin,don'targue."

Heshookhisheadinresignationanddidn'ttryanyfurthertostopme,andit washeandI,asbefore,whomadethefirstapproach,quietascobwebs,tothe housewithnopumpkins.

IntheshadowofalaurelItouchedhisarmandpointed,andhestiffenedwhen hesawwhatIwa.s.showinghim:amanstandinginanupstairsunlitwindow, smokingacigarette.

Westayedquiet,watching.Sodidtheman,unalarmed.

"s.h.i.+t,"Kentsaid.

"There'salwaystheback."

Behindbushesweslitheredourway.Thewindowsfacingrearwardstothewoodland lookedmerelyblank.

"Whatdoyouthink?"Iasked.

"Gottobedone."Thegunwasbackinhishand,andtherewasbothapprehension andresolutioninhisvoice."Ready?"

"Yes."

Ready,ifthatincludedanoisyheartanddifficultyinbreathing.

Weleftth.e.s.h.elterofthebushesatthenearestpointtothehouseandcrept fromshadowtoshadowtowhatwasevidentlythekitchendoor.Thedoorwas double;anouterscreenagainstinsects,aninnerdoormadehalfofgla.s.s.Kent puthishandonthescreendoorlatchandpulleditopen,andtriedthehandle ofthemaindoorbeneath.

Unsurprisingly,locked.

Kentpulledtheradiofromhisbelt,extendedtheaerial,andsaidonesingle word,"Go."

Beforehe'dfinishedreturningtheradiotohisbelttherewasasudden skin-crawlingcrescendoofsirensfrominfrontofthehouse,andevenatthe rearonecouldseethereflectionsoftherevolvinglightsracingforwards.Then thereweresearchlightsfloodingandvoicesshoutingincomprehensiblythrough megaphones:andbythattimeKenthadsmashedthegla.s.spanelofthedoorand putahandinsidetoundothelock.

Therewaspandemoniuminthehouseaswellasout.KentandIwiththetworear patrolmenonourheelsracedthroughthekitchenandmadestraightforthe stairs,sensingasmucha.s.seeingtwomenpullinggunstoopposetheinvasion.

Stavoski'smenseemedtohaveshotthelockoffthefrontdoor:inahalf glimpseafterthestaccatoracketIsawtheblueuniformscomingintothehall andthenIwasroundthebendofthestairs,headingfortheupperlevel.

Stillquietupthere,comparatively.Alldoors.e.xceptonewereopen.Imadefor it,running,andKentbehindmecriedagonizedly,"Andrew,don'tdothat."

Ilookedbackforhim.Hecame,stoodoutofthelineoffireofthedoorfora second,thenleapedat.i.t,givingitaheavykick.Thedoorcrashedopen,and Kentwithgunreadyjumpedthroughandtooneside,withmefollowing.

Thelightinsidewasdim,likeachild'snightlight,shadowyafterthebright pa.s.sageoutside.Therewasatentintheroom,grayish-white,guyropestiedto piecesoffurniture:andstandingbythetent,hurryingtounfastenthe entrance,togoforhishostage,stoodGiuseppe-Peter.

Hewhirledroundaswewentin.

Hetooheldagun.

Heaimedstraightinourdirection,andfiredtwice.Ifeltafiercesharpsting asonebulletsearedacrosstheskinhighonmyleftarm,andheardthesecond onefizzpastmyear...andKentwithouthesitationshothim.

Hefellflatonhisbackfromtheforceofit,andIwentovertohim,dropping tomyknees.

ItwasKentwhoopenedthetentandwentinforMorganFreemantle.Iheardthe seniorsteward'sslowsleepyvoice,andKentcomingandsayingthevictimwas dopedtotheeyeb.a.l.l.sandtotallyunclothed,butotherwiseunharmed.

Iwastryingwithnosuccessatalltowadahandfuloffoldedtentagainstmy enemy'sneck,tostopthescarletfountainspurtingthere.Thebullethadtorn toomuchaway;leftnothingtobedone.

Hiseyeswereopen,butunfocused.

HesaidinItalian,"Isityou?"

"Yes,"Isaid,inhistongue.

Thepupilsslowlysharpened,thegazesteadyingonmyface.

"Icouldn'tknow,"hesaid,"howcouldIhaveknown...whatyouwere..."

Iknelttheretryingtosavehislife.

Hesaid,"Ishouldhavekilledyouthen...inBologna...whenyousawme...Ishould haveputmyknife...into...thatSpanish...chauffeur."

"Yes,"Isaidagain,"youshould."

Hegavemealastdarklook,notadmittingdefeat,notgivinganinch.Iwatched himwithunexpectedregret.Watchedhimuntiltheconsciousnesswentoutofhis eyes,andtheyweresimplyopenbutseeingnothing.