Marian's face paled. As Harry made to get to his feet, she put a restraining hand on his arm.
"Why are you telling us this?" she asked.
"Because I intend to break away from the organization," Lorelli said. "I can't break away without money. I want to do a deal with you. I know where he is. I can get him out. I'll take half what they're asking - two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. You're getting a bargain. If you deal with them, you will go on paying until there is no more left. If you deal with me, you'll get Micklem back."
"So you're ratting on your pals," Harry said angrily. He turned to Marian. "Don't trust her, miss."
"You don't have to trust me," Lorelli said. "I'll have to trust you. I don't expect you to give me the money until he's free.
How long will it take to get the money to Italy?"
"Five or six days," Marian said.
"If I show you how to get him out will you give me your word to pay the money into a bank I will nominate and also to say nothing to the police?"
"If Mr Micklem is unhurt and we free him I will do my best to persuade him to give you the money," Marian said. "I can't do better than that: it is not my money to promise you."
"If they found out what I am doing, you don't know what would happen to me," Lorelli said huskily. "One of them is a drunken surgeon. He spends his time experimenting with animals and humans when he can get them. I've seen the results of some of his experiments. If they found out I'm betraying them I should also become one of his experiments. I am trusting more than my life to you. I must have your promise. I won't help you if you don't givex me your word."
Marian hesitated, then she said, "All right. You shall have the money."
"And you'll say nothing to the police?"
"Yes."
Lorelli lowered the gun, then she slipped it into her pocket and moved away from the wall. The other three stood up.
Harry said, "He is in that house somewhere, isn't he?"
"Yes. Thirty feet below the building there is a system of underground rooms," Lorelli said. "I know where he is and how he can be reached. It will be difficult and dangerous."
"How dangerous?" Harry asked sharply.
"Any one of the passages can be flooded at the touch of a button," Lorelli said. "There are alarms everywhere. All the corridors have steel doors at either end, and they are electrically controlled. There are guards and dogs always in the grounds."
"Then how do we get him out?" Harry demanded.
"I must work out a plan," Lorelli said. "I wanted first to be sure you would give me the money. We have at least three days. I'll let you have a plan of the place so you will know where the alarms are and where the guards patrol. I'll give you all the details you want, but it will take a little time. I will come here on Thursday night with a definite plan."
Outside in the hall, Willie listened. His pock-marked face was vicious and frightened. She would be out any moment now. She mustn't see him. He stepped silently to the front door and slipped out on to the veranda.
Chapter X
WILLIE
Don looked ruefully at the five cigarettes in his case and decided to resist the temptation and keep them for a more pressing occasion.
He was sitting on the straw-covered floor, his back against the wall of the cave, the steel bracelet and chain attached to his ankle. It was close on half-past three in the afternoon. Since Felix had "come into the cave some three hours ago, no one had been near him. Felix had come for the letter to Don's New York banker. He was surprised when Don had written the letter without protest. But by writing the letter, Don reckoned on gaining at least four days in which to organize his escape, and he knew he would need those four days. Although the police had failed to find him, he was sure Harry wouldn't give up, and if it were possible to break into this fortress Harry would do it, but it was bound to take time. When Marian got the letter to the bank, she would know that he was alive, and he hoped she wouldn't be influenced by the unsuccessful search made by the police.
Don had no intention of paying the ransom. He had no illusions about Alsconi. He was sure Alsconi wouldn't be content with five hundred thousand dollars nor would he release him. It was a comforting thought to know that Harry would be doing his best for him, but Don knew the difficulties, and he didn't intend to rely on Harry's efforts. If he were to get out of his underground prison, he would have to rely largely on himself.
He regarded the bracelet around his ankle with disgust. Without some tool there was no way of tackling the lock. He had already tried to lever the staple to which the chain was fastened out of the wall without success.
He was considering the problem, wondering if the next time they brought him food he couldn't break off one of the prongs of the fork and use that to pick the lock when he saw a light coming down the tunnel.
He was startled to see Lorelli come out of the shadows into the pool of light in which he was sitting.
Lorelli was agitated. Her face was pale and her eyes showed the fear that gripped her.
She came over to him and dropped on her knees beside him. "I've talked to your secretary," she said in a breathless whisper. "I've told her I would get you out of here. In return I want two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Your secretary has promised me this sum, but you have to pay it, and I want your promise too."
Don saw the fear in her eyes and realized at once that she meant what she said.
"That's quite a chunk of money," he said. "Why this, sudden change of heart?" I
"I've had enough of them. I want to break away. I must have money to be safe," she said. "They won't ever let you free.
They intend to get all your money and then murder you. I can help you escape, but you must give me your word that you will pay me two hundred and fifty thousand dollars when you are free."
"That's fair enough," Don said. "You won't get the money unless I am free so I'll give you my word. It's a promise!"
"You mean that?"
"I've told you - it's a promise. How are you going to get me out?"
"I'm working on a plan now. All the doors here are electrically controlled. The passages can be flooded. There's a control room that is guarded night and day. Before you can hope to get out of here you will have to overpower the man in charge. It'll be easier to escape during the night. Everyone will be asleep except Carlos who is in charge of the control room at night."
Don grimaced.
"You mean I'll have to overpower him?"
Lorelli nodded.
"Can you get me a gun?" Don asked.
"I think so. I'll try."
"Do more than try. Without a gun, I don't think I'm going to have a great deal of success with Carlos. What about this?"
He tapped the bracelet around his ankle.
"I could get you a file."
"I'd rather have a hair-pin," Don said and grinned. "Have you got one?"
Her hand went up to her red-gold hair and she found a hairpin which she gave to him. Then she got to her feet.
"I'll come again," she said. "I'll try to get a gun for you, but it won't be easy. If I have to I'll let you have mine." She looked down at him. "I'm trusting you to give me the money when I get you out."
"I'm not out yet," Don said, "but if I do get out, you'll have the money. Don't fool yourself, will you? The police want you. There's nothing I can do about that."
"I'm not worrying about them."
"Where is the control room?"
"Opposite Englemann's surgery. You've been there, haven't you?"
"Yes. Try to get the gun. Carlos will take a lot of stopping."
"I'll do what I can."
She went away quickly, and after a moment or so, Don lost sight of her torch down the tunnel.
He decided the occasion justified a cigarette and he lit one, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs. He felt his future now was a lot more secure. He didn't waste time to wonder what lay behind Lorelli's sudden desire to get away. That was something he could think about later. He settled down to work on the lock with the hair-pin she had given him. It took him a half an hour of patient fiddling before the lock turned, and the bracelet dropped off his ankle. It was a snap lock, and he-could fasten the bracelet back on to his ankle again in a matter of seconds. He was about to stand up and savour his freedom when he spotted a light coming down the tunnel and he hurriedly replaced the bracelet and slid the hair-pin under his watch strap.