seventy-five-foot safety line for you. You'll have to go on just a
single rope.'
She chewed her lower lip, nodded.
'As soon as you reach that ledge,' Graham said, 'look for a narrow,
horizontal masonry seam between blocks of granite. The narrower the
better. But don't waste too much time comparing cracks. Use the hammer
to pound in a piton.'
'This short rope you just hooked onto me: is that to be my safety line
when I get down there?'
'Yes. Unclip one end of it from your harness and snap the carabiner to
the piton. Make sure the sleeve is screwed over the gate.'
'Sleeve?'
He showed her what he meant. 'As soon as you've got the sleeve in
place, untie yourself from the main line so that I can reel it up and
use it.'
She gave him his gloves.
He put them on. 'One more thing. I'll be letting the rope out much
faster than I did the first time. Don't panic. just hold on, relax,
and keep your eyes open for the ledge coming up under you.'
'All right.'
'Any questions?'
'No.'
She sat on the edge of the setback, dangled her legs over the gulf.
He picked up the rope, flexed his cold hands several times to be certain
he had a firm grip. A meager trace of warmth had begun to seep into his
fingers. He spread his feet, took a deep breath, and said, 'Go!'
She slid off the ledge, into empty space.
Pain pulsated through his arms and shoulders as her full weight suddenly
dragged on him. Gritting his teeth, he payed out the rope as fast as he
dared.
in the thirty-eighth-floor corridor, Frank Bollinger had some difficulty
deciding which business lay directly under Harris's office. Finally, he
settled on two possibilities: Boswell Patent Brokerage and Dentonwick
Mail Order Sales.
Both doors were locked.
He pumped three bullets into the lock on the Dentonwick office.
Pushed open the door. Fired twice into the darkness. Leaped inside,
crouched, fumbled for the wall switch, turned on the overhead lights.
The first of the three rooms was deserted. He proceeded cautiously to
search the. other two.
The tension went out of the line.
Connie had reached the ledge five stories below.
Nevertheless, he kept his hands on the rope and was prepared to belay
her again if she slipped and fell before she had anchored her safety
tether.
He heard two muffled shots.
The fact that he could hear them at all above the bowling wind meant
that they were frighteningly close.
But what was Bollinger shooting at?
