wherewithal - and he was most delighted to leave London."
Hawkins slid his damask napkin out of its silver ring, snapped it to unfurl it, and draped it over his right knee. "Why use violence when a simple bribe will do?" he said to Frank. "Unfortunately, we were informed that you and your brother were above that sort of thing."
Rowland smiled. "That's why we resorted to scare tactics."
Frank took his seat. "Once this is all over, what do you intend to do?" he asked. "Shake hands all around and drive off into the sunset?"
Hawkins picked up a small silver bell and rang it once. "You have the foolish notion that we can't afford to leave any live witnesses behind to identify us. Is that it?"
"Seems obvious." Frank shrugged. "You've already done something to my brother."
"I most certainly have not," Hawkins told him haughtily. "Oh, we tried to spirit him off the train last night. But he eluded my man, apparently diving from the train on his own. I have no idea as to his present whereabouts."
"He also stole one of our cars," Rowland added. "Seems a resourceful young man."
Frank was relieved that Joe was alive and that he wasn't a prisoner someplace in the castle. That is, if Hawkins was telling the truth. "Okay, so what do you intend to do with us?" Frank asked.
"After Jillian has done her bit, you'll all be free to go," Hawkins assured him. "I take that back - actually, you'll be chained up in this frightful old castle. After we're safely out of the country, the authorities will be notified to come and claim you."
"But we can identify you, tell the police who stole the Talbot emeralds."
Hawkins laughed. "We're never returning to England, dear boy. You'd be surprised at how many countries are friendly to men of means. Warm countries where there's never a wisp of beastly fog or so much as a suggestion of a snowflake."
"You're giving up your show-business career, Hawkins?" asked Jed, who was sitting next to the young actress, holding her hand.
"You mean those wretched films I produced?" Hawkins laughed. "Let's face it, the emeralds will gross more than those movies."
An ancient servant came tottering into the dining room, carrying a large silver tureen of steaming soup. He began ladling it out into the soup plates, starting with Hawkins.
"People warned me," Jillian said to Jed, her eyes shining with tears. "But I kept on believing Mr. Hawkins was really making a big-budget film with me as the star. I studied Emily Cornwall's life, took photos wearing a black wig. I even made a sample videotape as Emily."
"She's quite a remarkable actress," Hawkins said as he tasted his soup. "If I planned to stay in the movie business, I truly believe I could make her into a major star."
"They're going to substitute me for Emily." Jillian lowered her head, not looking Jed in the eye. "I'm to go to the solicitors, pass myself off as her, and collect the jewels."
"That won't work," Jed objected. 'They won't turn the emeralds over to her."
Hawkins smiled. "Keep in mind, my boy, that no one has seen little Emily for years. She's been ill, living abroad as something of a hermit."
"What about fingerprints?" Jed objected.
"None exist. At least not anywhere her solicitors can get hold of them."
Jed said triumphantly, "Handwriting."
"They've made me practice her signature." Jillian rubbed her hand. "She broke some bones in an accident. If anyone asks about the writing, I'm supposed to use that as an excuse. Jed, once I realized what they really had in mind, I told them I wanted no part of it."
"That's why they kidnapped you, Jed," Frank broke in angrily. "For a little leverage."
Near the door, Limehouse cleared his throat, swinging his gun toward Jed. "Would be a shame if anything were to happen to him."
"It would certainly ruin a lot of careful planning," Hawkins said. "Machinery I put together after seeing Jillian in some dreadful play a few weeks ago - what was it?"
" 'Tis a Pity She Won't Be Woo'd," Frank said.
"Awful thing. But
Hawkins slid his damask napkin out of its silver ring, snapped it to unfurl it, and draped it over his right knee. "Why use violence when a simple bribe will do?" he said to Frank. "Unfortunately, we were informed that you and your brother were above that sort of thing."
Rowland smiled. "That's why we resorted to scare tactics."
Frank took his seat. "Once this is all over, what do you intend to do?" he asked. "Shake hands all around and drive off into the sunset?"
Hawkins picked up a small silver bell and rang it once. "You have the foolish notion that we can't afford to leave any live witnesses behind to identify us. Is that it?"
"Seems obvious." Frank shrugged. "You've already done something to my brother."
"I most certainly have not," Hawkins told him haughtily. "Oh, we tried to spirit him off the train last night. But he eluded my man, apparently diving from the train on his own. I have no idea as to his present whereabouts."
"He also stole one of our cars," Rowland added. "Seems a resourceful young man."
Frank was relieved that Joe was alive and that he wasn't a prisoner someplace in the castle. That is, if Hawkins was telling the truth. "Okay, so what do you intend to do with us?" Frank asked.
"After Jillian has done her bit, you'll all be free to go," Hawkins assured him. "I take that back - actually, you'll be chained up in this frightful old castle. After we're safely out of the country, the authorities will be notified to come and claim you."
"But we can identify you, tell the police who stole the Talbot emeralds."
Hawkins laughed. "We're never returning to England, dear boy. You'd be surprised at how many countries are friendly to men of means. Warm countries where there's never a wisp of beastly fog or so much as a suggestion of a snowflake."
"You're giving up your show-business career, Hawkins?" asked Jed, who was sitting next to the young actress, holding her hand.
"You mean those wretched films I produced?" Hawkins laughed. "Let's face it, the emeralds will gross more than those movies."
An ancient servant came tottering into the dining room, carrying a large silver tureen of steaming soup. He began ladling it out into the soup plates, starting with Hawkins.
"People warned me," Jillian said to Jed, her eyes shining with tears. "But I kept on believing Mr. Hawkins was really making a big-budget film with me as the star. I studied Emily Cornwall's life, took photos wearing a black wig. I even made a sample videotape as Emily."
"She's quite a remarkable actress," Hawkins said as he tasted his soup. "If I planned to stay in the movie business, I truly believe I could make her into a major star."
"They're going to substitute me for Emily." Jillian lowered her head, not looking Jed in the eye. "I'm to go to the solicitors, pass myself off as her, and collect the jewels."
"That won't work," Jed objected. 'They won't turn the emeralds over to her."
Hawkins smiled. "Keep in mind, my boy, that no one has seen little Emily for years. She's been ill, living abroad as something of a hermit."
"What about fingerprints?" Jed objected.
"None exist. At least not anywhere her solicitors can get hold of them."
Jed said triumphantly, "Handwriting."
"They've made me practice her signature." Jillian rubbed her hand. "She broke some bones in an accident. If anyone asks about the writing, I'm supposed to use that as an excuse. Jed, once I realized what they really had in mind, I told them I wanted no part of it."
"That's why they kidnapped you, Jed," Frank broke in angrily. "For a little leverage."
Near the door, Limehouse cleared his throat, swinging his gun toward Jed. "Would be a shame if anything were to happen to him."
"It would certainly ruin a lot of careful planning," Hawkins said. "Machinery I put together after seeing Jillian in some dreadful play a few weeks ago - what was it?"
" 'Tis a Pity She Won't Be Woo'd," Frank said.
"Awful thing. But
Similar Books
