Dr Englemann came out of the shadows. He lurched slightly as he walked and his lined bitter face was pallid. As he came into the light, Don could see the sweat beads on his forehead.
"Hello," Don said, "What do you want?"
Englemann looked down at him, his deep-set eyes glittering.
"There seems a possibility, Mr Micklem," he said, his words slurred, "that you may be placed at my disposal for a certain experiment. Of course the matter isn't entirely settled, but it would help me if you wouldn't object to a few preliminary tests some time this evening. I would like a specimen of your blood and your pulse rate. I would also like to examine your eyes."
"Sorry to disappoint you," Don said curtly, "but I object strongly. It is only fair to warn you that if you come within reach of me I shall take great pleasure in strangling you."
Englemann's face hardened, but he took a step back. "I am anxious not to lose time. My experiment is of the utmost importance, but if you won't co-operate, then I must wait until I have permission to force you to co-operate."
"You're going to have a long wait. I intend to pay the ransom."
"I think not," Englemann said. "I told il signor Alsconi that you are merely trying to gain time. I know your type. You are not the kind of man who can be forced to do something against your will."
"Then you had better tell Alsconi you have made a mistake," Don said. "I'm not at all anxious to be a subject of one of your experiments."
"Signor Alsconi did tell you what I am attempting to do?" Englemann said. His hands moved unsteadily to his coat lapels and anchored there. "You realize the importance of the experiment?"
"He told me," Don said. "He also mentioned that you would probably be tight when you did the operation and it would be certain to fail."
Englemann looked at him; his eyes seemed to catch fire. "I shall take great pleasure in having you on the operating table, Mr Micklem," he said. 'JLdon't think I shall have to wait very long."
He turned and walked away, steadying himself, his hand on the wall of the tunnel.
Don watched him go. He was annoyed to find his heart was thumping and his mouth had turned dry.
Willie sat under the shady tree where he could watch the entrance to the Trioni villa. He was in such a state of nerves and excitement that sweat ran down his face as if a sponge of water had been squeezed over him.
He felt something should be done immediately about Lorelli's treachery. His first inclination was to bolt back to Felix and tell him what he had overheard, but Felix had told him to watch the villa until Jacopo relieved him, and this put him in a quandary. Felix expected his orders to be obeyed, and if Willie deserted his post, he could run into trouble. He reluctantly decided to wait for Jacopo and then report to Felix.
Then into Willie's cunning and easily frightened mind, there dropped an unpleasant thought: Lorelli was Felix's girl.
How was Felix going to react when he heard she was selling them out? Suppose he didn't believe what Willie had to tell him? Felix had a reputation of being quick with his fists, and often, before he struck a blow, he had been known to slip on a leather glove, covered with brass studs. Willie had seen a man's teeth broken by a punch from that glove, and he flinched at the recollection. But surely, he reasoned, Felix wouldn't be such a mug as not to believe him? He wouldn't want two million pounds to walk out on him and the cops to walk in. Surely he couldn't be so besotted with Lorelli that he would let her get away with this? But he would have to be careful how he broke the news to Felix. Maybe he had better keep his gun handy. If Felix looked like starting trouble, he would show him the gun.
But what was he personally going to get out of this? Willie asked himself. Would it be a smarter idea to put the bite on Lorelli? He could keep track of her until she got the money, then move in and demand half: a hundred and twenty-five thousand bucks. His face lit up at the thought. But after thinking this idea over, he realized that he hadn't the nerve to go through with it. Alsconi would go after Lorelli, and he would eventually catch her. Willie knew enough of Alsconi's methods not to know how long his arm was. No one had quit the organization and got away with it. If he took money from Lorelli he would be putting himself in bad with Alsconi, and he wasn't all that soft in the head.
After wrestling with the problem for some minutes, he came to the conclusion that the safest way to play the hand was to tell Felix, and rely on Felix to do the right thing by him. He'd ask Felix to get him a bonus: that was the least he deserved.
It was a pity about Lorelli. She was almost certain to be handed over to Englemann. Willie grimaced at the thought. But it was her own funeral. She was asking for trouble, and she would certainly get it.
While Willie was sweating over this problem, Felix was reporting to Alsconi who sat at his desk, his hands folded on the blotter.
Within reach of those long white fingers was a small ivory button let into the desk that when pressed would fire a gun, cleverly concealed in the front of the desk, and which was pointing at this moment at Felix.
"Micklem's letter has been delivered," Felix was saying. "There was no trouble. His secretary is flying to New York right away. She believes the money will be at the Banca de Roma in five days."
Alsconi absently rubbed the top of the ivory button with the tip of his forefinger. It gave him a feeling of intense pleasure to know that he had only to press down on the button for Felix to get a bullet in his stomach.
"So they appear willing to co-operate?" he said.
"They seem more than willing."
"And Lorelli delivered the letter?"
"Yes."
"She was alone?"
"She thought she was alone," Felix said. "I had Willie watching outside in case there was trouble."
"She made it clear that if they went to the police, Micklem would suffer?"
"She followed my instructions," Felix said curtly. "She did the job very well."
"Splendid." Alsconi examined his finger-nails, a bland expression on his fat face. "Where is Willie?"
"He's still at the villa. I told him to wait until Jacopo relieved him," Felix said.
Alsconi scratched the side of his nose while he looked at Felix.
"So you have the report only from Lorelli, and no confirmation yet from Willie?"
Felix stiffened.
"Confirmation? I don't understand. I haven't yet talked to Willie, but he won't have anything to tell me. Are you suggesting we can't trust Lorelli any more?"
Alsconi lifted an eyebrow.
"Certainly not. It is always better to have confirmation of any report. For all we know Lorelli might have lost her nerve at the last moment. She might not have gone to the villa. I am quite sure she did go, but it will be more satisfactory not only for me but for her if Willie confirmed what took place at the interview."
"Willie was watching from the outside," Felix said. "He wouldn't have heard what was said."
Alsconi picked up the telephone receiver.
"Carlos? Send Jacopo at once to the Trioni villa to relieve Willie. Willie is to report to me immediately he comes in."
He replaced the receiver. "Don't let us assume anything, Felix. It is a fatal mistake. I'll talk to Willie."
Felix shrugged angrily.
"If that's the way you want it."
"Yes. We have agreed that Lorelli is inclined to get flustered. I want to be sure that she has handled the assignment well. Very soon I shall have a special job for her. Crantor has a large amount of sterling that should be brought here. I want Lorelli to go to London and bring this money back." Alsconi played a soundless tune on the edge of his desk.