to you or to the police, Mr Micklem. There is no evidence to connect me to the organization I have built up nor can the money I have made from the organization be traced. The people I employ don't know me: the few who do can disappear and reappear at a moment's notice. Even if I admitted I was the Tortoise, there would be no evidence that would convince a jury.' 'Most murderers are confident they can evade the police,' Don said.
'There's always the give-away, the false move or the squealer. You're just kidding yourself if you think you're going to get away with this for much longer.' Alsconi laughed: he sounded genuinely amused. 'My position of safety has had an interesting test this morning,' he said. 'I have been hopefully waiting for such a test for the past two years. Until one's plans and security measures are submitted to a worth-while test, there is always an element of doubt. This morning six police officers have been here, looking for you. You should be flattered. Rossi, who is the head of the Rome police and an extremely clever man, flew up here and conducted the search in person. He conducted it under considerable opposition from the Sienese authorities. I happen to be an important person in Siena. I am regarded by the authorities and the church not only as a benefactor, but also as a pillar of Society. When Rossi appeared at police headquarters with a search warrant, the authorities were horrified. The circumstances were, of course, fantastic. An Englishman in the lowly position of a chauffeur was complaining that I - one of the most influential as well as the most wealthy citizens of Siena - had kidnapped his master. Unbelievable and incredible. However, Rossi is a man who is not easily put off. He has been trying to break up my organization for the past three years. The arguments the authorities raised against disturbing me were brushed aside. He came here with three detectives from Rome and three from the Siena police.
Naturally I gave him every facility to satisfy himself that you were not hidden here.'
Alsconi thrust his fingers deep into the cat's fur, and the cat opened its eyes to look lazily up at him and it stretched, its paws opening and closing.
'I have spent a considerable sum of money constructing a system of underground rooms here, Mr Micklem, where people I don't wish to be seen, can shelter. The entrance to these rooms has been so cleverly made that the police failed to find it. I was, of course, in a stroiig position. Why should I be held responsible for an American who breaks into my garden like a common thief? I have hundreds of acres of garden. I suggested it was possible that this American had met with an accident and was concealed somewhere in the garden. A considerable time was spent searching the garden, but the American was not found. It was then that I lost patience. I had been sympathetic, I had been co-operative, I had permitted six heavy-footed policemen to tramp over the whole of my house. I had answered questions. But now I became angry. Who was this man who complained that his master had been kidnapped by me? I asked; could it be possible that he is a maniac? Or perhaps a practical joker? Did the police know for certain if this American really was missing? What was this nonsense about me being the Tortoise? What proof had the police to offer to support such a suspicion? I worked myself up into a royal rage - and the result? Rossi apologized.' Alsconi laughed. 'A fascinating morning; a morning I have to thank you for.'
Don concealed his dismay as best he could.
'It may have been fascinating to you,' he said, 'but how does it affect me? I must admit I should be depressed if I thought I was going to spend the rest of my days here.'
'You are at liberty to leave whenever you wish, subject to two conditions,'' Alsconi said. 'The first is you give me your word you will cease to bother me and you will tell no one what I have told you. You are a man of honour, and I am prepared to accept your word. The other condition is the payment of a ransom for your liberty. You are a rich man and I think it is only fair that you should pay for the trouble you have caused me. I think a contribution from you of five hundred thousand dollars would meet the case. I am in need of dollars at the moment. No doubt you could arrange to transfer that amount from your American bank to your Italian bank fairly quickly.'
'And if I don't agree to pay?' Don asked quietly.
'My dear Mr Micklem, other people have said that to me. I assure you it would not be difficult to persuade you to pay.
Don't imagine you will be submitted to any torture. I have no patience with that form of persuasion. There are more subtle methods of persuading a man to do what you wish without inflicting on him physical pain. You have met Dr Englemann?'
'I've met him,' Don said.
'Dr Englemann is a brain specialist. Unfortunately for him, his enthusiasm led him into a number of reckless experiments. The police are now looking for him to charge him with murder. He is happy to be under my protection. I am able to finance his experiments, and in return, he does me a number of favours. At the moment he is working on a theory that the mind can be influenced by a series of intricate nerve operations. For instance, if a man has weak powers of concentration, by an ingenious nerve graft these powers can be stimulated. Dr Englemann is only in the theory stage at the moment. He needs men and women to experiment on. Anyone who resists my wishes is handed over to him. Only a month ago I had an obstinate man who refused to pay his ransom. I would like you to see him. I must ask Englemann to show him to you. The operation the doctor attempted was ambitious and a complete failure, but the results interested me. The patient lost the use of his arms, he is unable to talk fluently and his memory appears to be impaired. He is altogether rather a miserable creature, although the doctor finds him still useful for further experiments. So you see, Mr Micklem, it might be disastrous for you if you also tried to resist my wishes. Dr Englemann is very anxious to see if he can rejuvenate the optic nerves. If you refuse to pay your ransom I will offer you to him as a guinea pig. think it is only fair to tell you that although Englemann's theories are brilliant, he has to nerve himself to perform any operation. He is, I am afraid,-inclined to drink far too heavily, and his hand is not as steady as it should be. I feel fairly certain this is the reason why he has had so many failures.
It is possible that if you have the operation you might easily become blind and very possibly paralysed.'
Don stared at the fat, smiling face. His own face had lost some of its colour, and his eyes showed the anger that made him want to jump up and get his hands on Alsconi's fat throat.
'You have the advantage now,' he said, 'but you may not continue to have it. You're not fit to live, Alsconi. If I get the chance I shall kill you. Remember that: you won't have a second warning.'
Alsconi chuckled.
'So many people have threatened my life that it ceases to mean anything,' he said. He touched a bell on the table beside him and Carlos came into the room. 'I shall give you an hour to decide what you will do. If you agree to pay, you will write a letter to your New York bank, authorizing them to pay the money to your bank in Rome. When the money arrives, you will write a cheque for the amount and a covering letter to the bank, stating the bearer of the cheque has your authority to collect the money in bonds. When the bonds are in my hands, you will be immediately released.' ¦
'And how do I know that?' Don asked.
'You have my word: a gentleman's agreement. After all, I am prepared to accept your word to say nothing about what has passed between us. You must be prepared to accept mine.' He waved his hand. 'Take Mr Micklem back to his room, Carlos.'
