Black Widow

33

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26TH

Hours passed. All day, I searched for a way out, my hands raw from clawing at rock. At sunset that afternoon, I was kneeling in the corner, using my fingers to lever a slab of rock from the wall, when I heard movement outside my cell window. Heard the crunch of careful shoes on gravel, and attentive pauses. I pictured a man approaching. Maybe two men. They would be armed-Toussaint had sent them. When an executioner sends guards, the guards are cautious because a condemned man has nothing to lose.

I chose the largest rock from several on the floor, and carried it to the door.

A sound at the window drew my attention. I turned. Why would they come to the window? Then I saw a hand poke through, holding a flashlight. The beam probed the far corner where I’d opened a hole in the wall.

I lifted the rock over my head and walked toward the hand, ready to crush it… but then heard a man’s voice whisper, “Ford. Are you there?”

I stopped, still holding the rock as the light swept over me.

The hand withdrew and Sir James Montbard’s face appeared in the window.

“James?” The effects of the drug were long gone, but I felt like I was dreaming.

I dropped the rock and shielded my eyes from the light as he said, “Under the circumstances, old man, you can call me Hooker.”A moment later, he added, “Congratulations, Dr. Ford. I think you’ve found the Misericord. Excellent work.”

“You scared the shit out of me!”

“Would you prefer I leave?”

“I can’t believe you found me.”

“Find the guards, you find the prisoner. Yours are making a circuit around the old girl’s house about every twenty minutes. Two of them with those damn, brutish dogs. Now one’s gone inside, so I decided it was time to act.”

Montbard’s attention returned to the architecture of my cell. “This is the Misericord. I’m sure of it… monastery ruins; once a separate structure… clever, how they’ve incorporated it into the chateau. Part of the foundation. Ford, I think you have the makings of an archaeologist.”

I said, “Get me out of here. The woman’s insane. She’s planning to-”

“Steady on, Ford. I’ll have that door open in two shakes.”

I heard the metallic tick-tick of burglar tools probing the lock, then the door swung open. Again, I shielded my eyes as Montbard stepped into the cell, then closed the door until only a splinter of dusty light filtered in. He was wearing a navy blue blazer, ascot, and dark slacks, as if he’d just stepped off the Queen Mary.

No, I wasn’t dreaming-nobody in my dreams would ever dress that way. I said, “Are the girls safe?”

“Yes, yes, Senegal called this morning from the airport. Humorous, really-Beryl and Senegal hated each other instantly, as women often do when getting acquainted. Now they’re already fast friends.

“They’re both worried about you. Senegal, especially.” His eyes had adjusted, and he turned to look at me. “Took most your clothes, did they?”

It seemed important to match the man’s cheery attitude. “My watch, too. You’re lucky you weren’t around. I don’t have your style.”

“Fortunately, I agree. Precisely the reason I stopped at Jade Mountain and collected some of your things. I hope you’re not offended, Ford, but there are places in the world where khaki shorts simply aren’t acceptable after sunset.”

He tossed me a backpack. “Looks like I should’ve brought a first-aid kit, too. Nasty-looking scratches on your neck. Worked you over pretty good, did they?” He drew the Walther from his shoulder holster and peeked out the door, gun by his ear. “Madame Toussaint must have something special planned for you. I’m surprised to find you alive.”

It was because the Maji Blanc wanted to keep me alive and fresh for tonight.

The Maji Blanc-that’s the way I thought of Toussaint now. An insane woman who masqueraded as a succubus to excuse her own sexuality. Gave me chills thinking about it, which is why I’d spent the day like a mole, feeling my way from rock to rock, hunting for a way out. Montbard had mentioned hidden passageways. It wouldn’t be the first time a tunnel had saved my life.

Inside the backpack, I found slacks and a shirt and the dinner jacket Bernie Yager had insisted I bring. I also found my SIG Sauer 9 mm, which I’d left in the suite on Saint Lucia. I checked the magazine and shucked a round into the chamber, saying, “I’m surprised you found this.”

Montbard didn’t turn from the door. “It wasn’t difficult. I looked where I would have put it-bottom of the dip pool, in a waterproof bag. We can’t have the cleaning staff gossiping about illegal weapons now, can we-” He held up a warning finger, then touched it to his lips. Someone coming. He pushed the door closed.

Outside, I heard mumbled conversation-at least two men-and the guttural breathing of a dog straining against its leash. Sounded as if they were approaching from the front of Toussaint’s home. I could also hear a motor vehicle coming from the same direction, up the long drive to Toussaint’s home. I touched my thumb to the SIG’s hammer, whispering, “I thought you said one of the guards went into the house.”

“He did. Maybe he came back out… or they’ve added another man.”

I said, “If they open the door, you shoot the dog. I’ll jump the men.”

Montbard didn’t reply. We waited as the men neared, close enough now to hear one say, “Who’s that getting outta the van?”

