The White Witch of the South Seas gs-11

by Dennis Wheatley

  Gratefully, they accepted the offer of this most obliging man, and a few minutes later were on their way. It was a quarter to seven when they reached Nandi. An American jet liner had just come in from Honolulu, so the whole of the airport staff were fully occupied. James, still obsessed with the idea that Lacost would reach Olinda before they did and harm her in some way, could not conceal his impatience.

  To take his mind off his worry while they waited, Gregory gently baited him by speaking of the kindness of the Indian who had motored them to Nandi, and mentioned that the Hindu and Pakistani immigrants had brought great benefits to the islands.

  James rose to the bait and argued fiercely that they were usurers who swindled the natives out of their property, and were a menace to their simple but adequate standard of living.

  Gregory took up, the challenge and said that there were grasping men in every race. Here and there Indians might cheat the islanders, but the great majority were honest, industrious people, Rightly, he argued that the natives owed them a great deal. The better off among them could now buy radios, fridges and electric gadgets that made housework easier, and even the poorest could buy good cooking utensils and gay cotton clothes from the Indian shops. The Indians, too, provided culture for the new generation of islanders who were ready to receive it. He instanced the Art and Botanical Societies in which they played such active part, and Mr. Desai's splendidly stocked bookshop in Suva. Some of these things, he insisted, might be due originally to the white man's initiative, but they were supported and the increase in their activities made possible only by the capital contributed by the hard working Indians.

  The discussion served its purpose until an official was free to deal with Gregory's enquiry. He had hoped to secure a small charter plane which, as soon as it had been serviced, would fly them to Suva. But no such aircraft was available, and the public morning service did not leave until ten o'clock.

  Gregory could not feel that after his talk with Olinda they had any real cause for anxiety, so he was in favour of waiting for the flight. But James, having in mind the way in which Lacost had attempted to kill them both on Lake Atitlan, remained convinced that such an unscrupulous enemy might quite well take a time bomb with him when he went on the yacht to tell Olinda of her husband's death, and leave it behind to blow her to pieces.

  As a result of his agitated pressing, a hire car was produced which, it was thought, could take them to Suva sooner than if they went by the 'plane and then had to drive from the airport into the city.

  It was a little after eight o'clock when they set off, and Gregory had agreed to the plan because it seemed reasonable, to suppose that on an almost clear road the drive could be accomplished in about three hours, which meant that they should reach Suva harbour a little before the E.T.A. of Lacost's Pigalle.

  But neither he nor James had been aware of the condition of the road. They had assumed it to be similar to the good, smooth surface of that on which they had travelled from Lautoka to the airport. But it was nothing of the kind. For almost the whole way the surface was rutted, broken and, here and there, long stretches were pockmarked with dangerous potholes. Frequently the car bounced from side to side and, with only rare intervals, broken stones hit the bottom of it like an irregular fusillade of pistol shots.

  In vain James alternately pleaded with their driver and offered him rewards to go faster. The man, quite reasonably, objected to having his tyres cut up more severely than could be avoided or having to force the pace to an extent where his car would be shaken to nieces.

  Meantime, Gregory, jolted from side to side though he was, had an admirable opportunity to enjoy the tropical scenery as they followed the road, which for the greater part of the way was in sight of the sea, round the south of Viti Levu.

  For some distance along the coastal plain there were thousands of acres of sugar cane and fields in which cattle and goats were grazing, but no sheep; while inland jungle clad mountains, with many patches of bare rock showing, stood out against the sky. The villages became few and far between as they progressed into a country of rolling hills, not unlike Tuscany, then there came dense jungle again, with many mango, breadfruit and casuarina trees.

  Along the second half of the way there was again wild, mountainous jungle, with tree ferns, ginger plants and palms growing alongside the road. Then there came a long stretch of flat land once rubber plantations that had since been abandoned. It was followed by the great area in which Fiji 's dairy farming industry flourishes. Their driver told them that eight thousand cattle were milked there every day. They left it for more jungle covered mountain slopes, through which the road curved sharply and went up and down at steep gradients until they entered the huge semicircle of Suva Bay.

