19 - The Power Cube Affair (17 page)

"Miss Perrell's residence. Who is calling, please?"

"Solo here," he mumbled, as the chittering stopped. "Speak to Miss Perrell, please."

"One moment," the voice requested, and then came a shrill, acid edged voice.

"Mr. Solo! Do you know it's four-fifteen! In the morning!"

"Ah, Nan! Bit of trouble. Need help."

"And you are stoned, by the sound of it. How dare you, getting me out of bed at this hour! I suppose you think it's funny––"

"Not funny, no. Apologize for bothering you. Need help—"

"My God!" Her tone switched abruptly. "You're hurt. Where are you? Stay put and I'll come and get you."

"No need. Not far away. Just 'round the corner. Be there—five minutes. Sorry––couldn't think of anybody else."

He hung up, noting amazedly that the call box had now righted itself. He walked back to the car holding his head well back. The road had changed its tactics now, had be come fluid, squirming and twisting as if to dodge out from under his wheels, but he held on to it grimly until he saw a familiar gate post, and swerved to graze past it. Without quite believing it, he cut the engine and rolled to a stop close by her Princess. He leaned on the door, got it open and reeled out just as a flood of light came from the entrance, and there she was all in blue satin and running to catch him. He fended her off feebly.

"In the back," he mumbled. "Girl. Louise Thompson. Overdose of pentothal, to make her talk. Needs a doctor."

"All right, take it as read. Curtis, take that car, just as it is, to the hospital. I'll ring and warn them you're coming, they'll know what to do. Come on, you. And you," as Kuryakin came walking out of the dark with his eyes only half- open. "Lean on me."

It seemed to Solo that he drifted, his feet barely touched the ground. They reached the glaring light of the hallway, and she caught her breath.

"God in heaven, where have you two been? Strikes me you're the ones who need to go to the hospital."

"No need to make a fuss," Kuryakin mumbled. "Just a little scrap."

"With what, a bulldozer? Come on, the first thing you both need is a hot bath." She swept them forward and up the stairs.

"Smell nice," Solo murmured.

"I hope you mean me, because I'm damned if you do." She dragged them into the bathroom, set water gushing, lowered the two men to the floor. "Be getting undressed while I phone." She was back before Solo had struggled out of his sweater. She took hold of Kuryakin, who had gone peacefully to sleep on the tiled floor. "Anyone would think you two had crawled through every gutter for ten miles around. Maybe you have." She undressed the passive Russian expertly, diagnosing as she went. "Bang on the head. Lump like an egg and split scalp. Shoulder bruises, look like iron bar marks. Rope burns. Teeth marks! You have had a time, haven't you?" She hoisted efficiently and dropped Kuryakin into the water. He came to life with a yell and clutched the side. She turned on Solo.

"You next!"

"I can manage on my own!"

"You can? By trying to get your head out through an armhole? Don't be so blasted pigheaded. You called for help, didn't you? All right, then, let me help!" She came at him, took charge, pulled and heaved and finally got him into the bath along with his companion. "You've been tied up, too, and bashed and chewed by wild beasts. What did you do, tangle with a circus or something?"

She went away and came back with an armful of big white towels, tossed them to the floor, twirled out of her blue satin and caught up one towel to wrap round her waist like an apron. She found bottles and laced the water with their contents, creating an odor of pine and disinfectant. She got a cake of pink soap, a wash cloth, a portable shower head which she attached to the taps, and she started to scrub and drench them until they were clean.

By the time she was finished scrubbing, dousing them with antiseptics, investigating their wounds, and the hot water was running out, and she could hose them down with cold, the two men were almost normal again.

"Right." She shut off the spray. "Dry yourselves, put those towel robes on, and come into the bedroom when you're ready. I'll have brandy and coffee for you."

Curtis was just going out as they entered. "Glad to see you're not much the worse," he said, and Solo grinned wearily.

"We'll live, I think. How is Louise?"

"They said it was all right, sir, they were in time."

"That's good. She did us a very big favor. I'd hate to think anything would happen to her on our account."

"You had quite a night, by the look of it." Curtis looked almost envious. "How many men did you have to kill to get that lot?"

