Consider Yourself Dead

Seven

At exactly 14.00, Jack Marvin walked into the guardroom.

‘Hi, Mike! Any excitements?’

It had been a long wait, and Frost was jittery. Suka hadn’t returned, that must mean he was dead.

It was the only way, Frost had argued to himself. Having made Suka the fall guy, it would be too dangerous for him to live. From time to time, he wanted to go down to the harbour, but if Amando came to the guardroom and found him missing it would poke a hole in the story he was going to tell.

He was going to tell Grandi that he had immediately suspected Suka, and had taken precautions to make sure Suka couldn’t leave the estate. He had told the guards to let no one out and he had electrified the fence. Obviously, he would say, Suka got in a panic and had decided to take off in one of the boats, forgetting the fence was electrified and had been killed. The police would have to be called, but Frost felt he could deal with them. Suka had been killed accidentally.

Marvin was the man to find the body.

‘Not a thing,’ Frost said, ‘but I’m goddamn hungry. You eaten?’

Marvin grinned.

‘I’ve been eating hotdogs and ice cream with the kid for the past hour. Why didn’t you tell Suka to get you something?’

‘I thought I’d wait until you got back. Be a pal, and tell him to hustle up a snack.’

‘Sure.’

It was over ten minutes before Marvin hurried into the guardroom. He looked worried.

‘No sign of him. I’ve checked his cabin.’ He stared at Frost. ‘You don’t think he’s scrammed?’

‘No way,’ Frost said impatiently. ‘He’s around the estate some place. Take a look, Jack. I’ve got to stay by the telephone. Watch it! The current’s on. Don’t touch the fence.’

‘Okay,’ and Marvin hurried away.

Frost went to the refrigerator and took out a can of beer. He drank the beer slowly. In a few minutes, Marvin would find Suka’s body. He finished the beer, lit a cigarette, then walked to the guardroom door and looked along the path leading to the harbour. Minutes ticked by, then he saw Marvin come running up the path. The alarm on Marvin’s face sent Frost’s heart thumping. So Suka was dead! Frost felt a chill run down his spine. He had murdered a man!

Marvin was shouting something as he ran, but Frost didn’t register what he was saying.

‘What the hell’s up?’ he exclaimed, and went to meet Marvin.

‘He’s scrammed!’ Marvin blurted out, coming to a halt. ‘The harbour gate’s open, and the motorboat’s gone!’

Frost felt as if an ironclad fist had hit him below the heart. He stood motionless, chills running over him as he stared at Marvin.

‘Hear me!’ Marvin snapped. ‘He’s scrammed!’

Frost made an effort and pulled himself together.

‘Can’t be!’

‘The gate’s open, and the motorboat’s gone!’ Marvin said.

To gain time to think, Frost shoved by him and ran down to the harbour.

His mind worked like lightning as he ran. Had Suka overheard him telling Amando and Marvin that he (Suka) was the inside man, then seeing the open gate, had bolted? There could be no other explanation. The fact was he had escaped! Frost felt a sudden relief. He hadn’t committed murder! But Suka at liberty could be dangerous. He must alert Silk.

He reached the harbour and saw how easily anyone could slip down to the boats without touching the open door nor the fence.

He was still standing there, his mind active when Marvin joined him.

‘I’ve turned off the current,’ Marvin said and closed the gate. ‘How the hell did he open the gate without being electrocuted?’

‘My guess he must have listened to us talking,’ Frost said. ‘Like a dope, I didn’t turn on the current until you left the guardroom to change. In those few minutes, he must have scrammed. I never thought of checking on him once you had gone. I locked myself in and stayed put.’

Marvin stared at him, his expression worried.

‘Grandi will love you, Mike. You should have turned on the current when we were talking.’

‘And he’ll love you too,’ Frost snapped. ‘You should have been here instead of at the funfair with your kid.’

‘Aw, come on, Mike. You’re in charge. You told me to go.’

‘Okay, okay. Anyway what the hell does it matter? We’re both going to lose our jobs.’

‘I guess. Look, Mike, I have friends at the cop house. How’s about me asking Lepski to pick up Suka? I can say some valuables are missing and...’

‘No way,’ Frost said curtly. ‘We do nothing until Grandi arrives. Anyway, we now know for sure Suka was the inside man. I’m going to get myself something to eat. Suppose you walk around, check his cabin, see if he’s taken his clothes.’

‘Yeah.’

Leaving Marvin, Frost hurried back to the guardroom. He locked the door leading to the villa, then snatched up the telephone receiver. He dialled the number of the Ace of Spades.

Umney came on the line.

‘Suka got away in a motorboat,’ Frost said, speaking fast. ‘The boat has a big G on the stern. Find and fix him.’

‘Will do,’ Umney said, and hung up.

Frost then went up to Amando’s room, opened the door and walked in. He found Amando lying on the bed, his face ashen. Amando opened his eyes and stared glassily at Frost.

‘I am very ill,’ he mumbled. ‘My heart... get a doctor.’

Frost stared down at him. Faking? He thought not, but he couldn’t care less about Amando.

‘You’ll need more than a doctor when Grandi arrives,’ he said, and left the room.

He found some cold cuts in the kitchen refrigerator and made himself a couple of sandwiches, then he returned to the guardroom.

As he was eating the second sandwich, Marvin came in.