  It was another quarter of an hour before their car brought them round the greater part of the long curve to the outskirts of the town, and by the time they found the berth at which the Boa Viagem was tied up it was well after midday.

  Jumping out, James left Gregory to settle for the car and ran to the gangway leading up to the deck of the yacht. There he was halted by a sailor, which enabled Gregory to catch up with him. The man refused to let them pass until he had called an officer, so it was evident that Olinda was taking sound precautions. When they gave their names to the officer he said that the Senhora Maui de Carvalho, was expecting them, and led them to the saloon. Olinda was there, looking at a fashion magazine. As she saw them enter, she dropped the magazine and stood up, an expression of anxiety mingling with delight on her lovely face.

  Again Gregory registered the fact that, although not his type, she was a splendid specimen of young womanhood. She was a big girl, at least five foot eleven in height, with a generous bust and full hips, separated by a waist that could not be said to be narrow, but was small enough to accentuate the curves of her upper and lower body. Her black hair was parted in the centre, Madonna fashion; but fell to each side of her face and on to her broad shoulders in a glory of long curls. She had painted her Cupid's bow mouth a bright red. Her big black eyes, under tapering arched brows, lit up as their glance became riveted on James.

  Running forward, he clasped both her hands, raised them in turn rapidly to his lips and cried, `Did you think me dead? I had no way of getting in touch with you. Mr. Sallust and I have survived all sorts of dangers. But we're still alive. And… and… thank God you are. Oh, how wonderful it is to see you again.'

  `Yes,' she stammered. `Yes. For me too. But Valentim? Is… is it true that he is dead?'

  Smiling, James nodded. `Yes. He's dead. Lacost or one of the Colons killed him. We have not the least doubt about that. But it means that you are now in danger. I've been worried out of my wits about you. Oh, thank God, I've found you safe and well.

  'How… how did Valentim die?' she asked, a little breathlessly. James told her; and of how Gregory had made certain by partly disinterring the corpse, that the man on whom the coconut was said to have fallen was Valentim:

  She stared at Gregory with distended eyes. `You did that? You opened up a grave? And in the middle of the night! How did you dare?'

  He spread out his hands in the foreign gesture he sometimes used. 'Senhora, that sort of thing does not require anywhere near the courage that it does to grapple with an armed man. The dead cannot harm one. And while I have every reason to believe in the existence of evil occult forces, I do not believe that they can harm anyone who has faith in his ability to defy them.'

  Olinda shook her head. `All the same, I think you are very brave, and it makes me happy that James should have you for his friend. After what you tell me there can be no doubt that Valentim is no more. I married him when quite young, hypnotised a little, perhaps, by his vivid personality and the power he exercised through his great fortune. Later he resented it that I did not give him children, although, according to the doctors, that was no fault of mine. Then his constant infidelities sickened me, and I began to hate him. I cannot honestly say that I am sorry that he is dead, but I will have many
Masses said for his soul.'

  As she crossed herself, Gregory asked, `Has Lacost been here to see you? If he hasn't, he may arrive at any moment, and we must be prepared.'

  `He was here over an hour ago. Very tactfully and, apparently, with much sorrow, he told me about Valentim's death or, rather, about a falling coconut having killed him. To get rid of him quickly I pretended to faint, as you had told me to. Before he went off he left a message with Captain Amedo. It was to the effect that he had secured divers in the Yasawas and intended to leave shortly with them for Tujoa. He added that as soon as I had sufficiently recovered and the Boa Viagem was fit to put to sea he trusted that I would follow; as, now that my husband was dead, he naturally regarded me as his partner.'

  James let go a sigh of relief. `Then, if he's off back to Tujoa, you should be quite safe here.'

