The Thousand Faces of Night - Jack Higgins [60]
Marlowe burrowed into the hay and froze for several moments, but the two men at the door didn't notice and after a while he moved beside the Jamaican and quickly sliced through his bonds. 'Whatever happens don't make a sound,' he mouthed.
As he crawled to Maria and started to free her, Mac said in a low voice, 'What do we do now?'
Marlowe didn't get a chance to reply. At that moment Harris turned and idly glanced across to the corner. His mouth dropped and for a moment he was speechless. He found his voice and grabbed at Faulkner's arm. 'He's in here,' he screamed. 'The bastard's tricked us.'
Faulkner swung round, the Luger in his right hand, and Marlowe turned and ran crouching for the pool. As the first shot thundered at him he flung himself head first into the pool and dived for the outlet. His hands clawed fiercely at the stones and then he was outside and surfacing.
There wasn't a moment to be lost and he released his grip on the wall and let himself drift out from under the wheel. The current swung in towards the bank, carrying him before it, and he clutched fiercely at a trailing branch from a tree and pulled himself out of the water.
Beside him a stone outbuilding leaned against the great bulk of the mill, and a few feet above it the lower windows gaped like sightless eyes. He jumped for the flat roof of the outbuilding, his fingers gripping the edge securely, and pulled himself up.
The sill of the first window was only three feet above the roof of the outbuilding and its glass was long since shattered. In a moment he was standing inside. He found himself in an empty, decaying room and he crossed quickly to a door and opened it. Outside there was a narrow corridor and another door hung crazily on one hinge in front of him. He could hear voices quite clearly and he tiptoed cautiously across the room towards the round window. He found himself looking down into the loft of the building he had just left so hurriedly.
Faulkner was standing near the fire, the Luger pointed threateningly at Maria and the Jamaican. Harris was cursing at the top of his voice. 'He's tricked us,' he raved. 'He'd no intention of bringing the money.'
'Shut your trap,' Faulkner said. 'And let me think this out.'
Harris turned and his eyes lighted on Maria. He pulled his flick-knife from his pocket and started towards her. 'I'll make the bastard sorry,' he said viciously. 'He won't recognize his girl-friend when I've finished with her.'
Mac jumped up and stood in front of Maria. 'You lay a finger on her and I'll kick your face in if it's the last thing I do on earth.'
Faulkner turned the gun menacingly towards Harris and said, 'Don't be stupid, you little fool. That won't get us anywhere now.'
Marlowe clambered through the round window and lowered himself gently on to the loft. The boards creaked a little and he crouched down and worked his way over to the edge on his hands and knees.
Harris and Faulkner were arguing furiously and then, as Marlowe looked desperately about him for a possible weapon, there was the sound of vehicles drawing up outside.
Faulkner ran quickly to the door and looked out. After a moment he turned, his face pale, and said tightly, 'It's the police. Superintendent Masters of all people.'
Masters's voice was raised outside. 'Marlowe, are you in there?'
Mac shouted at the top of his voice. 'Watch yourselves. There's a guy with a gun in here.'
There was a short silence and then Alpin's voice was heard. 'If you've got any sense you'll throw that gun down and come out.'
Faulkner started to laugh. He took out an elegant case and selected a cigarette and then lit it with a gold lighter. 'It's rather funny, really,' he said.
Harris cursed. 'You're off your rocker. We've got to get out of here.'
Faulkner shook his head gently. 'That's the trouble with your kind, Harris. You never know when it pays to give up. I do.'
Harris stared at him in amazement and said furiously, 'What do you mean,