“It's getting really hot down there in the field. Why don't you take a spell in control, Sally? I'm sure Winston won't mind working up a sweat with me in the open air.”
“Hey, man, no problem. Just like home, eh?”
“Such chivalry,” said Sally jokingly. “Thanks, Winston.”
“No sweat, Sally girl,” he laughed at his unintentional pun.
Joe and Winston made their way back to the search grid as Sally climbed into the van ready to handle the control. Graves appeared to be making a telephone call and called to the men, telling them he'd follow them in a few minutes. As soon as they were out of sight Graves made his move.
He unlocked the BMW and removed the Ruger from its customised hiding place under the driver's seat. Sally was seated in front of the control screen in the back of the van, but turned round when Graves's shadow blocked the flow of light into the vehicle's interior. Her face froze in terror as she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun for the first time in her young life.
“Not a word please, Miss Corbett, and please be so kind as to dispense with the earpiece and step down from the van,” Graves instructed her.
Sally did as he asked, and as her feet touched the ground Graves made her turn round and put her hands behind her back. These he swiftly secured with cable ties, and Sally was ushered to the BMW, where she was deposited in a lying down position on the back seat.
“What now, Mr. Graves?”
“What, no, why are you doing this to me? Or, `what's this all about?' I am disappointed, Miss Corbett. I thought you'd have made some pretence at playing the innocent. You are quite a little actress after all, aren't you?”
“You know what we were saying?”
“Just a simple little bug, my dear, nothing elaborate. It was easy to attach it under the wheel arch of your van. I must admit some of the things you've all said about me were a little unfair and unflattering. I'm not an absolute monster you know.”
“So why am I tied up and lying on the back seat of your car then, you bastard?”
“Oh dear, I'm sure there's no need for such language, Sally, my dear. I'm only doing my job you know.”
“Yes, and a bloody dirty job at that, Graves. Are you going to kill me now, or later, or what?”
“Oh, not yet, my dear, not yet. Your friends Joe and Winston still have a job to do, and they'll do it much better if they know your life depends on them doing it right and handing over the prize without giving me any trouble.”
“They won't do it, Graves. They know you plan to kill us all so why should they help you when they know you're going to kill me anyway?”
“Human nature, my dear Miss Corbett, that's why they'll do it. As long as they know you're alive and they think there's a chance that they can still beat me and rescue you, then they'll do exactly as I ask them to. Believe me, I've seen it all before, they'll co-operate alright. Now, I think that's quite enough chatter for now”
Sally gagged as Graves suddenly produced a roll of duct tape and drew a length of the shiny grey sticky material across her mouth, giving her no chance to communicate further with him. Fifteen minutes later she found herself shackled to the wall of a subterranean tunnel that appeared to be hundreds of years old. The iron shackles that held her in place against the wall were relatively new, but the tunnel itself smelled old and decayed, and Sally hoped that this cold dark tomb-like place wouldn't prove to be her last resting place.
“I'll be back later with something for you to drink, my dear. First I have a call to make, and then I must speak urgently to your dear Mr Cutler. Do make yourself comfortable while I'm gone.”
With those parting words, Graves spun on his heel and was gone, into the darkness which now enfolded Sally like a cloud. With the tape firmly in place over her mouth she couldn't scream or call for help. Sally Corbett cried into the darkness. She'd never felt so alone and afraid in her life. The stone floor was hard and uncomfortable and she hoped that Joe or Winston or anybody would come and rescue her from the nightmare.
Chapter 38
“Sally girl, where you gone?” Winston asked, speaking into his headset. “Sally, are you reading me?”
Joe Cutler came over to his side with a questioning look on his face.
“Something's wrong, boss, Sally's not responding,” said Winston, worry lines etching his normally happy and cheerful countenance.
“Sally, this is Joe, please respond,” said Cutler, also trying to raise Sally on the mobile intercom.
“You're right, Winston. There's nothing wrong with our equipment, we tested it this morning. Where's Graves? I haven't seen him since we came back after tea.”
“Neither have I, boss. I got a real bad feeling `bout this.”
“Come on, Winston, fuck the search, we're heading back to the van.”
The two men made it back to the van in less than ten minutes. It was empty. There was no sign of a struggle. Whatever had happened to Sally had at least been free of violence, or so Cutler surmised. That didn't mean, however, that violence wasn't waiting just around the corner.
“Graves's car is gone, boss.”
“The bastard's taken Sally,” said Cutler, strong venom etched in his voice.
“If he's harmed her I'll fucking kill him myself,” Winston snarled.
“You'll have to take your place in the queue,” said Cutler, feeling helpless as he stood looking into the empty van.
The sun picked that moment to disappear behind a large bank of cumulus that drifted high above them and the greying effect of the sudden change in the colours of the land perfectly matched Joe and Winston's mood. Anger, fear and a rising tide of the need to do something, but not knowing what took hold of both men who would have done anything at that moment to take Sally's place wherever she was.
As the cloud bank continued to obscure the sun a sound reached their ears from a little way along the farm track and both men instantly recognised the shape and colour of Graves's BMW as it bumped its way towards them.
