The Six Messiahs - Mark Frost [38]
"Why don't we just give it to them?" said Hoffner.
"But we have no idea where it is...."
"It is in my cabin," said Doyle.
Astonished exclamations.
"Gentlemen, please," pleaded Doyle, shining the light over to Pinkus just as he whipped his head back around to face the wall. "There will be time for explanations when we are in different company, unless you'd prefer to read about them on the front page of a newspaper."
"I could not agree more," said Hoffner.
"Since they seem perfectly aware that the Book of Zohar was not in its crate in the hold, our stowaways presumed it was still in your cabin, Mr. Stern, where they originally tried to take it from Mr. Selig. Your cabin is where they plan to strike again now under this cover of darkness."
"But why now? Out here, in the middle of the ocean?" asked Stern.
"As opposed to a day away from shore, when their chances of escaping undetected would be that much greater?" said Doyle, about to elaborate.
"Because they've realized we know they're on board and they can't afford to wait any longer. Obviously," said Innes.
Jolly good, Innes, thought Doyle.
"How could they know this?" asked Hoffner.
"A breach in security," said Doyle. "On the bridge."
"Impossible."
"Not one of your men, Captain. One of theirs."
"In uniform?"
"You may regrettably discover that one of your officers has gone missing."
"Mein Gott, then we will scour the ship top to bottom, we will find these men...."
"We shall do even better than that, Captain, but we need to act without delay, we have less than thirty minutes." Doyle turned to the engineer. "Do you have any red phosphorus on board?"
The engineer turned to Hoffner, who translated the question.
"Yes, sir," answered the engineer.
"Good. Bring as much as you've got to us here at once."
The stout little engineer, whose incomplete command of English had left him utterly perplexed by these developments, felt enormous relief at having such a straightforward task to discharge. He saluted smartly and marched out of the cargo bay.
"Captain, can you secure us some firearms?"
"Of course; they are kept under lock and key on the bridge—"
"Without alerting any of your officers?"
Hoffner tugged down on the edge of his tunic and screwed up his Teutonic pride to its fullest measure.
"I believe I can manage this much."
"What are we going to do, Arthur?" asked Innes.
"Set a trap," said Doyle:
"Really? Tremendous! Can I help?" asked Ira Pinkus.
Doyle turned the light on him; Pinkus had crept within five feet of them, and had been huddling there for God knows how long.
"As a matter of fact, you can," said Doyle.
Twenty minutes later. Velvety moonlight through the porthole and unearthly quiet inside Stern's cabin.
The first sound: a pick sliding smoothly into the keyhole. Scratching as it worked its way through the pins, each one freezing until with a barely audible click the lock yielded, the handle turned. The door opened slowly, a fraction of an inch at a time, until it met resistance from the reattached chain. Wire cutters moved through the gap and gripped the chain; a steady increase of pressure until the pincers sliced through the last link. A gloved hand caught the strands of the chain before they could fall back to scrape against the metal door and laid them to rest.
Now the door swung open just wide enough to admit the first blackclad figure; black from head to toe, crepe-soled shoes, a mask taut over its head. The figure took stock of the room, looked at the stationary form lying in the lower bunk, then held the door for a second identically dressed figure to enter. It moved slowly and purposefully to the edge of the bunk; a thin sliver of steel in its hand gleamed in the moonlight pouring through the porthole.
Now, thought Doyle.
As the figure in black reached for the blanket, a ghastly cry came from the corridor outside; a miserable moan of torment, rising in pitch and volume.
Easy, don't overdo it.
Both men turned to the door;