Paula had seen the body hurtling down, had run back to avoid being hit. Then she ran forward to where the killer lay without a sign of life. She bent over him. Blood was flowing from the back of his head, from his back, from his legs, now misshapen. She felt his carotid pulse. He was still alive.
He opened one eye, stared up at her with an expression of disbelief. He opened his mouth. Nothing came out. He opened it again.
'You.. ' His voice was hoarse and she had to bend closer to hear what he was trying to say. `Beaut… iful sight… for a man… to see last.. `Don't try to talk,' she said. 'You could be all right' `Not this… time. Must warn… you. Calouste.. `What about Calouste?' she said gently. `Find bastard at… Heather Cottage… Fif… Fifteen miles… this side… of… Leaminster… plans kill… you all…'
The eye which had opened closed, and he seemed to sag further back. Again she checked his pulse. Nothing. He was gone.
She could hear faint sounds of Newman descending the easy side. She couldn't bear to watch him coming down. She had too clear a memory of the killer falling She stayed where she was, hoping to Heaven Crystal would remain in Gladworth shopping. She was so bemused she never heard Newman's footsteps. She jumped when he put his arms round her. `Take it easy,' he said quietly. 'It's all over.' `No it isn't,' she burst out as she swung round. Tersely she told him what the dead killer had told her. `In that case we'd better get back to Tweed, let him know. Mind you don't step back.'
She looked down. A few feet from them was a ravine about a yard wide, seeming bottomless. Paula had not noticed it because the ground was all the same colour. She looked at Newman. `That could be a big problem.' `Certainly would be if that Inspector Tetworth was around, or whatever his name was – the policeman who stopped you and Tweed where the digger driver tried to kill you. You go back into the village, find Crystal, wait for me in the car. I've got to collect the piton and hammer Crystal dropped. `Well, the sooner Tweed knows Calouste is in the area, where he is…' `So what are you waiting for? Go and find Crystal.'
He waited until she had run out of sight down the track. He put on a pair of gloves, bent down, avoiding the blood, took hold of the corpse, rolled it to the edge of the ravine. He heaved it over, listened for it to hit bottom. No sound at all. The killer's Luger was lying a few feet away. He used his foot to kick it over the edge, listened. It seemed like minutes before he heard the distant clang of metal striking rock. The ravine was frighteningly deep.
Picking up Crystal's piton and hammer, he tucked them inside his shoulder bag. He glanced round carefully. No trace of anyone having been there. He hurried back to the car, where Paula was standing. `Crystal will be here any moment. She's bought up half a clothes shop…' `Before she arrives, no one climbed Pike's Peak. I didn't like the look of it' `Understood. Here's Crystal, loaded with carriers' She lowered her voice. 'I wonder what's in the will?'
13
When they reached Hengistbury Manor the gates swung open and they drove along the pebble drive. Tweed was on the terrace by himself, pacing slowly in the sunshine, a look of concentration on his youthful face.
Paula dived out of the car as soon as it stopped, ran up the steps. Crystal, climbing out after her, refused Newman's offer to help her with the carriers. Clutching them tightly the was about to pass Tweed when he called out to her. `You've bought half of Gladworth, I see…' `It's my money,' she snapped, resenting his observation, and disappeared inside the house. `Can I ask what was in the will?' Paula suggested as Newman joined them. `You may. I read the will, as I said I would. Quite a few of the family were present – Marshal, Warner, Lavinia (I had to ask her to join us), then Warner's son, Leo. It was a short and simple will. Control of the bank was divided fifty per cent to Marshal, fifty per cent to Warner, and there was a gift of one hundred thousand pounds to Mrs Grandy, the housekeeper.' `How did they react?' `Marshal was furious, stormed out after shouting it would never work. Warner was quiet, remarked it would work and he thought it was typical of Bella's common sense. Leo was outraged, screamed, "Why the hell does that old faggot get all that money?" Warner told him to apologize but Leo was livid, stormed off after Marshal. I told Mrs Grandy myself and she looked astounded, then said it was very generous. You know it all now.' `Bella was very shrewd. We have urgent information for you.' She explained quickly their experience at Pike's Peak and what the killer had told her before he expired. `I'm still amazed,' she continued, 'that the man sent to kidnap me in Mayfair, to torture me and presumably kill me, would warn me a second time when he was dying. And tell me where we can find Calouste.' `Another example of the complexity of human nature,'Tweed observed. 'So many people I've encountered have this mixture of decency and evil' His manner changed, became commanding. 'Now, action this day, as Winston Churchill used to say. We must immediately try and hunt down Calouste. We'll take a large force. Heavily armed. You'll come, of course, Bob. Harry Butler is helping the police crew to search this vast house, so is Marler, who was investigating The Forest. Heavily armed,' he repeated.
Tweed led the way inside the manor while Newman admitted he'd left his.38 Smith amp;Wesson revolver and ammo locked in his apartment. Tweed held up a hand before they all rushed into the hall. `The story is we've had a tip that Bella's killer is hiding in Gladworth.'
Tweed ran up to the floor where Crystal had her apartment, in time to see Chief Inspector Hammer emerging with a disgruntled look. `Take all week to search this rabbit warren,' he grumbled, then marched off down the corridor, vanished into another apartment.
Tweed caught sight of Sergeant Warden coming up the stairs. He beckoned to him, spoke quietly. `Could you do me a discreet favour?' `That's why I was sent here, sir.' `Find out which apartments the Chief Inspector searched and do the job all over again. He's a good chap but inclined to rush things.' `I'll tell him Commander Buchanan told me he wanted everywhere searched twice. Good job we had that warrant. Mr Marshal Main is almost going crazy at what he calls this invasion.'
Tweed's expedition assembled on the terrace. Marler, wearing camouflage, carried a zipped-up golf bag. Paula stared at it and he noticed her glance. He smiled at her. `Usual contents in the bag. My favourite Armalite rifle with 'scope and spare ammo, including a few explosive bullets.'
Harry Butler was laden down with a heavy bulging leather bag. She raised an eyebrow and asked him what he was preparing for. `You saw me having a word with Tweed in the hall. He made it sound like a possible siege of this Heather Cottage. He doesn't think this Calouste character will give up easily – plus the fact he's certain Calouste has a small army of gunmen in this country. So, Paula, what have I got? Grenades, both explosive and smoke. A rocket launcher I can fit together in thirty seconds. Also an automatic weapon firing six hundred rounds a minute. I guess I'm equipped.' `Equipped for small-scale war,' she commented.
Newman came out looking more comfortable now he could feel a Smith amp; Wesson in its holster. Earlier Harry had gone to the back of the mansion and driven his brown Ford, parking it behind Newman's Merc. He had then gone back again to fetch a black Audi. `Too many cars,' Tweed suggested. 'We could use mine…' `May have been spotted,' Harry explained. 'You head the convoy in the Audi, Newman follows in his Merc, I bring up the rear in the Ford. Leaving your car parked out here in front will suggest to any spies you're still here. And the Audi is armour-plated, with bulletproof windows.' `Good thinking,' Tweed agreed. 'But if we ever locate Heather Cottage I'll wave this red handkerchief out of the window. When I do Newman and Harry drop back, park where they are. A convoy could alert Calouste. I wave the handkerchief a second time when we are ready to assault Calouste's base. Now all we need is someone to open the gates.' `Lavinia will do that,' Marler drawled. `Snape has gone missing.'