Annie was involved?"
"No more evidence than we have against Cutter, but it all adds up. We attribute half or more of the jewelry jobs in this state to Cutter and his gang. We've caught people who work for him, but never Cutter or any of the higher-ups. We've never gotten enough evidence on Cutter that we thought would stick. Annie and Phil may have done us a favor in the long run, but neither may live to be thanked. I doubt if anyone lives to brag about double-crossing Cutter."
"We've got to get Annie out," said Joe, suddenly realizing that time might be running out for his friend.
"Come on." Frank returned to searching the rough concrete wall, starting to feel a sense of frustration knowing that they were near Cutter's hideout.
"Of course!" Frank said suddenly. "We should have been using our eyes instead of our sense of touch. Look here." He pointed to what might be mistaken as a grease spot on the gray wall.
Pressing on the spot started the sound of whirring, grinding, and purring. Slowly, large double doors, wide enough for a car to drive through, opened before them. The trio hopped inside and looked over the selection panel. "Any suggestions?" asked Frank.
"Start with One," Joe suggested. "We don't have to get off if it's wrong."
The elevator was painfully slow. Frank hoped some signal upstairs wasn't tipping off a guard that they were coming.
A ping sounded for Floor One, and the doors ground open to reveal another small parking garage. The black limousine sat directly in front of the elevator doors, ready to move out when needed.
Angrily, Joe punched Three. "It makes sense that Cutter would live on top."
But when the door opened on Floor Three, they saw immediately that this choice was wrong. Avocado green indoor-outdoor carpet led away from the elevator. Frank clearly remembered a plush, cream-colored pile — the luxurious surroundings that Daniel Cutter cultivated.
"I don't believe it." Joe pounded on the elevator wall as the doors slid closed, and Frank pushed the button labeled Two.
It was evidence of Cutter's faith in his ingenious hideaway that there was no guard in the hall on Floor Two. Frank, Joe, and Selden Brookshier moved silently into the hall, looked both ways, and headed down the hall to the right. A murmur of voices floated out the second door they came to. Frank motioned to Joe, who slid in front of the doorway. The threesome poised to listen.
"I knew you'd come to your senses, Annie." It was Cutter's voice, cold, sinister, mocking. "Too bad you held out for so long. Wouldn't it have been easier on you to have just led us to the diamonds without all this fuss?"
"You slime." Annie's voice was shaky, but angry still.
"Greedy people never win, Annie. Your share of the three million would have been generous, and with Phil out of the way, you could have had a percentage of his cut. You took care of him for us, so you earned it. He was scum. I usually don't hire such lowlifes, but I was careless this time.
"You're a strong and beautiful woman, Annie Shea. Not only could you have parlayed your cut into a bigger bankroll, but you could have kept working for us. The pay goes up with every successful job. Who knows, with your looks and polish, I might have taken a special interest in you."
"Over my dead body," Annie said with steel in her voice.
Cutter laughed. "Yes, you make it easy for me to believe that."
Frank kept one eye on Joe. He had been known to make some impulsive moves in the past, and Frank knew his emotions were involved here. Anger at Cutter and his men wouldn't help Joe think rationally.
Annie spoke again. "Phil Sidler reminded me of one thing, Cutter. No one in this world can be trusted. I'll take you to the diamonds. By now, I'd think you might have some qualms about trusting any of your hoodlums with three million dollars."
There was a moment of silence. "You may have a point there, young lady, but you realize I've created this sanctuary for one reason. The world was never
"No more evidence than we have against Cutter, but it all adds up. We attribute half or more of the jewelry jobs in this state to Cutter and his gang. We've caught people who work for him, but never Cutter or any of the higher-ups. We've never gotten enough evidence on Cutter that we thought would stick. Annie and Phil may have done us a favor in the long run, but neither may live to be thanked. I doubt if anyone lives to brag about double-crossing Cutter."
"We've got to get Annie out," said Joe, suddenly realizing that time might be running out for his friend.
"Come on." Frank returned to searching the rough concrete wall, starting to feel a sense of frustration knowing that they were near Cutter's hideout.
"Of course!" Frank said suddenly. "We should have been using our eyes instead of our sense of touch. Look here." He pointed to what might be mistaken as a grease spot on the gray wall.
Pressing on the spot started the sound of whirring, grinding, and purring. Slowly, large double doors, wide enough for a car to drive through, opened before them. The trio hopped inside and looked over the selection panel. "Any suggestions?" asked Frank.
"Start with One," Joe suggested. "We don't have to get off if it's wrong."
The elevator was painfully slow. Frank hoped some signal upstairs wasn't tipping off a guard that they were coming.
A ping sounded for Floor One, and the doors ground open to reveal another small parking garage. The black limousine sat directly in front of the elevator doors, ready to move out when needed.
Angrily, Joe punched Three. "It makes sense that Cutter would live on top."
But when the door opened on Floor Three, they saw immediately that this choice was wrong. Avocado green indoor-outdoor carpet led away from the elevator. Frank clearly remembered a plush, cream-colored pile — the luxurious surroundings that Daniel Cutter cultivated.
"I don't believe it." Joe pounded on the elevator wall as the doors slid closed, and Frank pushed the button labeled Two.
It was evidence of Cutter's faith in his ingenious hideaway that there was no guard in the hall on Floor Two. Frank, Joe, and Selden Brookshier moved silently into the hall, looked both ways, and headed down the hall to the right. A murmur of voices floated out the second door they came to. Frank motioned to Joe, who slid in front of the doorway. The threesome poised to listen.
"I knew you'd come to your senses, Annie." It was Cutter's voice, cold, sinister, mocking. "Too bad you held out for so long. Wouldn't it have been easier on you to have just led us to the diamonds without all this fuss?"
"You slime." Annie's voice was shaky, but angry still.
"Greedy people never win, Annie. Your share of the three million would have been generous, and with Phil out of the way, you could have had a percentage of his cut. You took care of him for us, so you earned it. He was scum. I usually don't hire such lowlifes, but I was careless this time.
"You're a strong and beautiful woman, Annie Shea. Not only could you have parlayed your cut into a bigger bankroll, but you could have kept working for us. The pay goes up with every successful job. Who knows, with your looks and polish, I might have taken a special interest in you."
"Over my dead body," Annie said with steel in her voice.
Cutter laughed. "Yes, you make it easy for me to believe that."
Frank kept one eye on Joe. He had been known to make some impulsive moves in the past, and Frank knew his emotions were involved here. Anger at Cutter and his men wouldn't help Joe think rationally.
Annie spoke again. "Phil Sidler reminded me of one thing, Cutter. No one in this world can be trusted. I'll take you to the diamonds. By now, I'd think you might have some qualms about trusting any of your hoodlums with three million dollars."
There was a moment of silence. "You may have a point there, young lady, but you realize I've created this sanctuary for one reason. The world was never
Similar Books