  `If he does go,' Gregory added. `But I wouldn't trust him.' Then, looking across at Olinda, he said, `There seems to be a question about the Boa Viagem's being fit to put to sea. What did he mean by that?

  'Oh, of course you wouldn't know,' Olinda replied quickly.

  `Soon after we arrived here from Tujoa something went wrong with the engines. I know little about such things, but it was thought that some discontented member of the crew had damaged them deliberately. That is why Valentim went to the Yasawas in Lacost's boat, and I stayed behind.'

  Gregory smiled. `I suspected something of the kind. Evidently Lacost managed to put one of his pals on board to do a job of sabotage, or bribed one of your crew to do it. All the same, I'm a little surprised that he managed to persuade your husband to go with him in the Pigalle. After all, the Colons could have collected the divers quite well without Senhor de Carvalho.'

  `That wasn't difficult. Valentim always enjoyed visiting the smaller groups of islands and he had never been to the Yasawas. There was also some talk of hula hula girls, and having left me here in Suva, he wouldn't even have had to invent excuses for going ashore without me.'

  `I see. I take it the engine has since been repaired, though?'

  `Not yet. We are still waiting for one small part that has to be flown down from San Francisco. It should be here in a day or two.' Moving over to a cocktail cabinet, Olinda added, `But both of you must be tired and thirsty. Let me mix you a drink.'

  While she was busy at the cabinet, James said, `You realise, of course, why Lacost murdered Valentim?'

  `I assume it was something to do with the licence to get up the gold,' she replied. `Holding it was Valentim's contribution to the partnership they entered into in Tujoa; the Colons were to do the actual work. After you escaped from Noumea I had no idea where you had got to, or whether you were alive or dead; so I could not let you know that they were making a deal, or do anything to stop them:

  `We guessed that was what had taken place. Anyhow, now Valentim is dead, you have become the licence holder. Unless Lacost is prepared to risk being arrested he must either come to some arrangement with you or bring about your death; so that the way is clear for him to secure a licence himself. That's why we were so anxious about you.'

  Her face lit by a lovely smile, she turned and handed him a frosted glass. 'Dear James. You must know that nothing would induce me to help him rob you of the treasure. It's yours by right, and since you say that the licence is now mine, I will happily make it over to you.'

  While James kissed her hands again and expressed his gratitude, Gregory took a long drink, then said

  `That's very generous of you, but it may not be possible. If your husband entered into a legal partnership with Lacost while they were in Tujoa, although you have become the licence holder, you will still be bound by the contract. And there is another thing. If de Carvalho took the licence with him to the outer isles Lacost will have got hold of it.'

  Olinda shook her head. `They would have needed a lawyer to draw up a proper deed of partnership, and no lawyer came on board either while we were at Tujoa or here; neither did Valentim go ashore to see one. As for the licence, since it was registered at Noumea in the name of de Carvalho, what good could the possession of it do Lacost?'

  `He might go to Noumea, show it to the authorities and say that he had bought it from your husband, then get them to cancel it and issue one to him.'

  `I think it very unlikely that Valentim did take the licence with him. After all, why should he? If he didn't, it will be in the safe. As my jewellery is kept in it, I know the combination, so we can soon find out.'

  The safe was cunningly concealed behind one of the mahogany panels that formed a front for the banquettes which ran along both sides of the saloon. Kneeling, Olinda removed the panel, twirled the knobs and opened the safe. In it, besides the cases holding her jewels, there were several folders. One of them was labelled Reina Maria Anialia Treasure. Pulling it out, she threw it up on to the table.

  Gregory swiftly shuffled through the papers it contained. `Here we are,' he said after a moment. `This is the licence all right: Then he handed the folder back to Olinda, who locked it up again in the safe.

  `Well,' she asked, `where do we go from here?'

