Churchill,’ he whispered, ‘Sarah, I ...’
She cut him off instantly as she grabbed his throat before putting her index finger to her lips. Silently she moved a chair into position, stood on it and tried to unhook the painting from its hanger. The lens of the camera held the painting in place so she had to twist the painting free to reveal the lens at chest level. From her pocket came a dinner knife, silver-plated and heavy. With a single blow she smashed the lens, rendering the camera inoperable.
‘If you have something to say, Laird, you better make it quick,’ she said as she re-hung the painting and began her descent from the chair.
‘Oh, my God!’ Laird stared open-mouthed.
‘Surprised, are we?’ Sarah huffed as she walked away.
Laird hesitated for a moment, then grabbed Sarah’s arm at the elbow and pulled her across the room to the left. ‘If you’re into surprises, here’s another.’ He drew out a cluster of keys from his jacket pocket, selected one and inserted it into a small keyhole almost hidden at the front of the wooden shelving. He turned the key carefully then began to probe with his left hand for the secret button concealed near the back of the shelf. With a metallic click and a dull hum, a door opened in the facade, revealing a small vault-like alcove. Filing cabinets lined the back wall.
‘Wow! Does Develin know about this?’
‘I would think so. The cabinets are locked and I don’t have keys, but I bet those little beauties contain some very interesting reading. Valuable enough to be kept locked away like this.’ He turned towards her. ‘Sarah, I ... look, I’m sorry about what’s happened. I had no idea that … well, it doesn’t matter. The thing is that I want to help you to escape. If I could hide here before … just one good shot and…’
Sarah stared, incredulous. ‘Shoot him?’ She whispered, appalled.
‘He deserves to die.’
‘You would risk killing him … for me?’
‘For you, Sarah, I would risk all there is and more.’
‘Put it back, quick!’ Sarah ordered, horrified and confused. Her heart beat wildly. ‘Carl will be back any minute once he …’
‘Then I have just enough time to …’ Laird cupped her face in his hands and kissed her quickly. ‘I do believe I love you, Sarah,’ he whispered just as the door closed with an audible thud. He quickly turned and removed the key, slipping the ring into his jacket pocket.
Sarah backed away, visibly shaken.
‘Sarah, Doctor Laird, be quick!’ Seefan hissed. ‘You must seem to eat with all things as they should be.’
When Carl entered the room, he was beyond simply furious. Behind him came another of the type, far younger, powerfully built and prepared to do exactly as ordered. ‘Take Miss Churchill back to her rooms, now,’ Carl barked as he moved aside to allow his protégé room to maneuver.
*****
Sarah remained locked in her rooms, alone. Meals were delivered, but orders had been given, so she no longer enjoyed any measure of freedom. Books were brought to her from the library, but she remained confined, contenting herself with a wide variety of topics, none of which succeeded in lifting the veil of fear that had become her constant companion. Develin was due back Sunday, so she waited, as did everyone else.
9
‘She destroyed the main camera,’ Carl said in disgust, ‘but not the secondary one. The video portion is imperfect, the angle less than ideal, but I think you will find what you are about to see, and hear, very interesting.’
It was almost six in the morning. Develin had returned two hours earlier and had insisted on showering and changing before he was prepared to indulge Carl. Now he sat casually dressed and totally relaxed behind his desk as the monitor burst into life and the events of Friday night were screened.
Sarah looked particularly attractive in a pale green silk lounge suit so, for a while at least, he watched, quite taken by her youth and vitality. His mood changed rapidly, however, as it suddenly dawned on him that she was methodically plotting the destruction of a valuable piece of hardware. At the end there was a flash of green then the screen went blank.
‘Thank you, Carl.’ Develin sighed as he swiveled in his chair and prepared to rise. ‘I shall have to give thought to some form of punishment. Perhaps …’
‘There’s more,’ Carl said flatly. ‘This is what the second camera recorded.’
Carl inserted another tape, preset to begin the moment Sarah positioned the chair beneath the painting. Although at a greater distance, the secondary camera recorded down the length of the room. He stood back and calmly watched and waited for Develin’s reaction.
‘Turn it off!’ Develin hissed as he sprang from his chair. ‘Where’s Laird?’
‘In his room; sleeping peacefully, I assume. I’ve kept him under close surveillance, of course. If he should try his door, he’ll find it locked. As far as I know he is unaware that there’s anything amiss. I checked and the keys came from the safe in the security room. How the hell he got hold of them God only knows.’ He paused, suddenly concerned. ‘Dick, I have a transcription of what was said if you …’
‘I heard what was said.’
‘It seems apparent that Miss Churchill was taken completely by surprise so it’s safe to assume, I think, that she’s quite innocent of any ...’
Develin laughed wickedly. ‘Innocent! Yes, well, we will soon see, won’t we?’ He paused, considering. ‘I think we should give Laird just enough rope. Agreed?’
‘Agreed,’ Carl replied, smiling broadly.
*****
Develin stood, hands behind his back, as the report from Boston poured from the telex machine. After three pages it halted, humming contentedly for a moment before pushing through a fourth page.
‘There’s more, sir, for your eyes only,’ Laird advised as he neatly ripped the length of paper from the machine then stepped back.
Two more pages followed before the machine gave a final convulsive trill then fell silent. With nothing more than a cursory glance, Develin extracted the pages, folded them and tucked them inside his jacket before turning to Laird. ‘Well?’
Laird looked up and smiled thinly. ‘Absolutely no indications whatsoever of any inherent genetic weakness, sir. She is totally healthy in every respect.’
‘Then we can proceed,’ Develin responded his tone flat, glacial.
‘Sir, I believe I mentioned earlier my concerns regarding timing.’ Laird paused, suddenly anxious.
‘I have read your report, Laird, and have, in fact, marked down the date you yourself suggested. If memory serves, it is a week from
