'I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he thinks we are phonies.'
'So what do we do?'
As if in answer to this question, Garry saw Tak coming along the path towards them.
'Here he is now,' he said, getting to his feet.
'Please don't let me disturb you,' Tak said, approaching. There
was a thin smile on his lips and his glittering eyes moved from Garry to Gaye. 'Did you enjoy your lunch?'
'It was wonderful, thank you.' Gaye gave him her most charming smile. 'It really is lovely here.'
'Yes . . . it is very pleasant.' He paused, then went on, 'Miss Desmond, would you be interested to see Mr. Kahlenberg's museum?'
Although her heart skipped a beat, Gaye kept her face mildly interested.
'Has Mr. Kahlenberg a museum?'
'Mr. Kahlenberg is one of the most famous collectors in the world.'
'I knew that, but I didn't know he had a museum. I thought . . .'
'He has a museum, and he wondered if it would interest you to see it.'
'Very much. I would love to see it.'
'And you, Mr. Edwards?'
'Sure . . . thanks.' Garry kept his expression dead-pan, but like Gaye, he had been startled.
Gaye got to her feet. 'Is it far from here?'
Again Garry caught a jeering expression come into the dark eyes. It came and went so quickly unless he had been watching closely he wouldn't have seen it.
'You are standing on it,' Tak said.
'You mean it is underground?'
'That is correct.'
'May I bring my camera, Mr. Tak?'
He shook his head.
'I regret not.' He turned. 'Will you follow me, please?'
He entered the lounge and walked into the corridor.
Gaye and Garry exchanged swift glances as they followed him. They all got into the electric trolley and Tak drove down the long corridor, past the big lobby and front door of the house and on down the corridor.
'Here is where Mr. Kahlenberg has his quarters,' he explained as they drove past several doors. He stopped the trolley by what appeared to be a blank wall and got out. Watching him closely, Garry saw him put his fingers under the ledge of one of the big windows. The wall he was facing slid back to reveal double doors. As he approached these doors, they slid open.
'Mr. Kahlenberg is a cripple,' Tak explained, regarding Gaye. 'All doors in his quarters are electronically controlled. This is the elevator that takes us down to the museum.'
The three entered the green satin lined cage. There were four different coloured buttons on the control panel. Garry watched Tak press the green button and the elevator descended smoothly and silently. While it descended Tak pressed the red button, paused, then pressed the yellow button.
'What are all those buttons for, Mr. Tak?' Gaye asked innocently.
'The green button controls the elevator. The yellow button turns on the lights in the museum and the red button turns off the alarm,' Tak told her.
'Thank you . . . you're marvellously well equipped.'
The doors slid back and they entered a cool, vaulted chamber.
