But there was none .sx Only silence .sx I staggered to my feet , went over to the packing-cases , rummaged among them .sx They had been held together , bound , with galvanized wire .sx I began to twist and turn , feeling the wire heat up between my fingers , begin to burn my flesh , but I ignored it and kept twisting until a piece of about six inches in length came free .sx I limped back to the door , knelt again .sx The lock was massive but ancient and simple .sx There was no key in it .sx I could look straight through into the dimming light in the corridor .sx I probed with the wire , got to the tumbler and lifted .sx But the wire bent .sx I cursed , pulled it clear , straightened it , tried again , but again it bent .sx 'Here,' Seona's voice from behind me .sx She had a nail in her hand , a long nail , stronger than the wire .sx I snatched it from her , probed again , lifted and this time the tumbler rose a little way before it slipped back into place .sx I paused , wiped sweat from my brow and listened at the door .sx If the guard was still outside he must have heard the attempts at picking the lock .sx But all was still .sx With trembling fingers I thrust with the nail , the tumbler rose the whole way and the lock snapped open .sx My nerves were jangling .sx I stood for a second with my back against the door , breathing heavily , then I turned and slowly , stealthily I eased it open .sx It creaked .sx My heart missed a beat .sx I waited .sx Still no sound from outside .sx I opened the door wide .sx Carefully I looked out into the passageway .sx The chair was empty , cigarette-ends littered the floor beside it and in the gloomy light of evening I could look straight along to the hallway .sx It , too , was empty .sx I grasped Seona's arm , pulled her with me as I went silently along the passage keeping close to the wall .sx My groin was paining :sx it was swollen but somehow it didn't seem so bad now .sx We came to the hallway .sx Still the silence , an eerie silence .sx I didn't know what to make of it .sx 'Stay here,' I said to the girl , and then on my toes I went over to the main door , looked out into the courtyard .sx It was empty .sx The truck had gone .sx I beckoned .sx Seona came to join me .sx My lips were against her ear , her hair brushing my face .sx 'You know the road to the coast .sx You know of Farrel .sx Ask for him .sx Go to him or De Sotto .sx ' Her face turned .sx I looked into her eyes .sx 'And you ?sx ' 'I will follow,' , I said hastily .sx 'I have to find out if he is still here .sx I will not be far behind you .sx ' 'No,' she said , her voice little more than a whisper .sx 'We have come this far together .sx I will not leave you now .sx You may need my help .sx Besides , the little man has said that Jeronimo's men are between us and the coast .sx ' 'Do as you're told .sx ' My voice was harsh , impatient .sx 'No .sx We go together .sx ' There wasn't time to argue .sx I took her by the hand , went quickly over to the stairs , began to climb , placing my feet carefully on each step , keeping close in the deep shadow of the balustrade and at the top of the stairs I stopped , bent double and looked each way along the length of the landing , along the dim empty silence of it .sx On to the landing then , padding softly , making for the far end .sx Double doors stood open .sx I looked inside to a bare empty room .sx The evening breeze blew gently in through windows from which most of the glazing had gone .sx On to the next room .sx The doors were shut .sx Slowly I opened them a fraction , looked in .sx It showed signs of recent occupation .sx Papers scattered over the floor .sx Cigarette-ends too .sx A couple of what seemed to be pin-up pictures stuck to one wall .sx Then on to the next room , and the next , working my way along , seeing signs of some of them having been in use until at last I came to the room where I had met Jeronimo .sx I was more careful here .sx I used the keyhole first .sx But it too was deserted , most of the furniture covered by dust sheets , and I stood for a moment or so , frowning , puzzled , not knowing what to make of it .sx Next to it was a bedroom , fully furnished , a great canopied bed occupying most of it .sx The bed was still made up .sx I left it , went on and two doors farther on , and almost at the end of a landing , I turned a handle , went in to a horrible sickening stench .sx I staggered back .sx Behind me Seona retreated hurriedly .sx I went forward again into darkness .sx I still had the matches .sx I struck one and in the light from the tiny flame I saw shuttered windows , saw a low truckle-bed , a small table beside it , and on the bed a form , the form of someone covered by a blanket .sx On the table stood a small oil lamp .sx I held my breath , went over to it , raised the glass , lighted it and the room filled with a warm mellow light .sx Gingerly I raised the edge of the blanket .sx A dead face looked up at me , the eyes closed , dark-ringed , the face waxen and showing still the lines of pain and suffering .sx Hurriedly I ripped away the blanket from the body .sx It was naked , the body of a man , well built and young :sx one arm was still bandaged , an arm which was swollen to enormous proportions and stinking , gangrenous .sx His other arm lay across his chest , unnaturally , as if placed there deliberately , for a purpose .sx I bent closer , saw the pinprick of the hole made by a hypodermic syringe .sx Someone had been merciful .sx I threw the blanket back on him .sx His clothing lay piled over a chair , trousers , shoes , socks , underclothing , a shirt , but no jacket .sx I picked up the shirt .sx The right sleeve had been ripped open .sx It was heavily