The Cauldron (9 page)
Authors: Colin Forbes
'In what way?'
'He was deeply interested in the real cause of earthquakes, in whether they could be controlled. I found some of his ideas disturbing, but he is a maverick. Never communicates any findings to his fellow scientists. He has nothing to do with them.'
"That map tells you nothing else?'
'Well, it puzzles me. There's one line I do not understand, the one marked the San Moreno fault. Its route, along the Pacific coast, inland, and then back near the coast, is one I have never heard of. It worries me - I'm not sure why. Would you object to my making a photocopy of it?'
'No, so long as no one else sees it.'
'You did say it was confidential,' Weatherby reminded him, and grinned amiably.
'Go ahead. Then we must leave.'
'I understand. You're like a dragonfly, always dashing hither and thither. Excuse me...'
He was back in a few minutes, handed back the original to Tweed. Thanking him for his help, Tweed left the house, got behind the wheel of his Ford Sierra with Nield beside him and headed for Cornwall.
'Did that help?' Nield asked as they left the outskirts of London and Tweed pressed his foot down.
'I'm not sure. It echoed a mad theory I have at the back of my mind. Probably all wrong. Maybe we'll have better luck in Cornwall.'
'Maybe we'll have more excitement. Marler told me about their firefight at Mullion Towers. Let's hope things are hotting up.'
'Just so long as we don't run into a furnace.'
5
'It was a complete and total shambles.' Moloch told Brand as they sat in his office. 'From start to finish they outmanoeuvred you. Call yourself a security expert? You're a rank amateur.'
'They took us by surprise.' Brand mumbled.
'Which means their tactics were infinitely superior to yours. Did you put that paper I gave you through the shredder?'
'Yes.' lied Brand. 'I've reorganized all our defences...'
'We're not on the defensive now. We're going on the offensive against Tweed.'
'Great idea.'
'Shut up. I'll take over the planning now. You take the whole team, check every hotel in the area - Truro, Falmouth, Mylor. You're locating where Paula Grey is staying. Apart from Tweed, she's the only name we have in that top-flight outfit at the moment. The opposition has to have a base in the area - they wouldn't have driven all the way from London to launch their attack. What are you sitting there for? Get off your backside. Get moving.'
'We're on our way...'
'I also want powerboats sent out from the
Venetia
- to explore the rivers and creeks. You can take command of that part of the operation. Don't come back until you have found them.'
'On my way.' Brand said hastily as he reached the door. 'But that means there will be no guards here...'
'Moron! You don't expect them to return the same day, do you?'
'Good thinking...'
'Someone round here has to think. And don't overlook the small villages. Explore Mawnan Smith and Mawnan. There are some good hotels in that area.'
'Will do. And I could check whether Tweed is staying down here...'
'Idiot! Tweed will be in London, planning Lord knows what. He's the last man on earth you'd find down here. Now, for God's sake,
go
.'
Moloch waited until he had watched from his window a cavalcade of cars leave. The damaged gates had been removed and he made a mental note to check whether Brand had ordered new and stronger gates. He then sat down at his desk and from memory pressed the buttons of a number in California. It was 6 p.m. in England so it would be 10 a.m. in California. He was calling Black Ridge and asked to be put through to Ethan Benyon.
'Ethan? This is VB. How is the project going? When will you be ready?'
'It goes well,' answered an English voice, quiet and subdued. 'I should be ready in a few weeks. It will work.'
'Good. Try and speed everything up. Is the offshore drilling ship operation going well?'
'Ahead of schedule.'
'Have there been any suspicions voiced about it?'
'No, Mr Moloch. Everyone is convinced it's a research ship drilling for specimen cores off the seabed.'
'Good.' He paused. 'Ethan, you sound depressed.'
'It's Mother. She's just moved to a house near Big Sur on the coast. I have to visit her. She's making my life a misery. She even threatened to beat me.'
'I see. Ethan, don't let her take your mind off your work. I'll deal with the old horror...'
'Please, Mr Moloch, don't do that. She'll take it out on me something terrible.'
'No, she won't. I have an ace card I can play to make her behave like a civilized human being. Keep up the good work. And thank you for your dedication.'
'It's my life's work ...'
Moloch put down the phone. Standing up, he wandered round his office, hands clasped behind his back. He hated his stepmother. Lord knew why his father had ever married the creature. And she had driven him into an early grave.
His mouth was tight when he sat again behind his desk and called Mrs Benyon.
'Arabella?' he enquired. 'Vincent Bernard here.'
'What the hell do you want?' a raspy growling English voice demanded. 'And it's time I had more stock in AMBECO.'
'I've been talking to Ethan. You've been treating him very badly - even brutally. I won't have any more of that. Do you understand?'
'And what are you going to do about it?' she sneered.
'I can always take back the stock you already hold.'
'You friggin' well can't.'
'I suggest you study the attorney's agreement I had drawn up. It clearly states that at any time I can recall the stock and you have to return it.'
'You swine.'
'Compliments will get you nowhere. I'm ordering you to treat your son decently. You wouldn't like someone to put a bomb under your new house, I presume?'
'You wouldn't dare.'