  Gregory remained thoughtful for a moment, then he said, `We have to put ourselves in Lacost's shoes to make any likely guess at what he will do. It really depends on how much value he sets on obtaining a licence. James and I were prepared to go ahead without one, because the Maria Amalia having been sunk before Tujoa became a French possession, he could claim that he had inherited the right to the treasure trove as part of his ancestor's estate, and an international court might well have given a decision in his favour. But Lacost can claim no such right; so to make off with it would amount to an act equivalent to piracy, and for the rest of their lives he and his pals would be wanted criminals.

  `He left a message to the effect that he now regarded Olinda as his partner, and expected her to follow him as soon as she could to Tujoa. No doubt when he left the message he was hoping that she would do so; then, covered by her legal authority, he could have salvaged the gold and later devised some way of swindling her out of her share of it.

  `But he did not then know that James and I had reappeared on the scene. I don't suppose he does yet, but he will within a few hours because, to have sabotaged the engines of this yacht, he must have some contact with one of her crew; and the fact that we have turned up will alter his whole thinking.

  `He must know about James having attacked de Carvalho in Noumea and possibly knows, or anyhow may suspect, the real reason for that namely, that you two are in love. In any case, he will learn that the three of us are together in this yacht and on the most friendly terms. That will lead him to assume that, when Olinda arrives in Tujoa, James and I will be with her and that we will prevent him from getting the gold up under the legal cover of being her representative or, if having the lead on us he has already got some of it up, swindling her out of any part of it.'

  `You have raised a point there,' James put in. `He has got the start on us, and a good one. For one thing, he knows that this yacht is still out of action and may remain so for some days. For another, we have not yet secured any divers and can't procure them on Tujoa. If he sails at once and the weather proves favourable, he might scoop the pool and make off with it before we could get there.'

  `That would entail defying Elboeuf and becoming a fugitive from the French Government.'

  `If the haul is as large as we have reason to anticipate, he might think it worth it. To hunt for a handful of men among the innumerable islands of the South Pacific would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. If they lie up on one of the uninhabited ones that has water, and make do for a couple of years on wild pig, fruit and fish, it is very unlikely that they would be discovered; then they could separate and each unload his share of the spoil in a different country.'

  `That is possible, but I don't see men of their kind having the patience to wait two years for the sort of life they hope to lead on their ill gotten gains. It is a certainty they would quarrel. After a month or two some
of them would plot to murder those who were in favour of sticking it out, get a double share of the loot and gamble on being able to evade the police when they got back to civilisation. Lacost is clever enough to realise the danger of rushing his fences. He would be all for continuing to lie doggo, so it would be him and anyone who stood by him that the others would murder. He must realise the risk he would run of having a mutiny on his hands or being knifed on a dark night. That is why I think he may be prepared to go to any lengths to make his operation legal. And the only way he can do that is to put Olinda out of the way. With her death the licence would lapse. Neither James nor I can return to Noumea; so he'd have a free field, go there, get a licence, pay the tax on the treasure and sail off with it, having nothing to fear:

  James' face took on a worried frown. `Then you think Olinda is still in danger?'

  'It's quite possible that she is. Lacost may send the Pigalle off on a cruise, but remain on here himself hoping to find some way of having a crack at her. But if she stays aboard her yacht I don't think he will stand much chance of doing her any harm.'

  Olinda smiled. `If you will both remain as my guests I'm sure I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep.'

  `Thanks! Thanks!' James accepted eagerly. `I was going to ask if I might stay. Just… just in case…'

  Gregory, not relishing the idea of having to play gooseberry and conscious that his presence would put a damper on much of their enjoyment at being together again, replied

  `Thank you, Senhora, but I feel sure that James is capable of taking care of you, and there are certain things I want to do in Suva; so it would be more convenient for me to live ashore. I think I will go back to the Grand Pacific.'

  James and Olinda both refrained from pressing Gregory to alter his decision. Then James asked, not very enthusiastically, `How about the future? What ought our next move to be?'