‘Old Creepy’s sick,’ Frost said. ‘He’s had a heart attack.’

‘To hell with him,’ Marvin said. ‘Look what I’ve found in Suka’s cabin.’ He put a small box on the desk. ‘A sophisticated bug.’

Frost opened the box and stared at the black button. This was a limpet bug that was powerful enough to record a conversation from a considerable distance. He looked at the empty socket by the bug that told him there had been a second bug.

‘That’s how he heard us talking,’ Marvin said. ‘I bet the other bug is somewhere right here.’

Frost snatched up the telephone and upended it. The second bug was attached to the base of the telephone. He whirled around on Marvin.

‘Was there a recorder in his cabin?’

‘Yeah, but no cassette. I checked.’

Frost removed the bug and put it in the box. He realised the danger of this discovery immediately.

‘More evidence for Grandi,’ he said, forcing his voice to sound casual.

‘Hey, Mike!’ Marvin was pointing to the gun rack. ‘There’s a .38 missing!’

Frost looked at the gun rack. There should have been four .38 police specials on hooks on the rack: there were only three.

‘How the hell did he take that?’

‘When you were checking the grounds and when I went up to Amando,’ Marvin said. ‘We both should have seen it was missing.’

‘Okay, okay,’ Frost said. ‘We needn’t spell it all out to Grandi. Suppose you go up and take another look at Amando. If he is really bad, call an ambulance and let’s get him to hospital before Grandi arrives. Fix it, will you?’

Leaving Marvin, he went fast to his cabin. He examined his telephone, made sure it wasn’t bugged, then called the Ace of Spades. This time he got Silk.

Quickly, he explained the situation, then went on, ‘If Suka left the tape running, he has evidence I fingered him as the inside man, and more dangerous, I told him the gate was open and to shut it. If he gets to Grandi, my cover’s blown. He’ll be at the airport waiting for Grandi to arrive. You’ve got to fix him before Grandi arrives. Watch it! He’s armed!’

‘I’ll have the airport covered in ten minutes,’ Silk said. ‘When is Grandi arriving?’

‘Around 15.00. New York arrival.’

‘Keep your cool, Mike,’ Silk said quietly. ‘It’s going along well. Don’t forget we have Grandi over a barrel.’

‘Yeah, but I want to keep my cover. How’s the girl?’

‘No problem. I gave her a reefer, and she is way out,’ and Silk hung up.

Frost wiped his sweating hands on his slacks, then returned to the guardroom where he found Marvin on the telephone, ordering an ambulance.

‘He looks as if he’s going to croak,’ Marvin said as he hung up.

‘One headache less.’ Frost picked up the telephone receiver and alerted the guard at the entrance to let the ambulance in.

‘Hell!’ the guard exploded. ‘You sure sound as if you have real trouble up there.’

‘Tell that to Mr. Grandi when he arrives. He’ll love the sound of your voice,’ Frost snarled, and hung up.

The ambulance taking Amando to the Paradise Clinic, hadn’t been gone more than ten minutes, when Frost I heard the sound of an approaching helicopter. The machine hovered over the estate, then gently settled down I on the big lawn.

‘Here he is,’ Frost said, as both he and Marvin moved fast out of the guardroom. ‘Action stations!’

As Grandi climbed from the machine, Frost hurried across the lawn to meet him.

Grandi paused to say something to the pilot, then came striding forward, his face a stone mask, his eyes glittering dangerously.

‘Where’s Amando?’ he barked as Frost paused before him.

‘He’s had a heart attack, sir. The ambulance has just taken him to the Paradise Clinic.’

Grandi stared at Frost.

‘Then he’s lucky,’ he snarled. ‘Come to my study in ten minutes,’ and moving by Frost, ignoring Marvin, he strode into the villa.

‘Stick around, Jack,’ Frost said, and breaking into a run, he went to his cabin, shut himself in and grabbing the telephone, dialled the Ace of Spades.

Silk came on the line.

‘Did you get Suka?’ Frost asked, speaking low and fast.

‘No sign of the sonofabitch,’ Silk said. ‘No sign of Grandi either.’

‘He’s here. He must have flown to Miami and taken a chopper. He arrived a minute ago.’

‘Then Suka couldn’t have contacted him. We’ll keep hunting.’

‘Find him and fix him,’ Frost said and hung up.

Bracing himself, he walked to the villa, entered, then stood in the big hall, waiting.

Five minutes later, Grandi jerked open the door of his study.

‘Okay, Frost, let’s have it,’ he said, and walked to his desk and sat down.

Although his heart was thumping, Frost played it cool.

He pulled up a chair and sat down, facing Grandi.

‘I told you, sir, that the only way your daughter could be kidnapped was for an inside man to organise the kidnapping. The inside man is the Jap... Suka. The evidence all points to him.’ Frost went on to explain that Amando’s and Marvin’s drinks were doped, how he, himself, was a prisoner in his cabin because of the dogs, and how Marvin had found Suka gone and one of the boats missing.

‘Okay,’ Grandi said abruptly. ‘I accept that. Then what happened?’

