Deerman had listened impassively. “Not all of that’s correct.”
The Parson nodded solemnly. “As soon as the major got shot, I knew I’d figured somethin’ out wrong. That’s why I’m here.”
“Narcissa,” said Deerman, “get out the rum ’john.”
Narcissa did not move. Light, delicate footsteps sounded outside on the deck above the sighing of the night wind through the rigging. The footsteps approached to the door. The knob rattled and the door flung back. Joel Knight came into the cabin; a small .32 was in his hand.
“Never mind the rum,” said Deerman softly.
Knight stood in the door with his eyes only on the Parson. He had been drinking. He looked at the Parson and seemed uncertain whether to show welcome or embarrassment. It was evident, though, that the presence of the Parson had thrown him off stride.
The Parson said, “Go right ahead with what you intended doing. Don’t mind me.”
“No. There’s nothing. I was just— That is, I meant—” He gulped, took a noisy breath. “There’s evidently some misunderstanding.”
“All on your part, pal,” the Parson said. “Listen to me! You’ve been the key double-crosser in this mess since it began. What kind of a sap did you take me for? Your deal with me to hijack the ransom money was about the fourth double-cross you’d attempted. By that time you were tied up in knots.”
“Please, please!” implored Knight. “What are you talking about?”
“This, fathead! You murdered Lee Fong. You’d made a deal with him to keep Nina Mund watched night and day so she couldn’t slip away before her father or Carl Dorn arrived. Not that you told Lee what it was all about. Oh, no! You were too smart. But Lee smelled money. He got a promise of five thousand from Major Rowe if he could keep Nina from harm. That’s why he hot-footed it to the kid’s cottage. But you were there first. You couldn’t have him horn in on your game. So you socked him two, three times. When the kids came in, you slipped out the back door.
“They were scared witless to find a dead man in their house. They packed a bag quick, flung things info it and scooted. They lit out to the boat — this boat. You followed them. It wasn’t hard to figure their plans — a quick getaway. You had a confidential talk with Cap’n Deerman, gave him some money. Obligingly, he tied them up for you.”
Deerman chuckled. “He gave me five hundred.”
“Yeah,” said the Parson. “His game was to cash in but with no partners. Oh, he wanted partners for the dirty work but not for the pay-off. Y’see, Jake Mund used to be in Carl Dorn’s gang. He was supposed to have kidnaped Nina so Dorn could collect a five hundred grand ransom. Instead he fell in love with the girl and she with him. They skipped, got married; her father spent a small fortune trying to find her and take her back home.”
“So that’s how it was.”
“Yeah. Our pal, Knight, decided he’d collect two or three times. Instead of handing them over to Dorn, he was going to hold them for himself, then fleece the major when the right time rolled around. But before that he had to let Carl Dorn and Eva get theirs from the major. He’d overheard them speaking; he knew they hadn’t much use for him and that they’d freeze him out if they could. So he took me on as a temporary partner to get the shake-down dough from them but principally to see that they got wiped out. After that, he figured it as clear sailing to squeeze some real money out of the major for the return of Nina.
“The major himself spoiled the party by planting a couple of dicks in the next room. The ground was cut from under Knight’s feet. He put two and two together. That’s why he’s here, Deerman. To kill you so you can’t spill what you know.”
Deerman smiled. He looked over at Narcissa. She smiled.
“I don’t think he will do that,” said Deerman dreamily.
No one moved. It was very quiet in the cabin. Then Knight, his face gone gray, said:
“He’s raving mad! I brought Jake and Nina Mund here myself to... to protect them from Dorn.” His voice gained shrillness. “That’s it — to protect them!” He caught at the phrase as though it automatically cleared him.
“Did you?” said the Parson gently. “Then why did you bring Dorn and his killers to Cariba in the first place? At the same time that you informed Major Rowe, you tipped off Dorn. Yeah. When I first ran into you on the dock, you asked me if I remembered you. I remembered. I remembered that about twelve years ago when Dorn was dealing in beer you were counsellor for his gang. Not many people knew that. You always had a cover of respectability. When he planned to snatch Nina, you were probably still his attorney. That’s how come you knew all the ins and outs.”
“You got it wrong!” Knight mopped his face and turned to Deerman, said, “If only you’d listen. Don’t believe his insinuations. It...”
His voice trailed to silence. He turned a tortured face toward the open door, haunted eyes groveling in his head. Footsteps clop-clopped over the deck in slow, measured tread. A head appeared suddenly in the oblong of yellow light.
Major Rowe stood in the doorway. He wore no hat. He carried his shoulder stiffly.
Knight backed up out of his way and brought up against the wall. The major stared hard at him, as if not quite understanding his presence. Deerman slipped past the major and out the door before anyone could stop him.
The Parson said, “Just in time. Knight and I’ve been talking. Sort of threshing things over. He’s the baby responsible for the whole mess.”
Major Rowe jerked a glance at the Parson without comprehending what he meant. He came into the room. The slight bullet wound had weakened him obviously. He put one hand on the table to support himself.
“I have come for my daughter,” he said.
“Sure,” said the Pardon. “And the guy who planted her here — Joel Knight.”
Again the major looked at the Parson. Then he looked at Knight.
Knight’s lips were quivering. “D-don’t believe a word he says. Let me explain. He’s got it all wrong.”
“He’s got it right,” said a voice from the doorway.
The Parson’s head pivoted about.
The red-haired woman, Eva, stood there holding a gun in her hand and looking very menacing with drooping lids over her green-gold eyes.
The Parson laughed. He made it a hearty, diverting laugh to cover the slight movement of Narcissa’s hand toward the gun in her lap.
“Li’l’ Eva,” he said warmly. “And just in time.”
She looked at him not without surprise. “The runt, eh? I thought you’d been plugged. I’ll get around to you in a moment. I’ll kill the rat first, then you, then the old man. He got Carl killed. I’ll kill him!”
The word seemed to intoxicate her. Her nostrils were dilated.
“Hoist the mitts,” she said. “All of you. You too, chocolate. I said hoist!”
Nobody moved. Her wild face said plainly that she would shoot at the slightest movement, even to obey her commands. Knight swayed slightly as if he would faint. Her glittering orbs flicked to him.
“You were bright, huh? You tipped the major to the bluff; you told him we didn’t have his damn daughter.”
Knight tried to shake his head. He tried to smile reassuringly. But he couldn’t move a muscle.
“I slipped back to the hotel,” she went on, “to watch for you. I didn’t care any more about being caught; I just wanted to burn a bullet through your heart. I saw you come out and I followed you. Then just as I was about to come aboard, the old gent showed. I slipped behind a barrel and let him go first. I wanted him, too. But I wanted you most.”