Kuryakin frowned in thought. Nan Perrell, coming up by his shoulder, stared at the two men wide eyed. "Let's see, there was Louise's three first. Napoleon, right?"

"Right. And then Hopwell, Wendig, and Rambo. Say six, at least, and maybe one or two more, we don't know yet."

"My God, you're not joking, either. Six! This I want to hear. All right, Curtis, you can turn in now."

"Yes, miss. I'll take the clothing from the bathroom. Six!"

He went away humming gently to himself. She led them into the bedroom, made them climb in under the sheets while she busied herself with coffee cups, then sat herself on a low stool between the two beds while they sipped at hot coffee generously laced with brandy.

"All right," she declared, "now talk. I want to know it all. Who, for one thing, was that girl? I've seen her before, haven't I?"

"Louise Thompson," Solo explained. "The leak in Barnett's office. Your friend Charles had her moved, and her boss didn't care for that. So he laid a trap for us." He went on to tell, without frills, just what had happened in the villa, and she sat quite still, stern faced, until be was done.

"You see," Kuryakin took up the tale, "once we knew she was going to be at the Danby affair, we knew we had a chance to spot him. The big chief himself. Louise helped us."

"You let her. But you wouldn't let me. You went expecting to meet the big man and never said a word to me about it."

"You weren't exactly in the mood, were you?" Solo retorted. "I don't know exactly what you were thinking about when we left here so fast, but it wasn't anything to do with crooks."

She turned rosy pink but met his eyes bravely.

"You might not have believed us," Kuryakin added. "And we had was Louise's word and the memory of the voice we heard on the tape."

"I would have believed you!"

"Would you? An old friend of the family? Henry Beeman?"

The pink ebbed from her face. "Uncle Henry? Are you absolutely sure?"

"See what we mean?" Solo demanded. "Of course we're sure, now!" And he went on to tell her why. Again without frills or heroics, just the facts. "After we bombed him out with that truck we didn't stay to investigate more. I'm afraid we made a mess of the whole thing."

"Made a mess of them, you mean!" Her voice was savage. "Don't you worry, this will be reported and dealt with. You can relax. Here, you're to take one of these, each." She passed them tablets and watched while they swallowed, finished their coffee.

"And now"—she stood, moved to the bed end gap between them—"about me. You've made something of a mess of me, too, and it's high time I admitted it. No, let me finish this, just to clear my conscience." She put hands to her robe, stripped it off, stood defiantly before them, "With this I have broken men, made fools of them. Then you two came and showed me what a fool I am. I made a sort of vow, you know, that if and when I ever met a man who could beat me, he could have me. And it never occurred to me for one minute that he wouldn't want me. As I say, I'm a fool."

"No, hold it." Kuryakin struggled to sit up. "You've got that all wrong, Nan. You haven't lost anything. If you had beaten me or Napoleon, you wouldn't have won anything. That doesn't prove a thing. Take Rambo, for instance. He could have broken me and Napoleon in half, by himself!"

"Damn near did, too!" Solo grinned ruefully. "Thing is, if you have a job to do, you do it the best way you can. And when you need help, you call for it, if there is any. Like I did, when I called you. You're on our side."

She frowned at him as if seeking some hidden meaning.

"We're all equal," Kuryakin said, "only some get the chance to be more equal than others. That's Orwell, but Dumas put it different. All for one and one for all. Remember?"

"Man to man?" she whispered, and Solo grinned.

"While you're standing there like that it's hard to believe, but that is exactly what we do mean. Good companions!"

All at once the medicinal drug seemed to hit him. Through a warm haze he saw her smile—and surely those were tears in her eyes?—then come near to bend over him, to brush his cheek with her lips.

"I'm honored," she whispered. "Go to sleep now."

THIRTEEN

SOLO FELT gloriously, immensely comfortable, just like being in a soft, warm bed. He
was
in bed. Someone had left the light on. He stirred, and all his comfort disappeared in the creaking remembrance of stiff joints and sinews. He opened an eye, levered his arm into place, looked at the time. One-forty-five. He did a double take. One-forty-five? And the sun was shining? He sat up, winced, then looked across at Illya, who was still far away. He crawled out, found the pants and sweater of the previous night had been meticulously brushed and arranged by his bed. He shook Illya.

"Come on!" he reproached. "It's afternoon!"