‘My guess is Suka was well paid. He neutralised the fence and the kidnappers came in, grabbed Miss Grandi and took her away in their own boat. At 07.45, I left my cabin, found Marvin drugged, called Suka who found Amando drugged. I then checked the grounds and found the harbour gate open. I immediately suspected Suka, and I told Amando and Marvin my suspicions. Suka had a bug in here.’ Frost paused to produce the box containing the two bugs. He put the box on the desk. ‘He overheard my talk with Amando and Marvin, panicked and bolted. It wasn’t until after talking with Amando and Marvin that I electrified the fence again and warned the guard at the entrance to let no one out. If there is a fault, sir, I should have immediately electrified the fence, but I missed out on the guardroom being bugged.’

Grandi looked up and glared at Frost.

‘We’ll go into who missed out and who didn’t later,’ he said. ‘My daughter has been kidnapped. What’s the next move?’

‘Two moves,’ Frost said, beginning to relax. He was thinking if only Silk could find and fix Suka, the big problem looked solved. At least, Grandi was accepting Suka as the inside man. ‘This is up to you. Number one would be to alert the police that Miss Grandi has been kidnapped. The kidnapper warned against this, but it could be done providing the police don’t move into action.’

Grandi made an impatient movement.

‘No police. What’s the second move?’

‘We wait for a ransom demand, sir. The kidnapper said he would telephone tomorrow at 08.00. Now, if we alerted the police they could tap our telephone and get a fix on where he is phoning from, but it will probably be from a call box, and it could be dangerous.’

Grandi nodded.

‘We wait for the ransom demand,’ he said. ‘No police.’

‘Yes, sir.’ A pause, then, Frost went on, ‘I’ve told the staff to take the day off, but they’ll be in tomorrow as usual. If there is anything I or Marvin can do for you, sir, you just have to say.’

‘I will stay at the Spanish Bay hotel,’ Grandi said. ‘Tomorrow at seven o’clock, I will be here. I want you to take the ransom call, and I want you to handle it, Frost.’ He got to his feet, then stared thoughtfully at Frost. ‘Do you think I’ll get her back?’

‘Yes, sir, so long as you go along with the kidnappers. From my experience, once the ransom is paid, they deliver.’

‘I am relying on your experience,’ Grandi said, then he walked out and leaving the villa, he crossed the lawn, got in the helicopter and was whisked away.

Frost grabbed the telephone and again dialled the Ace of Spades.

‘It’s going well this end,’ he said as Silk came on the line. ‘Grandi is staying at the Spanish Bay. Stake it out in case Suka arrives.’

‘I told you, didn’t I?’ Silk said. ‘We have this fink over a barrel. Don’t worry about the Jap. I’ll fix him.’

Frost replaced the telephone receiver. He felt in need of a drink. Grandi had been easy to handle. He drew in a deep breath. So long as Silk could find and fix Suka there would be no problem. He looked at his watch. The time was 16.15. He walked over to the big cocktail cabinet and poured himself a stiff whisky. He felt he deserved it. He drank the whisky at one swallow, then leaving the room, he went to the guardroom where Marvin was pacing up and down.

‘How did it go?’ Marvin asked.

‘No problem so far,’ Frost said. ‘Tomorrow is the day when the ransom demand arrives. He is surprisingly under control. I thought I was in for a hell of a time, but I guess he just wants his daughter back.’

Marvin relaxed.

‘Who would want a little bitch like that back?’

‘That’s his choice. Look, Jack, there’ll be no action now until tomorrow morning. I’m going to find myself a dolly bird. I feel in need of some relaxation. You can do what you like: either stay around here or go to see your son again.’

Marvin looked worried.

‘The kidnapper might telephone again.’

‘Aw, skip it, Jack! You be here at six o’clock tomorrow. Nothing’s going to happen. I’m going to get changed.’

Marvin suddenly grinned.

‘You’re the boss. I guess I’ll get changed too.’

‘You take the T.R. I’ll take the Lamborghini. I fancy driving that heap.’

Forty minutes later, Frost drove into an empty parking place outside the Ace of Spades. At this hour, the restaurant and bar were deserted. He found Silk and Goble playing gin in the room above the swimming pool. As soon as Frost entered, the two men threw down their cards and Silk said, ‘What are you doing here, Mike?’

‘There’s no action until you put in the ransom note,’ Frost said, sitting down at the table. ‘How’s Gina?’

‘She’s fine. Right now Ross is keeping her company.’ Silk smiled his evil smile. ‘They’re probably screwing.’

‘She’s an enthusiast. How about Suka?’

Silk shrugged.

‘I don’t know. He’s vanished. My guess is he was scared shitless and has taken off. I’ve got the Spanish Bay staked out and Marcia is around there. Forget Suka. We don’t have to bother about that fink.’

But Frost felt uneasy.

‘If he got to Grandi with that tape, I could be in a lot of trouble.’

‘How did Grandi react?’

‘He surprised me. I thought he was certain to blow his cork, but all he seems interested in is getting the girl back. He told me he wanted me to handle the deal.’

Silk nodded.

‘That’s fine. Then when I telephone tomorrow I’ll say someone is to come to the Three Square motel to get the ransom note... that’ll be you.’ He regarded Frost. ‘Grandi’s tricky. How about the cops?’

‘I suggested he should tell the cops, but he killed that idea. No cops.’

‘Going our way,’ Silk said.

‘Yeah.’ Frost got to his feet. ‘I’ll have a word with Gina. She’s in Marcia’s room?’