“I swear to you, boss, I'm gonna kill the bastard.”
“No you're not, Winston. In fact, you're not going to say or do anything, is that clear? I'm still in charge of this company, and I'll do the talking when he gets here, is that also clear?”
“Yeah, right, I suppose so,” said Winston, grudgingly. “But if he tries anything…”
“Winston!”
“Yeah, okay, boss, say and do nothing. Leave the talking to you. Don't worry, I've got the message.”
“I hope you have because if we're wrong, assuming of course that Graves has got her, then we might be putting her life in danger. Just remember that and hold on to your temper.”
“I said okay, boss.”
Graves pulled up a few yards from where the two men stood and stepped from his car as if he were doing no more than going for an afternoon stroll in the country. He nodded a greeting to Cutler.
“Mr. Cutler,” he said.
“Mr. Graves,” Joe replied, mimicking Graves's nonchalant manner, hoping to sound as equally disinterested as the historian/hitman.
“I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that Miss Corbett has become my unwilling guest for a while whilst you've been hard at work. I must say she's been most co-operative so far. I just hope that you and Mr. Fortune here will be equally as accommodating.”
Winston Fortune almost made a forward move as though to lunge at Graves, but Cutler caught the movement from the corner of his eye and quickly laid his hand on Winston's arm, holding him back. “No, Winston.”
“I'm sorry, boss,” Winston apologised.
“I hope your boss here has explained to you that any pre-emptive action against me could prove disastrous for your friend Sally, Mr. Fortune. After all, apart from anything else, you have no idea where she is, and unless I return to tend to her needs in a short time, she will start to become very uncomfortable, if you know what I mean.”
Winston merely growled in reply.
“What do you want from us,
Graves? We're already carrying out your search for you, what more can we do? Why snatch Sally?”
“Shall we say for insurance purposes, Mr. Cutler? Yes, I think that's a good way of putting it. You see, I'm well aware that you know you're not here to find Excalibur. That was of course just a blind, a ruse to get you here and have you carry out the search for what we're really looking for.”
“You mean the Livara's cargo,” said Winston in an attempt to rattle Graves.
“Oh yes, you think you're very clever don't you, Mr. Fortune? Thanks to the little bug I placed in your van I've been aware that you made some connection with the Livara some time ago, but I think you're bluffing. You still have no real idea what you're here to find, have you?”
“Whether we do or not, it doesn't explain why you've taken Sally,” said Cutler.
“Let's just say that you and your little team have come a bit too close to discovering the truth about your job here. I can't take the chance that you might do that and then go running to the police.”
“We didn't go to the police when we found Hogan's body, did we, why should we go to them now?”
Cutler's mention of Hogan's name at last brought a response from Graves, who appeared visibly shaken for a moment.
“You seem to have found out more than I was aware of, Mr. Cutler. I congratulate you. It will not, however, serve to do you any good. You have a few clues, and have gleaned certain facts concerning the case without being able to join them together into a coherent pattern. I say again, you have no idea why you are here.”
“Then tell us you bastard. At least let us know what this is all about.”
“Perhaps in good time, Mr. Cutler. For now, you and Mr. Fortune will do exactly as I say, and continue searching for the item in question. When it's found and in my safe keeping, Miss Corbett will be released from her place of captivity and you will all be allowed to leave.”
“Yeah, like we should believe you, man. You're going to kill us all once you've got your hands on whatever it is you're after. Why don't you admit it?” Winston was getting angrier by the minute despite the threat of violence that now simply emanated from Graves as he stood facing them, legs apart, his body language that of a man in total command of a situation. As if to reinforce that control Graves reached his right hand into the inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew the Ruger, which he now pointed at the two men in front of him.
“For now, Mr. Fortune, I can only suggest that you take me at my word if you want to see Miss Corbett again. The future is another matter, and we shall discuss it when the time is right. Now, do we have a deal?”
“We don't have much choice do we, Graves? But I'm warning you now, if anything happens to young Sally there'll be hell to pay, and that's a promise.”
“Fine words, Mr. Cutler, fine words, but I think you'll agree that you're in no position to make threats. Now listen to me. We've almost mapped out and searched the whole area where we expected to find the item. There are only two sectors left, one of which should yield what we're looking for. The map left by those who buried the item was so obscure and indistinct that we've had great difficulty making any sense of it at all, but at least we knew where to search within a couple of square miles. Believe me, I can smell success, if not tomorrow, then the next day. You may take the rest of the afternoon off to prepare yourselves for an early start in the morning and to allow you to fully assimilate all that's happened today. Do not try to double-cross me or call the authorities or Miss Corbett is likely to meet with an unfortunate end. Oh yes, please give my regards and professional compliments to Professor Doberman, won't you? I understand he's the source of most of your more accurate suppositions and surmises. I'm afraid even he can't help you now, Mr. Cutler. I have the upper hand in our little duel of wits, and I intend it to stay that way.”
Joe and Winston were left standing in the field as Graves simply turned away from them, got into his car and drove away, leaving them looking at each other as though stunned.
