Ferrari's face and voice were so cold-blooded and casual that both Gollowitz
and Seigel exchanged uneasy glances.
'That's fine,' Gollowitz said. 'Then tonight for certain?'
'At ten. Weiner takes a tub at night. It's a habit.'
'But how will you get into the bathroom?' Seigel asked. 'I thought the place was sewn up tight.'
Ferrari shrugged.
'Getting into the bathroom won't be difficult. The window is small, but then so am I. The only snag was that before Weiner went into the bathroom it was searched. That was why I had to get O'Brien to co-operate. He will do the searching tonight.'
'Well, okay: I hand it to you,' Seigel said. 'You really think you'll succeed?'
'I've never failed.'
Gollowitz said huskily, 'And what about the girl? What are you going to do about her?'
'Don't let us be impatient. First things first,' Ferrari said. 'I shall have to make a very special plan for her. She'll be more closely guarded after Weiner's gone. It should be an interesting problem.' His sunken eyes studied Gollowitz. 'But she'll go too. I promise you that. It may take a little time: it will take a lot of thought, but she'll go.' He slid out of his chair. 'I think I'll take a nap. I don't expect I shall get much sleep tonight. You'll be here around half-past eleven? I shall then have news for you.'
Gollowitz nodded.
Ferrari walked to the door, opened it, turned to look first at Gollowitz and then at Seigel; then he went out closing the door behind him.
II
The night was hot and close, without a breath of air, and heavy', black clouds hung in the sky. All day there had been a brooding, still atmosphere that had been getting hotter and more electric as the hours passed.
Conrad stood on the stoop of the hunting lodge and stared up at the sky.
'I'll be glad when the storm breaks,' he said to Madge Fielding. 'This is making me feel like a wet rag.'
Madge, who had spent the entire day with Frances, had come out on the verandah for a change of air. In spite of the close atmosphere, it was at least a little cooler outside than in the lodge.
'I'm just off to check the guards,' Conrad said. 'Want to come?'
'I'll come,' Madge said. 'I don't think the storm will burst before we get back, do you?'
'I don't think so. There's no wind yet. Anyway, I'm going in the car as far as the road.'
As Madge got into the car, she said, 'You know I feel I've been here for months instead of a week. How long do you think we'll have to remain here?'
'I don't know. I wish I did. The D.A.'s coming down on Saturday. He's going to talk to Miss Coleman. It's up to him now. She's defeated me. If he can't persuade her to talk, we'll have to think what to do with her. We just can't keep her here much longer. But if she decides to talk, then we'll stay here until the trial: probably for three months.'
'What do you think of her, Paul?' Madge asked as Conrad drove down the mile-long drive.
'She's a nice girl,' Conrad said cautiously. 'What do you think?'
'I like her, and I feel sorry for her. I think she's in some kind of mess.'
'Has she said anything?'
'Oh, no. But I've watched her. She's having quite a time, trying to make up her mind about something. She broods an awful lot. I think she is wavering, Paul. A little more persuasion might bring her down on our side. She's very worried about Weiner. She keeps asking me if I think he's safe.'
'Oh, he's safe enough,' Conrad said impatiently. 'It'll be when I take him to the court-house that the trouble will start. They are certain to have a go at him
between here and the court-house. It's their only chance.'
He slowed down as the massive gates came into his headlights.
Five policemen, each armed with a riot gun, were standing by the gates. One of them came up to the car as Conrad pulled up.
'All okay?' he asked through the open window.
'Yes, sir. Nothing to report.'
'There's a storm coming up. Keep your eyes open tonight. Have you all got slickers?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Stay out here even if it rains stair-rods,' Conrad said. 'Two of you will be enough. The other three can keep under cover, but I want two of you out here all night.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Okay. I'm going down to the road-block now.'
The policeman saluted and walked over to open the gates.