‘That’s it,’ Goble said, picking up his cards. ‘Knock twice before you enter.’ He grinned. ‘Ross has been with her for the past three hours, but they still could be active.’

Frost made his way along the corridor to Marcia’s room, paused outside the door, listened, heard nothing, then rapped. He waited, rapped again, waited, then frowning, a sudden uneasiness creeping over him, he eased open the door and stepped into the room.

Umney, naked, lay sprawled across the big bed, blood seeping from a wound in his head.

Frost looked around the room, then, moving fast, looked into the bathroom. Except for himself and Umney who was moving out of unconsciousness, the room was empty.

No Gina.

Frost, Silk and Goble crowded around Umney as he sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head.

‘We were doing a saddle job,’ Umney said thickly, ‘then from out of nowhere she produced a gun and gun butted me. I hadn’t a chance.’

A gun!

So it had been Gina who had taken the .38 from the armoury rack, and not Suka, Frost thought.

‘She’s gone, you goddamn creep!’ Silk snarled.

Umney moaned.

‘Hear me!’ Silk banged his fist on Umney’s shoulder. ‘When was this?’

‘We got going as soon as I arrived... around two o’clock.’

‘Three hours! She could be anywhere!’ Silk swung around to Goble. ‘Check the cars!’

Goble left the room at a run.

Frost stood back and he watched Silk who began to move around the room. He paused and stared at Frost.

‘You told me she wanted to be snatched!’ he said. ‘You didn’t say...’

‘Aw, shut up!’ Frost barked. ‘How did she get out of here without being seen?’

‘There’s an exit at the end of the corridor that leads to the car park. That’s the way she went.’

Frost went to the big range of closets. He opened doors, slammed them shut, then turned to Silk.

‘She’s taken her suitcase.’

Goble rushed in.

‘My car’s missing!’

Umney got unsteadily to his feet and went into the bathroom.

‘Where would she go?’ Silk demanded, glaring at Frost.

‘How the hell do I know, but I do know she wouldn’t go back to Orchid Villa. She’s taken off to do her thing.’

Silk turned to Goble.

‘Send the word out, Mitch. Get all our contacts working on this.’

When Goble had gone, Silk went on to Frost, ‘You’re sure she won’t go back to the Grandi’s place?’

‘Sure. That’s why she wanted to be kidnapped.’

‘Then the operation is still on,’ Silk said. ‘Grandi won’t know she’s scrammed. So long as she keeps away from him, he’ll think we have her.’

Frost thought about it, then nodded.

‘Yeah. Then we go ahead on schedule?’

Umney came out of the bathroom and began to dress. He kept moaning to himself, but neither Silk nor Frost paid any attention to him.

‘What’s the chance of finding her?’ Frost asked.

‘I have contacts. Mitch will have alerted them. If she’s still around, we’ll find her.’

‘Now, wait a moment. Do we want to find her? Isn’t it better to let her lose herself?’

Silk thought, then grinned.

‘Yeah, but we should know if she’s around here If she’s taken off to Miami or someplace we have no problem.’

‘If we don’t deliver her back to Grandi, he’ll turn on the heat,’ Frost said uneasily.

‘How can he, unless he wants to go to jail for fifteen years? We’ll play it as we wrote it. It’ll stand up.’

Umney said, ‘She’s crazy in the head and she’s got a gun.’

‘Who the hell cares?’ Silk snarled. ‘So long as she keeps out of sight.’

But Frost’s police trained mind saw trouble ahead.

‘She’s unpredictable. Umney’s right. There’s something about her... she knows the three of us. If Grandi catches up with her, she could talk.’

‘So Grandi doesn’t catch up with her,’ Silk said. ‘We go ahead. It’ll work out.’

‘Let’s get this thing on the rails,’ Frost said. ‘Why wait until tomorrow? Give me the ransom demand now. The longer we wait, the chances of Gina being picked up either by your people or Grandi makes for trouble.’ He thought for a moment, then went on. ‘I’ll tell Grandi I wanted a change of scene while waiting for the ransom note to be delivered tomorrow morning. I took a car and drove down to the beach. After a swim, I found the ransom demand in the car. What do you think?’

Goble came in.

‘The word’s gone out. If the car’s around here, it’ll be found.’

‘Mike wants to hurry this up,’ Silk said. ‘He’s got something.’ Looking at Frost, he went on, ‘Tell him.’

Frost repeated what he had said to Silk. After thought, Goble nodded.

‘Yeah. Why not? The longer we wait, the bigger the risk.’

Twenty minutes later, Frost was driving to the Spanish Bay hotel with the ransom demand. The time was now 18.15. He pulled up outside the hotel. Seeing the Lamborghini, the top-hatted negro hurried down the steps and opened the door of the car.

‘Park it,’ Frost said, and entering the hotel lobby, he crossed to the reception desk. ‘Mr. Grandi,’ he said to the suave clerk who regarded him with slightly raised eyebrows.

‘Your name, sir?’

‘Mike Frost.’

The reception clerk went into an inner office. There was a delay, then he came out and nodded to Frost.

‘Suite 67, Mr. Frost. Take the elevator to the eighth floor and turn left as you leave. Suite 67 will be facing you.’

As Frost rode up in the elevator, he wondered how Grandi would react to the ransom demand. He was distinctly uneasy, but he reminded himself that, with luck, in a month’s time, he would be worth five million dollars.