“Bastard,” was all Winston could say.
“Fucking murderous shit,” Joe added as the gleaming BMW disappeared in the direction it had arrived from, dust from the track forming a cloud in its wake. In seconds Graves was gone from their sight. The two men climbed dejectedly into the van, Winston fired up the engine and they drove in silence back to Glastonbury, to the Rowan Tree and Professor Lucius Doberman. Joe was downcast and fearful for Sally, but he still believed that somehow the learned scholar could just be their last chance to solve the mystery and save Sally Corbett. Something in the way Graves had talked when he mentioned Doberman's name made Joe think that there was a bit of apprehension evident in Graves's manner. Maybe he'd imagined it, but he thought not, and if Graves did have an Achilles heel, then Joe could only pray that it went by the name of Lucius Doberman.
Chapter 39
Doberman was stunned by the news of Sally's abduction. Far from displaying signs of being an `Achilles heel' where Graves was concerned, he appeared to display an air of defeatism and regret.
“I shouldn't have come here,” he said disconsolately as the three men sat on the bed in Cutler's room. Privacy had now become their watchword, no drinks in the bar while Sally was in danger. “If I hadn't encouraged you to continue with this foolhardy search, made you go to the police instead, maybe Sally wouldn't be in this predicament.”
“Oh come on, Lucius, it's not your fault,” Cutler said, soothingly. “You know why we didn't go to the police and you agreed with our reasoning. We had nothing, no evidence at all. You know as well as we do that the police can only act when a crime has been committed, not just when someone suspects one is going to take place, especially when they don't know what that crime might be.”
“Even so, dear boy, I do feel partly responsible for Sally's plight.”
“Listen to me, Professor,” Winston spoke sternly but with respect towards Doberman. “If it weren't for you, man, we wouldn't know half the things we know now. You've helped us more than you know and if we can get Sally out of the fix she's in and find whatever Graves is looking for then we'll have you to thank for pointing us in right direction.”
“I'll second that,” said Cutler. “Come on, chin up. Sally isn't dead yet, and I don't intend to let anything happen to her. She'll be safe as long as we let Graves think we're still doing what he wants. He's too clever to bump her off before we've found what he's looking for. We might insist on proof that she's alive, and as she's his big bargaining tool he won't want to lose her until we've found the prize he's after.”
Joe's confidence seemed to have an uplifting and motivational effect on Doberman who seemed to cheer up slightly after the reassurances from both Cutler and Fortune. The professor appeared to be deep in thought for a moment or two, and then he smiled at them. After those few minutes of hesitancy and discouragement, it appeared the old Lucius was back.
“You must forgive my temporary display of weakness. I have allowed my concerns for Sally to deflect me from the reality of our situation. If we are to help the dear girl then I think the time has come for us take decisive action, gentlemen,” he pronounced gravely.
“What are you suggesting, Lucius?” asked Cutler, pleased that their new friend had recovered his intellectual composure. A clear thinking Lucius Doberman was far preferable to the muddle-headed unconfident man who had sat wringing his hands a short time ago.
“What I'm suggesting is that we go to the authorities and bring them up to date with the happenings here in Glastonbury.”
“But Graves said Sally would be in danger if we did that,” said Winston, horrified that Doberman could suggest such a thing.
Cutler said nothing. He wanted to hear the rest of Doberman's proposal. Joe knew that the professor always had a reason for what he said or did and was prepared to hear him out before pronouncing judgment on his plan.
“Listen, Winston,” Doberman went on. “Sally is already in danger. That fact is inescapable. Also, as Joe said, Graves won't do anything to har
m her as long as he needs you two to do his dirty work. He's no idea yet how long it will take you to find what he's looking for and you will certainly want assurances that Sally is alive and well during that time. He's ruthless, I agree, but he's no fool. To do anything to Sally at this point would be counter-productive to his aims. Wouldn't you agree?”
Winston had to concede that the professor was right. Graves couldn't harm Sally without harming himself and his cause. Only a fool would dispose of their strongest bargaining tool, and that was exactly what poor Sally was at this moment.
“But if Graves sees the police crawling all over the place…”
“He won't, Winston, trust me. I'm not without influence you know, nor is Sir Marcus. I'm sure that between us we can convince the chief constable to allow a discreet police operation to be conducted without Graves or Capshaw becoming suspicious or knowing that we've talked to the authorities at all.”
“And in the meantime?” asked Joe.
“In the meantime, you and Winston continue to play the parts of Sally's loyal and worried friends. You go on with the search and leave any liaison with the police to Marcus and me. That way there'll be no way that Graves can discover that you're in contact with them, which technically of course, you won't be.”
“But won't they want to speak to us?” asked Winston.
“Don't worry about that. As I said the chief constable will be approached, apprised of the facts, and it will also be made clear to him that Sally's life could be in danger if you are known to have spoken to the police. I'm sure that Marcus and I can convince him that we are in command of sufficient facts to facilitate his beginning the investigation without direct contact with the two of you, for the time being at any rate.”
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