They made it stiffly to the bathroom and then downstairs. Curtis came to attend them gravely.

"Why didn't somebody call us?"

"You needed the rest, sir. Miss Perrell gave instructions you were to be left sleeping. She went off early this morning, saying she would very likely be home for lunch. That could be whenever you're ready. And the hospital rang. Miss Thompson is conscious, quite well, but rather weak. They have questions to ask."

"I'll bet they have. This is where the awkward bit will start. We had better eat, Illya, and try thinking up a good story for the doctors."

"There was this for you, sir, also." Curtis produced a slim envelope. On it, in black angular script, were the words Solo and Kuryakin. "It was delivered by hand, just a few minutes ago.

Solo thumbed the flap open, drew out the once-folded sheet of heavy glazed paper. That same angular script stared at him, beginning without any preamble or greeting.

I have Miss Perrell. I would rather have you two. I am prepared to consider an exchange, on my terms, means, and conditions. I will look for your (discreet) advertisement in
The Times
to that effect on Friday next. Failing its appearance I will send you by mail, the fingers of her right hand to stimulate your decision.

It was signed
H.B
.

"Read that, Illya, and forget about lunch. When did Miss Perrell go out, Curtis?"

"There was a telephone call at seven-thirty. She left almost immediately afterwards. Is anything wrong, sir?"

"Plenty. The boy we tangled with last night has got her now. Where is the nearest phone?"

It was in the hall. He grabbed it, dialed the number she bad given him—it seemed a lifetime ago. The phone purred; then he heard the familiar voice. "Charles. What is it?"

"Solo here. They've got Nan Perrell."

"Who's they? And how?"

"Speaking from her home. She went out around seven-thirty this A.M. and a message was just delivered, by hand, addressed to me and Illya. I'll read it to you." Kuryakin came to put it in his hand. He read the stark words carefully. There was a moment's pause.

"Who the devil is H.B.?"

"She should have reported that. Greasy voice, on the tape. Henry Beeman. Family friend and lives not too far away."

"But he won't be there. Nor will she!"

"That's a safe bet."

"Advertisement in
The Times
by Friday. Doesn't give us long."

"Leave that to you. Too long for us." Solo bit the words off, felt a touch on his arm and Kuryakin coming close to whisper.

"No point in charging off at random, Solo," cautioned Charles.

"Not going to. I know where she is." Kuryakin had whispered it. "So far as he knows, we do not know he owns that yacht, so that is it. That's where she is. Agree?"

"I think that's valid."

"Right. Then we'll go and get him."

"Which is precisely what he wants you to do."

"Maybe, but not right away. He won't be expecting anything, not for some time. We can catch him bending."

"I think that's valid too. Good. You need Barnett. Get over to him as quick as you can. Whatever you want, just ask. He'll deliver, I'll see to that. Get her back, Solo. I don't give a damn how!"

"Well try!" Solo hung up and saw Kuryakin swipe a couple of apples from a bowl. "Grab a few for me and come on. Keep your fingers crossed, Curtis."

The little Mini got the chance to show its powers as they fled through Norwood and clown the steep slopes into Sydenham and Lewisham. Their map studying paid off in that they were able to strike the most direct route for their purpose.

"Peckham," Kuryakin said, "then Stockwell, Battersea Bridge, and we should have the traffic flow on our side. Do you think we'll get her, Napoleon?"

"No more than you do, Illya. Can you see Beeman honoring any kind of deal? But we have to try."

There had been a change in the internal decor of Admiralty House. Replacing the gorgeousness of Louise there was a leather faced sergeant of Marines who marched them in to Barnett without wasting words. Captain Barnett looked different too.

"Stirred something up this time," he greeted, rising from his desk. "What can I do for you?"

"First off," Solo declared, "we have to locate that yacht."

"Already done." Barnett caught up a signal form, took it across to a wall map, read from it and put out a finger. "Fifty-one-oh-eight north, one-eighteen west. Just below Folkestone, out of Dungeness. That's where she was at thirteen hundred hours. Making up the coast about nine knots."

"Nice work. Now"—he and Kuryakin had worked this out on the way—"what we need is something that can catch her, and something else. One to hold her up while the other sneaks around behind, so we can hop aboard and take a look.