The elevator doors swished open and he moved into a heavily carpeted, broad corridor. A door with silver numerals ‘67’ faced him. Crossing the corridor, he rapped on the door and waited.

There was a moment’s delay, then the door jerked open and Grandi regarded him.

‘What do you want?’ Grandi barked. ‘Something happened?’

‘Yes, sir. I think I have the ransom note.’

Grandi’s eyes narrowed. He stepped back, motioning Frost in, then he walked across the large living room and sat down behind a paper-strewn desk. He waved Frost to a chair.

‘Tell me.’

‘As nothing was to happen until tomorrow morning, sir,’ Frost said, ‘I went down to the beach. I spent an hour down there. On returning to the car, I found this envelope, addressed to you, on the driving seat.’

He leaned forward and dropped the envelope Silk had given him on the desk.

Grandi stared at it, then at Frost.

‘Go down to the bar and wait,’ Grandi said. ‘I will call you when I want you.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Frost got to his feet and walked to the door. As he was leaving the suite, Grandi picked up the envelope. He was slitting open the envelope with a paper knife as Frost closed the door.

In the bar, Frost ordered a whisky on the rocks and sat at an isolated table. There were only a few people in the bar, and no one did more than give him a cursory glance.

He waited, and while he waited, he thought of Gina, wondering where she was. He was sure she would keep herself hidden. So what did it matter where she was? Grandi would sign the document transferring thirty million dollars to Silk’s Swiss account, then the four of them would take off together, and Grandi could whistle for Gina.

He was still thinking of what he would do once he got his hands on all that money when the barman came over to him.

‘Mr. Grandi is asking for you, sir.’

Frost got to his feet, squared his shoulders and walked to the elevator. This was it! he told himself. It was unlikely Grandi would tell him about the ransom demand, but he would indicate that he was paying, and that was all Frost wanted to know.

He rapped on the door of suite 67 and heard Grandi call, ‘Come on in.’

He found Grandi at his desk, a big cigar between his fat fingers, his face a hard expressionless mask.

‘We have some talking to do, Frost,’ Grandi said. ‘Sit down.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Uneasy, Frost sat in the chair opposite Grandi’s desk.

Grandi opened a drawer in his desk and took from it a tape cassette. He held it up so Frost could see it.

‘Do you know what this is, Frost?’

Frost felt his heart give a lurch. So Suka had somehow got to Grandi. Keeping his face expressionless, reminding himself that there was nothing Grandi could do unless he opted to go to jail for tax fraud, he said, ‘Yes, sir. I know what it is.’

‘Suka met me at the Miami airport,’ Grandi said and smiled. He looked like a vicious hungry wolf. ‘How much did they pay you, Frost, to be the inside man?’

‘Don’t let’s waste time, Grandi,’ Frost said in his cop voice. ‘Sign that transfer and give it to me. That’s all you have to do unless you don’t want your daughter back and you fancy a fifteen year stretch in an Italian jail.’

Grandi picked up the document which was lying on his desk and studied it.

‘Not even a good try,’ he said. ‘I don’t imagine you worked out this kidnapping yourself. I am not interested in your associates. I intend to deal with you. With the ransom demand, as you know, are specimens of transfers to a Swiss bank. These are illegal transfers as the currency regulations in Italy forbid money leaving the country, but what your associates haven’t appreciated is the fact that transfer of money from Italy is illegal only to the vast majority.’ Grandi regarded Frost. ‘I am not the vast majority. To have obtained these photocopies, your associates must have corrupted my chief accountant, Guiseppe Vessi, who handled the transfers. You may have wondered why you have been kept waiting for an hour before I talk with you. Let me tell you: I was arranging that Vessi ceases to exist. No one ever betrays me and remains alive!’

Frost, staring at the ruthless, vicious face, knew Grandi wasn’t bluffing.

‘Even with Vessi out of the way,’ he said, ‘that still doesn’t keep you out of jail.’

‘Little man!’ Grandi laughed. ‘There is only one man in Italy who could make trouble for me, and he is my close friend: the Minister of Finance. Suppose your associates are stupid enough to send copies of these Swiss transactions to the tax authorities. They would pass them to the Minister of Finance who would sweep them under the carpet. He is as much involved as I am. In fact, little man, I will tell you for the past three years I have allowed him to syphon off some of his money to my account. Your associates are so ill-informed of the Italian scene that they don’t realise that any deal can be arranged in Italy as long as you have enough power.’ He leaned forward, stabbing his finger at Frost. ‘And I have all the power in the world!’

‘If you want your daughter back, you’ll sign that document!’ Frost snapped. ‘I’m not interested in your machinations. Just sign it!’

Grandi studied him, then drew the document to him and signed with a flourish.

‘If that’s all you want. When do I get my daughter back?’

‘As soon as the money has been transferred to Zurich,’ Frost said. This was a moment of triumph. He snatched up the document.

Grandi shook his head.

‘That won’t do. She will be dead of old age by then.’

With a feeling that he was being tricked, Frost glared at Grandi.

‘What the hell do you mean?’

‘Your associates didn’t do their homework,’ Grandi said. ‘The Lugano numbered account belongs to myself and three friends, and one of them is the Minister of Finance who I have just mentioned. None of us can draw out money without the the other three adding their signatures. I can tell you their names, but I can assure you they wouldn’t sign.’ He lifted his heavy shoulders in an Italian shrug. ‘Unfortunately, they have no interest in my daughter.’