I couldn’t make out the response, but heard the first voice say: “Yeah, one of the maids, probably. The Widow got her a big night planned, man.” Their laughter moved with them away from the house, toward the garden.

Montbard exhaled a long, slow breath, nervous for the first time. “I agree, Ford. Lethal force-last resort only. I don’t need any more nightmares.”

I smiled-the man was human. But I also knew I could count on him to pull the trigger. The nightmares told me he’d pulled the trigger before.

The Englishman had the door cracked again, looking out as I finished dressing. He told me there was a white van parked near the chateau now. Said the upstairs lights were off even though it was getting dark enough; someone should have turned them on by now. The maid, Isabelle Toussaint… someone.

I was going through the backpack-a flashlight, the night-vision monocular, rubber surgical gloves, rope. Holding up my old silk sports coat, I said, “I thought you were kidding about this.”

“The Orchid’s cocktail party started fifteen minutes ago. Would you prefer to be mistaken for a guest or correctly identified as a burglar?”

I said, “You just convinced me. Maybe that’s why the house is dark- she’s at the party.”

“I didn’t see her. But, if she’s in the house, I’ve arranged another diversion that should lure her out. In half an hour, her beloved orchid house will catch fire. Appear to catch fire, anyway, if the timers work- no guarantees. It’s not easy to find reliable detonators in the islands. I expected to be operating alone, so I went heavy on the fireworks.”

“What kind?”

“Exactly what I said-fireworks. People love them in the islands, and they’re easy to get. In the confusion, we’ll pop into the house, nick Madame Toussaint’s video collection, then it’s back to Saint Lucia in time for a late supper. Your friend Beryl is absolutely stunning, by the way. I wish she would have accepted my invitation to stay with us at Bluestone.”

I was putting on the jacket, but stopped. “Beryl’s not staying with you? Don’t tell me she came back to Saint Arc.”

“Nothing I could do. She took the ferry. Supposed to meet a friend who flew in this afternoon. I overheard the friend’s surname-Money. Impossible to forget. Beryl said they had a lovely place rented, and that you approved. Senegal was thinking about joining them for dinner.”

Like in the old silent films: Step carefully over the banana peel, then fall down an open manhole. Damn it.

I could hear Beryl saying, I bet the party boys are hanging out at the resort. They’ll scout the beach house at sunset, like before.

I said, “Shay Money is my goddaughter. Beryl didn’t tell you?”

“No. If she had, I would’ve never allowed her to leave.”

“That’s why she didn’t tell you. They’ve gone back to the rental house on the beach. Shay and Beryl have talked themselves into believing they can handle the guys who conned them. We’ve got to get down there.”

Montbard said, “Sorry, Ford, I had no idea.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“You’re sure it’s the same house?”

“Yes. Ritchie Bonaparte and Clovis what’s-his-name are the ones who slapped me around this morning, then locked me in here. They talked about cruising the bars tonight. I heard them.” Ritchie had taken my Rolex-a watch I’d owned for two decades-so I had to ask, “What time is it?”

“Six forty-five.”

The sun was setting now. “And you set the detonators for…?”

“Seven-thirty, but I used bloody egg timers-all I could manage-so it’s not exact.”

I said, “Screw the videos, we’ve got to get down to the beach. There’s too much at risk.”

Montbard remained matter-of-fact. “Yes, there’s some risk, I agree. But there’s even more risk if we don’t get the tapes, not only for Senegal and your friends, but for dozens-maybe hundreds-of others. We’ll never get this opportunity again.”

I thought about it. Damn. I hated that he was right. I said, “Okay. Then let’s make it quick.”

“Of course! The entire operation should take less than an hour. I suggest we move to the back garden and wait for the fireworks. When the old girl rushes out to save her precious orchids, we’ll have a solid block of time to search the house.”

I took the flashlight from my bag and shined it on the wall where I’d been prying rock with my fingers. “No need to wait. I found one of your passageways. I think it leads into the basement of Toussaint’s house.”

The Englishman went to the opening, knelt, and levered another rock free. “By God, you’re right.” He shined his light into the hole, then stood and removed his blazer. “Doesn’t look more than a few meters to where it exits. Rather narrow, though. A damn tight squeeze.”

I told him, “Heretics were smaller in those days-” then paused, head tilted, hearing men’s voices again, and the choleric rasp of a dog. Waited for several seconds, expecting to hear the jangle of keys. Instead, the voices faded, moving toward the front of the chateau. I continued, “Can you figure out a way to jam the door, so they can’t open it from the outside?”

He nudged the door closed with his knee. There was a metallic click. “Already done.”

I said, “Then let’s move. Isabelle will be sending someone for me soon.”

“Isabelle? On a first-name basis, are we?”

I told him, “I’ll explain later,” as I got down on hands and knees and pulled away more rock so my shoulders would fit through the opening.