"I think so." Cordovez got the car under way and leaned back. When he spoke there was a note of incredulity in his voice. "You believe it is possible—"
"I don't believe anything any more/' Jeff cut in. "But we have to go to the airport, don't we? And Macuto's out in that direction, isn't it?"
"Yes. The next little town to La Guaira."
"So let's have a look."
"It can do no harm/' Cordovez said and settled down to the job of driving.
20
JEFF LANE remembered very little of the ride to Macuto. Because he was afraid to hope too much he tried not to think at all and stared sightlessly out the windshield as they sped along the toll road to the coast.
The lights at Maiquetia roused him and he heard the thunder of some plane on its take-off run. Then they were going along the waterfront at La Guaira with its stores on one side and the docks on the other. A cruise ship, every porthole alight, lay alongside a modern warehouse, and the dimly lit hulks of two freighters stood silhouetted against the sky. Then the lights were gone again and they went along quiet, tree-lined streets, sometimes following the coast and sometimes farther inland.
The sea was always on his left and presently they were cutting through a narrow plain. Here and there he could see an apartment house, while on the right pale blurs on the landscape spoke of sand traps and a golf course. Jeff spoke of this and Cordovez nodded.
"Caraballeda Yacht and Golf Club," he said. "Soon we will be there."
Luis Miranda's beach house sat on a slope which faced the sea, its veranda suspended on cantilevers and the rear half snug against the ground. Its design was modem and its light color made the outlines distinct, but to Jeff it had
only an empty look that served to depress still more his already flagging spirit.
A drive led to a basement garage. As he followed Cor-dovez over the traprock surface he offered a silent prayer; for he had run out of ideas and there was nothing left for him to do. He repeated it as the beam of the detective's flashlight sprayed the drive and then he stopped as Cor-dovez bent down to examine the surface more closely.
"A car may have been here recently/' he said and then cut across the grassy slope to a door protected by a metal grill.
Another look with the light showed this to be chain-locked, and now they continued along the front and up the grassy slope toward the rear. Two of the windows on this side could be reached from the ground. Both had similar metal grills to guard the glass, but when Cordovez examined the second one with his flash he whistled softly and the oath that followed was tinged with excitement.
"This one has been forced/* he said. "The catch is broken."
And then he was fumbling with the grill, prying at it, forcing it wide on its hinges. The light went out, but Jeff heard the window being raised and now he was crowding close, giving the little man the boost he needed, and climbing in after him.
The room they stood in proved to be a kitchen. Jeff moved ahead into a hall and called out. "Karen!" he said, and held his breath as the word bounced off the walls.
"Let me/* Cordovez said, pushing past him. "I have the light-He hurried on, heels clicking hollowly on the tile floor. He opened the door on his right and sprayed light into the room. Then he seemed to recoil, inhaling through his mouth with a hissing sound.
Before he could speak, Jeff was staring over his shoulder,
seeing the figure in the white blazer spread-eagled on the bed, the dark hair on the pillow, the towel which had been tied over the mouth. When he saw the eyelids blink against the light, his relief overwhelmed him and it was Cordovez who reached the side of the bed first.
With the flashlight on the floor he began to untie one of the towels that had fastened an ankle to a bedpost and now Jeff was bending over her. He slipped the makeshift gag down over her chin and swallowed hard to clear his throat. He saw the lips move and recognition touch the wide-open eyes.
"If s O. K., baby," he said thickly. "It's all right. Well have these things off in a minute."
He tugged at the towel which held a wrist extended toward one head-post and turned immediately to the other. By that time Cordovez had freed the ankles and now, as she tried to sit up, Jeff slid an arm under her shoulder and lifted her to a sitting position as her feet swung to the floor. He sat down beside her, still with his arm about her, and now he could feel her body shudder and the rib cage expand as she took a great tortured breath. When she tried to speak the sound that came forth was no more than a whisper and he touched his finger gently to her lips.
"Easy/' he said. "Don't try to talk yet. . . . Julio, see if you can find some water/'
Julio hurried off and the light went with him. Gradually Jeff could feel her body relax and her breathing become regular. Her head was on his shoulder now and he sat very still, until reaction set in and his hand began to tremble. He did not know what to say or how to explain his gratitude and relief and finally he chuckled and kept his voice light.
"I seem to be the one that's shaking/* he said and let his arm relax. "Julio T
"Coming."
Then the light glowed in the hall and Julio came scurrying in holding a glass which had a light-brown tint.
"There is a little brandy with the water/' he said. "Just a little. It will be good for you."
Karen accepted the glass and whispered her thanks. She took a small sip and then another. She moistened her lips, flexing them slightly, and then she took a big swallow and sighed.
'Yes,'* she said. "I needed that very much/'
Jeff told her to drink some more and when she had complied he could contain his curiosity no longer.
"Was it Miranda?" he asked.
"Miranda?" She looked at him and blinked. "Oh, no. Spencer."
Jeff glanced at Cordovez. It took him a long moment to accept the statement and then, perhaps because he could not so easily throw off the nervous tension which had for so long held him in its grip, he felt strangely annoyed and spoke sharply.
"I told you not to follow him/' he said. "You promised."
"I didn't."
"You said you'd phone."
"I was going to but"—she paused to look down at the glass and her tone was apologetic—"I—I wanted to tell you myself. I didn't know he had seen me. I was going to get a cab and drive right out to the apartment. I came out of the office and started up the street and Spencer came up alongside me—I didn't know who it was then—and put what felt like a gun in my side."
She went on hurriedly to explain what had happened and when she ran out of breath she took another and said, her tone ruefuclass="underline"
"It wasn't even a gun. It was a pipe."
"Where did lie take you?"
"To Ms place. He locked me in a closet and I heard him talking on the telephone and pretty soon a man came. I don't know who he was but he was big and he had a hard, twisted face. He scared me. They brought me out here. Spencer did not believe anyone would think to look for me here and—**
Jeff swore softly as rage kindled inside him. "We'll take care of Spencer/'
"He didn't hurt me. He said he was sorry but he had to do it."
"He tied you up/' Jeff said hotly. "You might have been here for days."
"No/' she protested. "Really, He said he would mail an anonymous letter to Ramon Zumeta telling him where to find me. He said I'd have to stay here tonight but the police would come in the morning to release me. By that time he would be in New York/'
"Not now, he won't," Jeff said.
"Yes," Cordovez said. "It is time to go, I think. It is better if we are waiting at Maiquetia when Spencer arrives."
Cordovez explained the procedure when they drew up at the edge of the well-lighted plaza in front of the terminal building.
"We will park here and watch," he said as he stepped from the car. "He will probably come in a taxi, which will stop somewhere in this area. It will be good if we can take him before he can reach the building." He opened his coat and his hand slipped inside, and though Jeff could not see it, he knew there was a gun tucked away somewhere. "If you will permit it," Cordovez added, "I think I can handle this myself."