bloodstained .sx The right sleeve .sx I went cold .sx It had been that same sleeve of Baker's raincoat which had been torn , ripped open .sx But this wasn't Baker .sx Baker was on the short side , past middle age and sandy-haired , balding .sx The room seemed to whirl around me .sx I couldn't think .sx This was beyond me .sx I went back to the clothing , rummaged through the pockets of the trousers .sx They held nothing .sx I looked around for the jacket .sx There was no sign of it .sx I flung the clothing back on to the chair and as I did so I noticed the shoulder holster .sx It hung by the side of the chair , partly concealed from me .sx I picked it up , drew out the automatic .sx A P.38. A full clip in the butt , a spare clip attached to the holster .sx Quickly I slipped off my jacket , hung the holster from my shoulder and shrugged into the jacket again .sx Then I went over to the lamp , bent to blow it out .sx The sooner I made contact now with Farrel the better .sx From behind me in the doorway I heard the slither of footsteps .sx I had forgotten Seona .sx I turned to see what she was doing and I froze .sx Standing in the doorway , her nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell in the room , was the woman Jeronimo had called Elsa .sx Behind her , peering round her , were Ginetti and one of the boys , surprise on their faces , and in her hand pointing straight at me was a long-barrelled Luger .sx 9 .sx 'TAKE your hand away from the lamp .sx ' Her voice was high and thin and sharp .sx She stayed in the doorway , perhaps because of the stench from the body , perhaps because even though she had the gun in her hand she felt safer with distance between us .sx Ginetti was by her side and slightly behind her , her shoulder blocking him from the room while the boy peered in between them .sx Slowly I straightened , let my hands drop away from the lamp .sx 'Come away from it .sx ' I moved a couple of steps nearer her .sx 'That's enough .sx ' I stopped , tense , every muscle in my body taut , my mind reeling , trying to find a way to cope with the situation .sx 'How did you get out ?sx ' I didn't answer .sx My eyes were fixed on the pistol she held , on the finger which was crooked around the trigger and which showed white with the pressure she was exerting .sx I was close , very close to death .sx 'How did you get out ?sx ' Still I was silent .sx Her voice had risen still higher .sx She was nervous , uncertain , and I gauged the distance between us judging whether I could get to her before she could pull the trigger .sx But eight feet or more separated us :sx and Ginetti too had his pistol in his hand , as always held loosely by his side but nevertheless ready for action .sx Then the boy :sx it was obvious that he too would be armed .sx 'Answer me .sx ' The voice was a danger signal , a sign of nerves reaching a pitch when anything could happen .sx 'Through the door,' I mumbled , my mouth dry .sx 'How else ?sx ' She seemed to relax a little , but only a little .sx 'And the girl ?sx ' 'Gone,' I said .sx 'Christ !sx ' Ginetti's voice broke in .sx He looked frightened .sx 'Jeronimo's got to be told .sx And now .sx Don't play with him , Contessa .sx Shoot him .sx Get him out of the way .sx ' Nervously she licked her lips .sx 'Yes,' she said , and her voice was uncertain .sx But all the same she set herself more firmly on her feet and the barrel of the pistol quivered as an extra pressure was put on the trigger .sx And inside me my nerves seemed to shiver , to jar .sx Now .sx It was coming now .sx And I gathered myself to leap at her , to try and get the pistol before it went off .sx But nothing happened .sx It is no easy matter to kill in cold blood if you haven't the mentality for that sort of thing .sx Very few women have .sx Vicious though she looked the Contessa was no exception .sx 'Get out of my way .sx ' Ginetti's voice had risen .sx He seemed to be panicking a little , to be losing control .sx 'Move .sx Let me do it .sx ' He edged forward , began to shoulder her aside , to get freedom for the arm and the hand which held the pistol .sx The boy had closed in upon the two in front of him so that they were now grouped tightly together in the doorway .sx And then my heart lurched .sx A shadowy figure appeared behind them , a figure who could only be Seona , who moved up to them , into them .sx She must have jumped at them , her arms outstretched , and she caught the Contessa full in the back , sending her staggering in at me and barging Ginetti violently to one side as she did so .sx And at the same time I leaped to one side , the Luger going off almost in my face , the bullet missing me by inches as I swayed back at her and chopped in a blow with the edge of my palm alongside her jaw .sx Her head snapped violently around and sideways , her eyes rolled to show the whites as she slumped to the ground .sx And then Ginetti .sx He hadn't a chance .sx He was down on one knee and I was on to him before he had time to do anything .sx Again that chopping blow , a blow that could kill if aimed at the right spot , but this time on the wrist of the hand which held his pistol , and hard , really hard .sx I heard his gasp of pain , heard too the clatter of the gun hitting the floor as I brought my knee up violently into his face to send him flying backwards on to the landing .sx I staggered with the effort , then gathered myself ready to deal with the boy .sx He had slipped back .sx He had a shotgun , the shortened barrels swinging as he wrestled with Seona :sx a Seona whose teeth showed in a tigerish fury as she pushed and pulled , the knuckles of her hands white as she gripped on those barrels , fighting to keep them away from me .sx