Frost flung the document back on the desk.

‘If you want Gina back alive, you’d better persuade your friends to sign!’

‘That would be a waste of time to try. They certainly don’t value my daughter at twenty million dollars.’ Grandi leaned forward and gave his wolf smile. ‘Let us approach this business from another angle.’

‘How much will you pay to get your daughter back?’ Frost demanded, aware now his hands had turned moist.

‘Ah! That is a good question.’ Grandi drew on his cigar and released a rich-smelling smoke. ‘So we are agreed the ransom isn’t to be twenty million dollars?’

Frost hesitated.

‘This is something I must discuss with my associates, he said. ‘Give me a proposal, and then we will consider it.’

‘Now you are growing up, little man,’ Grandi said. ‘Here is my proposal. You will return Gina here within four hours. In return, I will take no legal proceedings against you or your associates. That is my proposal.’

‘How much money?’ Frost demanded.

Grandi shook his head.

‘No money. Send her back unharmed, and I’ll forget you and your stupid associates exist.’

Frost forced a laugh. Even to him it sounded hollow.

‘No way. We’re in this for money. Suppose we say five million? She’s worth five million to you. How about it?’

‘No money and I will tell you why.’ He opened a drawer in his desk and took out two reels of tape. ‘Take these. I have the originals, but I want you to have them so that you and your stupid associates can understand how badly you have planned this operation.’ Grandi pulled on his cigar, then went on, ‘When I rented Orchid Villa, I took precautions. Now I will tell you about Suka. He was a security and an electronic expert working for the Tokyo police. I bought him. I gave him the problem of making the villa safe. Apart from all the security gimmicks, he also installed a telephone tap with a continuous tape recording. Every call in and out of the villa has been recorded. The copies of these tapes which I am giving you tell a story. I know about Marcia Goolden, a whore, who lives at this hotel. I know you have been in contact with her and Amando visits her. Obviously, she drugged Amando when he was with her as you drugged Marvin. I know you told your associates to murder Suka. A voice print will identify you, and if I give the tapes to the police, they will have no problem indicting you. I know too you have been screwing my daughter. Her room has always been bugged. My daughter is mentally sick, but she is still my daughter and I’m going to have her back! Return her to me in four hours and I won’t take proceedings.’ Grandi stubbed out his cigar. ‘Take the tapes, talk to your associates, but remember... if she isn’t here by ten o’clock tonight, you will spend twenty years in jail.’

Frost tried to say something but the words wouldn’t come. He got unsteadily to his feet.

‘One more thing, little man,’ Grandi said. ‘It might occur to you that the way out for you would be to kill me.’ He smiled wolfishly. ‘Don’t try it. I am very well protected.’ He leaned forward, his face a snarling mask of rage, and he screamed at Frost, ‘Get out of my sight!’

The four men sat around the table, a tape player before them and they listened to Frost saying:

‘Did you get Suka?’

Silk’s voice.

‘No sign of the sonofabitch. No sign of Grandi either.’

Frost snapped off the player.

‘We’ve got to find her and return her, Silk!’

Silk rubbed the side of his jaw, thought for a moment, then shrugged.

‘It looked good.’ He stared with his one glittering eye at Umney who looked pale and he kept his hand to his aching head. ‘You sure fell down on this one, Ross. You should have dug deeper.’

‘You shouldn’t have touched it at all,’ Umney snarled. ‘We told you no way, but you wouldn’t listen!’

‘Wrap up!’ Frost exclaimed. ‘How do we find her?’

‘She left my car at the waterfront,’ Goble said. ‘I’ve got men down there.’ He got up, went to the telephone and put a call through. He talked quietly for two or three minutes, then hung up.

The others looked at him expectantly.

‘She hasn’t taken a boat,’ he said. ‘There are around fifteen small hotels down there. She’s probably holed up in one of them, waiting until it gets dark.’

‘Or she left the car there as a stall and walked to the bus stop and is in Miami by now,’ Silk said Frost got to his feet.

‘We have less than three hours to find her! You get down to the waterfront,’ he was speaking to Goble. ‘You,’ turning to Silk, ‘cover the bus station. You’ve got her description. I’m going back to the villa to search her room. I might come up with something.’ He paused at the door. To Umney he said, ‘Stay by the telephone. I’ll be dialling in for progress reports,’ then he left the room at a run.

Driving just within the speed limit, he arrived back at the villa as the car’s dashboard clock showed 19.20. Aware time was rapidly running out, he dashed up the stairs and into Gina’s room. He feverishly searched through every drawer and cupboard, went through the contents of the little desk by the window, but came up with nothing. By now the time was 20.00. Two hours more to find her!

He snatched up the telephone receiver and called Umney.

‘Any news?’

‘Lu’s just checked out the bus station. No one’s seen her, and we have good contacts there. Our best bet is the waterfront. Lu’s on his way down there.’

An idea dropped into Frost’s mind. He remembered what Gina had said to him: I don’t give a shit about money. I just want to take off and do my thing.

‘Is there a way out, hippy colony around here?’

‘Where isn’t there? Sure, the freaks get together at Paddler’s Creek. Do you think she could be there?’

