5 Detective Novels Magazine Cover — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

38 you are not to be molested unless you try to leave. Then they’ll stop you and they won’t do it gently. If you attempt to tell my guests that you are a virtual prisoner here, they’ll laugh at you. Not one will believe a word of it. Try if you wish.” “Why waste my breath?” I said. “However, I might listen to reason if—” I meant to tell him I’d do anything if he’d let Cora go free but before I could get the words out, there was Cora in a low-cut evening gown coming our way. Her smile was sunny, but it was directed at Ward. She took no notice of me. ARD said, “Oh, thanks for being so prompt, Miss Kane. I sent for you because I want you to phone a message to Mr. Galey. Excuse me one moment, Mr. Craig.” Her glance met mine, didn’t linger, and she spoke a word of greeting for Senor somebody-or-other who went by. Then Ward ripped a page out of a small notebook and handed the paper to her. “Tell him what is written there and nothing else. Please take care of it at once.” She didn’t even glance at the paper as she moved toward a door at the end of the large room. Just before she entered the other room, she looked back and ges- tured. I was riding high again. What- ever had happened, she was still on my side, and an ally like her was invaluable. Ward said, “There are drinks—the sthampagne is especially fine. I’ll be back shortly to go on with our little talk but I have to see a client of the firm. Remem- ber, if you try to leave, you won’t suc- ceed.” I said nothing, but as soon as he was involved in conversation with a group of men, I drifted over to the bar and had a glass of his especially fine champagne. He hadn’t been kidding about that. I ° wandered about, moving closer to the room into which Cora had gone. I leaned against the door frame, holding the half finished glass of wine in my hand as if I did this every night in the week and was a bit bored by it all. I thumped the door with my elbow. When it opened, I twisted around and went in fast. Cora closed the door quick- ly and without a word came up to me and put her arms around my neck. FIVE DETECTIVE NOVELS MAGAZINE “I was right, darling,” she said. “They didn’t suspect me at all. I reported for work as usual this morning. How I wor- ried that you might still be in the office. That’s why I phoned you so early—to wake you up. You were fast asleep when. I left.” “’m getting old,” I said with a grin. “Usually, under those conditions, I don’t sleep.” | “Why did you come here?” she asked. i! almost fainted when I saw you walk in.” “Where could I be safer?” I asked. “Ward can’t touch me with all those peo- ple around. He says I'll never leave, but I think he’s wrong. Tell me, what was in that note?” She lifted it out from the low-cut gown. I’d have doubted she could have hidden an inch-square of tissue paper there, but she’d managed somehow. She gave me the notebook page. Ward had scribbled only a few words on it: Pass order to sail on schedule and get rid of superfluous cargo two hours from port. I said, ““Fine—just as I expected. Joan is aboard a ship which sails in an hour or so and she’s to be dumped overside where the ocean gets nice and deep.” I picked up the phone on the desk. There wasn’t the slightest buzz. I heard Cora gasp and turned slowly, the phone still at my ear. Ward had come in, still looking the host and wearing that same warm smile. “IT presume you showed Craig the or- der, Miss Kane. I thought you would but I had to be certain. Craig, only one tele- phone in this house is in operation, and the man near it will kill you if you try to use it.” “In front of all those people?” I scoffed. “You’d have a fine time explain- ing that away.” “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said. “I must have neglected to tell you—all my guests have left during the past ten minutes. My little dinner party was Just a prelude to. a big reception for a new ambassador, which is being held at one of the big hotels. As of this moment, only a few servants and a lot of my men are in the house.” I said, “He’s bluffing, Cora. Don’t pay any attention to him.” COmiclbooks @) (C(O)