Fear is the Key by Alistair MacLean Page B

seventy thousand.I mean, if someone finds out Talbot is here, Iwon’t get the seventy thousand. All I’ll get, withmy record, is ten years for obstructing the courseof justice and giving aid and comfort to a wantedmurderer.’ He looked speculatively at Vyland andthe general and went on softly: ‘What guaranteehave I that no one in this house will talk?’
    â€˜No one will talk,’ Vyland said flatly.
    â€˜The chauffeur lives in the lodge, doesn’t he?’Jablonsky said obliquely.
    â€˜Yes, he does.’ Vyland spoke softly, thoughtfully.‘It might be a good idea to get rid of –’
    â€˜No!’ the girl interrupted violently. She’d jumpedto her feet, fists clenched by her sides.
    â€˜Under no circumstances,’ General Ruthven saidquietly. ‘Kennedy remains. We are too much inhis debt.’
    Vyland’s dark eyes narrowed for a moment andhe looked at the general. But it was the girl whoanswered the unspoken query.
    â€˜Simon won’t talk,’ she said tonelessly. Shemoved towards the door: ‘I’ll go to see him.’
    â€˜Simon, eh?’ Vyland scraped a thumb-nail againstthe corner of his moustache, and looked at herappraisingly. ‘Simon Kennedy, chauffeur andgeneral handyman.’
    She retraced a few steps, stopped in front ofVyland and looked at him steadily, tiredly. Youcould just see the fifteen generations stretchingback to the Mayflower and every one of the 285million bucks was showing. She said distinctly: ‘Ithink you are the most utterly hateful man I haveever known,’ and walked out, closing the doorbehind her.
    â€˜My daughter is overwrought,’ the general saidhastily. ‘She –’
    â€˜Forget it, General.’ Vyland’s voice was as urbaneas ever, but he looked a bit overwrought himself.‘Royale, you might show Jablonsky and Talbottheir quarters for tonight. East end of the newwing – the rooms are being fixed now.’
    Royale nodded, but Jablonsky held up his hand.‘This job Talbot is going to do for you – is it in thishouse?’
    General Ruthven glanced at Vyland, then shookhis head.
    â€˜Then where?’ Jablonsky demanded. ‘If this guyis taken out of here and anybody within a hundredmiles spots him, we’ve had it. Particularly, it wouldbe goodbye to my money. I think I’m entitled to alittle reassurance on this point, General.’
    Again the swift interchange of looks betweenthe general and Vyland, again the latter’s all butimperceptible nod.
    â€˜I think we can tell you that,’ the general said.
    â€˜The job’s on the X 13, my oil rig out in the gulf.’He smiled faintly. ‘Fifteen miles from here and wellout in the gulf. No passers-by to see him there, MrJablonsky.’
    Jablonsky nodded, as though for the momentsatisfied, and said no more. I stared at the ground.I didn’t dare to look up. Royale said softly: ‘Let’sbe on our way.’
    I finished my drink and got up. The heavylibrary door opened outwards into the passageand Royale, gun in hand, stood to one side tolet me pass through first. He should have knownbetter. Or maybe my limp deceived him. Peoplethought my limp slowed me up, but people werewrong.
    Valentino had disappeared. I went through thedoorway, slowed up and moved to one side roundthe edge of the door as if I were waiting forRoyale to catch up and show me where to go,then whirled round and smashed the sole of myright foot against the door with all the speed andpower I could muster.
    Royale got nailed neatly between door and jamb.Had it been his head that was caught it would havebeen curtains. As it was, it caught his shoulders buteven so it was enough to make him grunt in agonyand send the gun spinning out of his hand to falla couple of yards down the passage. I dived for it,I scooped it up by the barrel, swung round, stillcrouched, as I heard the quick step behind me.The butt of the automatic