‘I don’t know. Where’s this place?’

‘Around ten miles out of the city towards Key West,’ Umney told him. ‘They have these swing festivals there.’

‘Where do I find it?’

‘Go along the highway south. There’s a motel on the right hand side. Twin Oakes. Take the first turning past the motel on your right and that takes you down to the beach. You think she’s there?’

‘How the hell do I know, but I’m going to look,’ and Frost hung up.

He got into the Lamborghini and sat for a long moment, thinking, then he drove fast to the Spanish Bay hotel.

Five minutes later he was once again facing Grandi.

Frost now was all cop. He sat down, his face as hard and as expressionless as Grandi’s.

‘You have her?’ Grandi snapped.

‘No. I’m going to level with you,’ Frost said. ‘She wanted to be kidnapped. Okay, I helped her, but it was she who neutralised the fence. She went to the harbour with a suitcase where my associates picked her up. They took her to the Ace of Spades.’

‘I know all that,’ Grandi snarled. ‘It’s on tape!’

‘But what you don’t know, she got one of my associates into bed and while they were copulating she bashed him with a gun and took off. We’re trying to find her. Now listen carefully, Grandi, she wants you dead, and she has a gun. I don’t want any more of this crap about finding her in four hours. We’ll find her, but it will take more than four hours. This is up to you.’

‘So she’s got away?’ Grandi seemed to shrink a little.

‘That’s it. She took a car. We found it on the waterfront. We’ve checked. She hasn’t tried to hire a boat. We are checking the hotels.’ Frost paused, then went on, ‘How sick is she?’

Grandi clenched his fists.

‘So sick she should have been committed,’ he said as if the words were being dragged from him, ‘but I couldn’t do that to her. Instead, I put her behind an electrified fence. Amando is a mental specialist in charge of her. His weekly reports show she is deteriorating. In Rome, she took a massive dose of L.S.D. It shocked her brain out of balance. Amando describes her as a sexual lunatic. That’s how sick she is... but I don’t give a damn what she has become. She is my daughter, and I want her back!’ He glared at Frost. ‘It was through you, she escaped, so bring her back or I’ll fix you as I have fixed Vessi! Make no mistake about that!’

‘She hates you, Grandi. She wants you dead. She has a gun. She told me you want to screw her,’ Frost said.

‘I’ve listened to all her sick talk on the tape,’ Grandi said. ‘She didn’t know what she was saying. Even if I dropped dead tomorrow, she wouldn’t be able to touch a dollar. It is all in trust.’ He paused, then pointed his finger at Frost, ‘Find her, and bring her to me. Do that, and I will pay you five million dollars.’

Frost became alert. He leaned forward, ‘You mean that? How will you pay me?’

Grandi shrugged.

‘As you like. Any bank anywhere... cash. I want her back!’

‘Are you really making a deal with me or are you just conning me?’ Frost said.

‘It’s a deal. I am too big a man to go back on my word. Bring her to me, and I will give you my word I will pay you five million dollars, but if you don’t find her, I again give you my word: consider yourself dead!’

Frost got to his feet.

‘I’ll find her. It could take time, but for five million, I will find her!’

Leaving the hotel, he stood for a long time by the Lamborghini. Around him was the murmur of voices. A swing band played on the hotel terrace. The big, yellow moon floated in a cloudless sky. The time was 21.05.

Five million dollars!

I am too big a man to go back on my word.

Frost accepted that.

The wheel had turned full circle. Now he had to find her.

Frost left the Lamborghini under a clump of mango trees, and walked the rest of the way.

He could hear the sound of guitars and singing voices, and as he drew nearer, he picked up the smell of unwashed bodies and reefer smoke, so he knew he was approaching the hippy colony.

There was plenty of cover and he moved cautiously. He could now see campfires burning and figures moving around. He paused behind a sea shrub and watched.

There were some hundred or so young people milling around, talking, singing, some dancing by themselves: aimless, shiftless movements, and he guessed they were high.

Somehow, he told himself, Gina just might be there. This scene would be what she called her thing, but how to find her?

He moved to another clump of shrubs which brought him nearer to the camp fires. He waited, searching, watching, but he couldn’t see any girl milling around who resembled Gina.

Should he walk into that mob and start asking questions? He decided it wouldn’t be safe. They all seemed pretty high, and he didn’t fancy the idea of walking into the midst of them.

He squatted down on his haunches. Maybe, if he waited long enough...

He watched and waited for longer than an hour, but still he saw no sign of Gina. Then just when he was deciding to give up, he heard a faint rustle behind him. A snake? He remained motionless, his muscles tense, ready to spring aside, but waiting.

‘Stay right where you are, man,’ a voice said behind him, ‘or you’ll lose a kidney.’

He felt the prick of a knife in his back, and he relaxed.

Snakes bothered him, but not a man with a knife.

‘I’m all still,’ he said.

‘We don’t like peepers around here, man,’ the voice said.

Frost judged the speaker was young, but sure of himself.

‘Sorry,’ Frost made his voice sound humble. ‘You kids seem to be having a ball,’ then he acted. His right hand swept behind him, smashing against a wrist. He heard a yelp of pain as he spun around. He dropped on the crouching figure, flattening the man into the sand. His hands fastened on the lean, sweating neck.

In the strong moonlight, he saw the Afro hairdo, the black glistening skin.