Her voice became horrendous, but under the unbridled rage Moloch detected a note of fear. That was the only thing which made her control her evil temper. He put down the phone without replying. It worried him that Mrs Benyon was now so close to Black Ridge. He
didn't want to order the guards to refuse her admittance to his headquarters. If he did so she would spread the story and the locals in Carmel and Monterey might wonder what was really going on inside the place - the last thing he needed at this critical time.
Tweed had driven more than halfway to Cornwall when Nield insisted on doing his stint behind the wheel. In the front passenger seat Tweed promptly fell asleep. He had the knack of closing his eyes and immediately falling into a deep sleep. Much later Nield warned Tweed.
'We're nearly there.' he said as he nudged Tweed, who woke, instantly alert.
'Nearly where? Isn't this the road up to Nansidwell?'
'Yes. How do you know?'
'I was once down here on another problem. I toured the whole area, stayed at Nansidwell. Hadn't I better take the wheel, drop you off at the entrance to the Meudon, where Butler is staying? Monica booked you a room there.'
'I know. Good idea ...'
They changed places and Tweed drove along a country road which passed a long marshy area below them. Nield told Tweed what he had done earlier.
'I called Paula on the mobile phone, told her you would be arriving within fifteen minutes. Then I called Harry, warned him I was about to arrive.'
'You were careful what you said, I assume. No names.'
'Of course.'
Tweed disliked mobile phones. There has been too many instances of marauders listening in, recording conversations. He dropped off Nield with his case a short distance from Meudon. Butler had transport - he had hired a car and reported the fact earlier to Monica.
Tweed drove down the curving drive to Nansidwell, prepared to meet the proprietor, who knew him as Chief Claims Investigator of General & Cumbria Assurance. When he entered the lounge the first person he saw was Paula, who came up and hugged him because no one else was about.
'Trouble?' Tweed asked quietly as he registered in the open book on a desk.
'Someone interesting you should meet. But you must be tired after your long day.'
'Let's get on with it as soon as I've had a quick bath in my room.'
A pleasant man appeared, relieved him of his case and led him to his room. Paula tapped on his door as he finished dressing again after his bath. He let her in and she put down a tray of tea and scones. Tweed had changed from his London business suit into more casual wear.
"Thank you - this is most welcome,' he said as she poured a cup of tea. 'Driving down, the car was like a hothouse. Seems pretty warm here.'
'It's been torrid since we got here. I'm ready to take you to see this person if you really want to. I can warn them here we'll be a bit late for dinner.'
She was wearing a short black dress, a short jacket with a string of pearls and black suede pumps. He thought she looked very chic and said so.
'Who is this person?' he asked in a lowered voice.
'Maurice Prendergast. I met him when I was driving into Mawnan Smith. Nearly knocked down his wire-haired terrier, which appeared suddenly. I saved it with an emergency stop and apologized, and he was very grateful. So grateful he invited me to tea at his house. He'd left his car parked in the village.'
'What happened next?' Tweed enquired with an odd smile.
'He got in his car and led the way to his house overlooking a creek. Actually, it's a two-storey thatched cottage. He gave me tea, which he prepared himself.'
'No one else there? You took a chance.'
'I had my Browning in the special pocket inside my shoulder bag. And I'd already assessed him as a very nice man.'
'Some of the most famous murderers were nice-looking men,' Tweed chaffed her. 'Learn anything about him?'
'He said he'd had a good job in London - then he went on to say he got out of London before London got him. I told him I was with an insurance company and he smiled strangely. I still don't understand that particular reaction. I had the funny feeling I'd seen him somewhere before.'
'He'd seen
you
before.' Tweed told her at last.
Paula stared at him. Then she burst out laughing and playfully punched his arm.
'You devil. Letting me chatter on without saying anything. Who is he?'
'Maurice Prendergast, ex-Special Branch officer. You saw him a couple of years ago when I was driving with him by my side in London. You caught only a glimpse of me - I certainly didn't think you'd seen him. And I was driving fast. He's just one reason why I'm down here - to see him. He can tell me what's going on round here. A strange coincidence you two should meet.'
'Not really. He told me he took three long walks a day with his dog round this area. I think he's a very lonely man. His wife died about a year ago ...'
'I didn't realize that. Knowing him, he'll be pretty down.'
'He doesn't show it. He's very cheerful, jokey. Made only a brief reference to it and changed the subject.'
'Maurice would do that. He's good at bluffing, at concealing his feelings from the outside world. We'd better go and see him now.'
'I'll drive - it's a tricky route.' Paula suggested. 'We're going to a place called Forth Navas on the Helford River - but it looks like a creek higher up. Daphne du Maurier country - at least she lived there in her earliest days.'
'I'll drive, you navigate.' Tweed said firmly. 'I had a nap on the way down while Pete took the wheel. I'm fresh as the proverbial daisy. I wonder what Maurice will have to tell us c'
Leaving the hotel, they walked past Bob Newman, sitting in a chair in one of the lounges. Tweed strolled past him as though they'd never met before and Newman hardly glanced up from a magazine he was reading.
Paula guided Tweed into Mawnan Smith, where they turned left in a sharp fork past the Red Lion. Later they entered a narrow lane, the high banks of hedgerows on both sides barely giving room for the car and no room at all for two vehicles to pass each other. Tweed made his comment as they descended a steep hill.