‘It would scare me to have Old Creepy continually around me. So what did you tell her?’
‘I told her no way, and that either you or I were always around so she had nothing to be scared about.’
Just then there came a tap on the door, signalling to them their dinner had arrived. Suka, following Grandi’s instructions, no longer came into the guardroom.
Frost got to his feet, unlocked the door and stepped into the dimly lit hall in time to see Suka walking away. He brought in the two trays.
‘Looks good,’ he said, setting down the trays. ‘I’ll get the beers.’
He went to the refrigerator, took out two cans, opened them with his back turned to Marvin. Saturday night, he reminded himself, he would repeat the performance, but into Marvin’s can, he would drop the pill Silk had given him.
‘I’m damn grateful I’ve got a boy,’ Marvin said, as they began to eat. ‘On Sunday, I’m taking him to the funfair. He’s crazy about riding the dodgems.’
During the meal, Marvin talked on about his son while Frost half listened, then when Marvin had gone, Frost settled down before the monitors. He watched the dogs being released. This was routine, his mind was on Gina.
Around midnight, still worrying about Gina, he went to the door leading to the villa, unlocked it and edged it open. The hall was in darkness. He stood listening, then hearing no sound, he took from his hip pocket a small flashlight, stepped into the hall and closed the door behind him. He was aware of the risk he was taking. If Amando caught him, the operation would be blown, but the urge to check on Gina, to make sure she wasn’t really ill, to once again check she still wanted to be kidnapped, compelled him forward.
Moving fast, cat-like, silently, he climbed the stairs, paused at the head of them, listened, then went quickly to Gina’s room. He turned the handle, pressed and the door yielded. As it opened, he saw there was a faint light. Moving fast, he entered the room and closed the door.
Gina, a dim bedside light illuminating her, was lying in bed. She started up, staring at him, then her face, half in shadow, lit up.
‘Mike!’ she whispered, sat up and stretched out her arms to him. ‘I’ve been waiting and waiting.’
He came to the bed, catching hold of her hands.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked. ‘Marvin said you were sick.’
She giggled: a sound that made Frost’s nerves creep.
‘I’m fine. I didn’t want to see the kinky old creep again So I took to my bed.’ Her fingers moved along his arms. ‘Let’s make love. Mike! I have this thing for you. I’ve been waiting and waiting.’
Why did her dry fingers remind him of the feel of spider’s legs? He swept aside her hands, looking at her. Yes... as Marvin had said... spooky was the right word.
‘No way,’ he said, his voice low and harsh. ‘Listen, baby, it’s all fixed. I’m taking a hell of a risk, but I had to I have a word with you. When I heard you had gone sick, I was scared. You remember what you have to do, and you’ll be free.’
Her hands moved along his trouser legs, but again he swept them away.
‘Gina! Later. We’ll have all the loving you’ll ever need, but I must get back to the guardroom. You really remember what you have to do?’
She dropped back on her pillow and made a grimace.
‘Of course I do. Three o’clock on Sunday morning, I go to the guardroom, press the red button on the third row of the panel. This recalls the dogs. I wait ten minutes, then press the fourth button on the same row. Then I go down to the harbour where your friends are waiting...right?’
‘That’s it.’ Frost got to his feet and forced a smile. ‘Do all that, and you’ll be free to live your thing.’
He moved to the door, waved to her, eased open the door, looked into the dark corridor, then made his way silently back to the guardroom.
As he settled before the monitors, he told himself he had taken every possible precaution. The operation, which would make him five million dollars, was now in the lap of the gods.
Friday and Saturday dragged by.
Frost kept clear of the Ace of Spades. He spent the long hours on the beach. His mind concentrated on what five million dollars would mean to him. Every so often some dolly in a skimpy bikini came over to him and asked if he was lonely. He waved them away. There would be time, when he got the money, to think about dolly birds.
Saturday night finally arrived.
This was it, he thought as he walked to the guardhouse. He had the pill for Marvin. He had telephoned Marcia who told him Amando was keeping his usual appointment at 21.00, and she would slip him the pill.
Frost found Marvin in the guardroom.
‘Had a good day?’
The routine question.
‘Fine... and you?’
‘She’s up and about. No problems.’
Frost went to the refrigerator.
‘I’ve got a thirst. Join me?’
‘Whoever refuses beer?’
Frost got two cans from the refrigerator, turned his back on Marvin, opened the cans and dropped the pill into one of them. He poured the drinks into glasses, then gave Marvin the doped glass. They drank. Marvin sighed, ‘Tomorrow I see my son.’
Tomorrow, Frost thought as he drank, all hell will break loose.
They talked, then there came a tap on the door.
‘Dinner time,’ Frost said, and went to the door. He carried in the two trays.
As they began to eat, Marvin said, ‘The day’s stint is easy, Mike. All you have to do is walk around and look busy. Old Creepy will be watching you. Keep away from Gina. Don’t talk to her. Just keep walking around.’
‘Sure.’ Frost finished the meal, then pushed back his chair. ‘I’m having an early night. See you tomorrow at eight... okay?’
Marvin grinned at him.
‘Don’t be late. I want a few hours’ sleep. I’m picking my son up at midday.’
‘I’ll be here,’ Frost said, then walked to his cabin. He let his alarm clock to go off at 01.00, then slipping out of his uniform, he stretched out on the bed and turned off the light, but he didn’t sleep.
The hours crept by. Nine — ten — eleven — midnight. Impatiently, he turned on the light, then sat up. Another three hours! He found he was sweating. Getting off the bed he took a cold shower. What was Gina doing? He was still uneasy about her. Drying himself, he felt the pressure. Suppose she blew her cork? He remembered what Marvin had said: she’s as nutty as a fruit cake. He grimaced, shrugging. There was nothing he could do now. He had to hope.
He put on slacks and a black shirt, then he turned off the light and sat by the window. He saw one of the dogs go by. He sat there, from time to time, looking at his strap watch. The hands crawled around to 02.00, moved on while Frost sat motionless. By now, if he could rely on Silk, Marvin was knocked out. Amando too should be knocked out. He wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his hand. Suppose Gina had fallen asleep? There was nothing he could do, except wait.
So he waited. Then when the hands of his watch crawled to three, he stood up. If Gina hadn’t chickened out, she I would be now leaving her bedroom, making her way down; the stairs to the guardroom. She would first press the button that released the silent dog whistle. It would take some ten minutes before the dogs returned to their compound.
Frost remained at the window, his heart thumping, his mouth dry. Then, after an interminable wait of ten minutes, he pulled his gun from its holster and stepped out into the hot, humid air.
He began a slow, cautious, silent walk towards the guardroom, his eyes searching the darkness, ready to shoot if one of the dogs pounced on him. He reached the guardroom without incident.
Drawing in a deep breath of relief, he opened the guardroom door and moved in.
The room was lit. The shady light from the monitors made square puddles. Marvin lay, sprawled back in one of the chairs.