Deadlock

The way things are going, he could get it. Klein has got a stranglehold on us.'

'May be up to us to break that stranglehold.'

'Would you believe it,' growled Van Gorp, 'a TV crew has penetrated the cordon and set up cameras on the roof of a building with a full view of Euromast? Just to the west. I'd like to remove it – but we'll get a scream about police interfering with freedom of the media. In any case, newspaper reports are beginning to appear in Tokyo. Soon the world will know.'

'Klein might not like that,' Tweed warned. 'If not, you'll have to send men to shift them. The reason? They are endangering people's lives…'

Van Gorp snatched up the phone at the second ring, listened, said something brief in Dutch, put down the receiver and looked at Tweed.

'Over to you, I fear. Klein wants to talk again…'

Tweed appeared near the foot of the tower a few minutes later. On the way he had conversed briefly with Blade who had spread out his Sabre Troop into three different groups. They're ready to attack,' he'd assured Tweed. 'And one man is now on the HQ roof with a bazooka aimed at the restaurant…'

Tweed had stopped at the police van to collect the microphone with the long cable. He walked carefully to the same place at the base of the tower; the paving stones were slippery. He felt moisture damping his face and was glad he'd put on his waterproof hat. He looked up and spoke in a firm voice.

'Before you start talking I have a demand to make…'

'No demands…'

'Shut up and listen to me. You are on the brink of success. Medics are waiting to come out and remove those two dead men on the steps. The medics are dressed in shirts and shorts. You can see they carry no weapons. Unless you agree I have lost the cooperation of the Dutch authorities. They will not allow those men to lie there any longer.'

'By all means remove them. It would be a humanitarian act.'

Tweed stared up at the platform. Why this change of mood? He was suspicious, uneasy. Klein's voice through the amplifiers sounded jocular.

'I'm going to signal them to come and do their job,' Tweed warned. 'I'm out of it if you play any tricks.'

'Would I play tricks on you, Tweed?' The voice was mocking now. 'Send in the medics.'

Tweed studied the tiny figure of Klein leaning over the rail, one hand out of sight. Holding the control box, he felt sure. Beside him Marler stood, a tiny wisp of blond hair showing in the light from the interior lobby, rifle aimed point-blank at Tweed.

Slowly, Tweed raised his left hand. Four men wearing white shirts and shorts walked rapidly out of the shadows, carrying stretchers. In less than a minute they were moving away, each supporting the body of one of the policemen toppled from the platform. Why this change of mood? Tweed asked himself.

'And now,' Klein called out, 'a different demonstration which will show you we will stop at nothing.' He called over his shoulder. 'Bring her out. It will give those TV ghouls over there something they will really enjoy.'

Tweed froze with horror. A girl was being lowered over the rail. He pulled out his binoculars with his left hand and aimed them upwards. Oh, dear God! No! He felt sick in his stomach, a reaction succeeded by one of cold unreasoning fury. He could have killed Klein with a knife if he'd been up there.

Lara Seagrave had a rope tied round her waist. The only support which stopped her plunging three hundred feet. Her legs dangled over the abyss, her hands tied behind her back. He went on staring through the binoculars, pressed hard into his eyes. The horror had only begun.

A masked man leant forward and looped a noose round her neck. She was literally hanging in space. Tweed could see the rope round her waist was extended back up over the rail and out of sight, a rope holding her tightly. From the noose another length of rope – this one loose – extended back also out of sight. This was macabre, unthinkable.

Klein's voice began speaking. His tone was detached, as though describing some everyday occurrence.

'This is Lara Seagrave, daughter of Lady Windermere, a well-known London hostess. You heard the name clearly? Lady Windermere. She is supported safely by the rope round her waist which we have attached to the leg of a very heavy table. The noose round her neck is also attached to another leg of the same table. We only have to cut the first rope and she will hang from the neck until she is dead. Any attempt to storm Euromast and a man standing by cuts the first rope. She is our hostage – our guarantee of good behaviour on your part, Tweed. Now, do you understand the position clearly?'

Tweed lowered his glasses, unable to look at Lara's face for a moment longer. She looked terrified – fear beyond belief. He swallowed, unable to speak, automatically gripping the microphone, struggling for self-control. Lara…

'I said,' Klein's voice repeated, 'do you understand?'

Tweed glanced up again, saw the suspended figure, lowered his head. Oh, Jesus Christ! This was awful. He was aware suddenly of the heavy silence. The medics had gone with their grisly burdens. Couldn't hear a thing. Except for the gentle lap of water against those barges. He took a firmer grip on the mike, on himself.

'Klein we also want medics to remove the bodies from that police launch…'

'No! They moved without my permission. They stay where they are. I will ask you again…'

'Klein! Haul her back inside or you're finished. I will be replaced by a senior Dutch official…'

'Then I will talk to him. Go away. We are waiting for the gold to reach Findel. Next move then.'

Tweed looked up quickly. Klein had disappeared. Only Marler stood there, rifle still aimed. He walked slowly away. Handing back the mike to the driver, he trudged on in a daze. Reaching the entry to the side street his feet slipped on the greasy surface. A hand grabbed his arm, steadied him. A voice spoke. Blade's. 'We'll enjoy sending that bugger to kingdom come.'

'We must still wait…'

Tweed used his hand to haul himself up the back staircase. Paula met him at the top. She looped an arm through his. 'Come and sit down. That was terrible. I saw it from the roof…'

Arriving inside the room, he sagged into his chair, then he straightened his back. Round the table they watched him without speaking. Beilenger, Jansen, Van Gorp. No one seemed to know the right thing to say. Tweed broke the silence.

'I know the girl. Lara Seagrave. Met her in Paris. She had been spotted photographing ports. I liked her. I'd have liked her as a friend. She's Lady Windermere's stepdaughter. Not daughter. That slip was deliberate on Klein's part. Makes her sound more important. Only reason she's up there is the bloody step-mother. Drove her out of the house.' He paused. 'Now, we must put our thinking-caps on. The next stage is Klein's secret escape route. He has to have one. I think I know what it is.'

'Well?' said Van Gorp.

'Let's see what develops. It will be soon now.'

'In the meantime,' commented Bellenger, 'we can do nothing at all. That girl will just have to stick it out…'

'How can you be so cold-blooded, so Goddamn callous?' Paula burst out.

'Just getting the thing in perspective. I have a daughter of my own. Not callous at all, I assure you.'

'He's right,' Tweed told her. 'We can only wait.'

'He's got a stranglehold on us…' Bellenger paused. 'Not phrased well, that. Sorry.'

'You have a plan, Tweed?' Van Gorp asked.

'I'm playing it off the cuff. Klein ran out of luck long ago. He's going to make a mistake. I've pandered to his ego. I'm banking on that. He'll make just one mistake.'

53

'I want you to bring that Seagrave girl back in here now.' Chabot faced Klein, a Walther P. 38 automatic pistol in his right hand, muzzle pointing at the floor. The Frenchman's face was pallid with fatigue. Behind them on the platform Marler watched, holding his rifle.