‘Going to be good, sonny?’ he said, his knee hard into the small of the negro’s back.

‘Sure... sure...’ the black gasped. ‘You’re killing me!’

Frost looked quickly around. He saw the switchblade knife glittering in the moonlight some ten feet away. He was on his feet and had gathered up the knife before the black struggled to a sitting position.

‘Jesus, man!’ the black gasped. ‘I didn’t know you were fuzz. Honestly, I thought you were a peeper!’

Frost threw the knife far into the dark shrubs.

He regarded the black. He was lean, young, with big wild eyes and a scraggly chin beard. He was dressed in a chequered shirt and jeans.

‘What’s your name, sonny?’ Frost asked quietly.

‘I’m Buck. I swear I wasn’t going to hurt you. We don’t like peepers around here.’

‘I’m not a cop, Buck,’ Frost said, and walking slowly up to the black, he dropped in the sand beside him. ‘I’m looking for someone.’

‘You go right on looking man,’ Buck said. ‘I’ll just scram.’

Frost gripped the lean wrist and wrenched up the shirtsleeve. He didn’t have to see the puncture marks, he could feel them. This youth was a vein shooter.

Buck tried to jerk free, but Frost easily held his wrist.

‘Want to make a hundred bucks?’ Frost said.

Buck became tense.

‘You wouldn’t be kidding, man?’

‘When did you last have a fix?’

Buck mumbled something, and again tried to break Frost’s hold.

‘Listen, Buck, I want you to look around among your friends. I am looking for a girl with red hair: she’s special. If she’s here, she can’t have been here longer than three hours. She might even have come and gone. If you spot her, don’t do anything, just come back here and tell me. If you spot her, you get a hundred bucks. If you don’t spot her, you get fifty. Okay?’

‘A girl with red hair?’

‘That’s it. You can’t mistake her. It’s a special red: not tinted: natural. She’s around twenty years of age: good body.’

Buck got to his feet as Frost released his wrist.

‘A hundred bucks, man?’

‘Yep.’ Frost took out his billfold and showed the youth a hundred dollar bill. ‘All yours if you spot her.’

‘You wait right here, man. Don’t you move away.’

‘I’ll be here, and Buck, if you spot her, just keep going. Just come here and tell me.’

‘Okay, man.’

Frost watched the black youth walk quickly and unsteadily towards the campfires. He watched him moving around. A girl went up to him, but Buck shoved her aside. He finally disappeared into the smoke and the gloom.

Suppose this black youth got some of his friends and tried to jump him, Frost thought. He had shown Buck he had a wallet of money.

Crouching, he moved back until he reached the shelter of a long line of mango trees. He loosened his gun in its holster, then leaning against a tree trunk, sure he was hidden, but could still see the campfires, he waited.

It was a long wait, then just when he was deciding he wasn’t going to see Buck again, and as the hands of his watch moved to 23.15, he saw Buck coming at a jog-trot, and alone.

Buck paused by the shrub and looked wildly around. Frost could see sweat pouring down his black skin, lit by the moonlight.

‘Okay, Buck,’ he called softly. ‘I’m right over here.’

Buck shambled towards him and paused before him, panting.

‘You’re going to give me that bread, man?’ he gasped. ‘If I don’t get a fix soon, I’m going to blow my cork.’

‘Did you find her?’

‘Yeah, man, but she’s gone. She’s with Big Chet. He took her to his pad.’

‘Who’s Big Chet?’

‘Man, he’s mean. He runs this freak-out. He’s real mean!’

‘Where’s his pad, Buck?’

‘At the far end of the bay. He has a cabin. Give me that hundred, man!’

‘How do I know if you’re on the beam, Buck. Maybe it’s some other girl.’

‘I talked with my friends. Big Chet picked this babe off the highway. She calls herself Gina. She’s got red hair.’

This satisfied Frost.

‘How do I get to the pad, Buck?’

‘Right along the beach. It’s around half a mile. You can’t miss it.’

‘Can I get there by car?’

‘Sure... take the next turning off the highway: brings you right to it.’

Frost gave him the hundred dollar bill.

‘Thanks, man,’ Buck said, started away, then paused. ‘You watch it with Big Chet. Don’t tell him who told you,’ and he went off in a frantic, shambling run.

Frost hurried back to the Lamborghini. He drove to the highway and took the next turning down to the beach. He turned off the car’s headlights and the engine, and coasted down the narrow, sandy track until he was in sight of the sea again.

Leaving the car he walked the next hundred yards. To his left he could see the campfires. To his right, he saw a small wooden cabin, half hidden under the shade of palm trees. The dim Light of an oil lamp showed in a window.

Drawing his gun, he moved silently across the sand until he reached the cabin.

The only sound that came to him was distant guitar music, distant voices and the sea breaking on the beach.

Edging forward, he looked into the lighted room. What he saw there, made him stiffen.

Gina, naked, sat in a broken down armchair. Her hands rested on her knees. There were bloodstains on her hands and on her thighs. Her eyes were blank. She looked like a horrifying waxwork, but he could see by the uneven rise and fall of her breasts, she was alive.

Lit by the smoking oil lamp was the prone figure of a big man, sprawled in death at Gina’s feet. He was wearing a grimy sweatshirt and tattered jeans.

Growing out of his chest was the handle of a knife.