Show CARIBBEAN conspiracy w DR brienda ENDA CONRAD THE STORT BO 80 iran fahl anne anna heywood Oey wood beanum daughter ol at a weal wealthy 1 new ion ork newspaper new paper publisher lihr goal to aner r 10 RICO on OD an n assignment for her father fathers paper also alio on the liland island are pete allcox acox a reporter on ner her matheri tat fat heri herPs paper a now ow au U 8 arm army telli gence rg valera a pus to rican educated who in the be united states state who Is I 1 a secret 0 8 5 agent richard gp an engineer whose 1 identity as ai a german agent li 12 but not yet proved and ruiell porter a young american engi neer leer and d hi ids wife sue who has bai given mr taussig some lome valuable plans to look 1001 at ai I 1 proof of 0 resells Rai Ru seUi sells ability anne has hai cc concealed her of taussig waiting twill she Is I 1 sure lure S CHAPTER XVI pete came into the lobby of the granada Is miss heywood nt he asked the clerk nodded behind him ashes on the terrace sir air thanks pe pete I 1 e lit a cigarette and took a deep breath she could get as mad as a hornet this time but sh ewas going home and no monkey bustness business about it held hed come from colonel fletcherr fletchers Flet cherB chers office boffice and he knew enough now to be plenty bard about it he H went up the palm lined incline to the terrace stepped out into the arcade and stopped he stood there stupidly his mouth open a sharp sick ache tearing his insides to shreds she was there and so 80 was miguel valera but neither of them was aware that he was it seemed like hours bea before ore b be could wrench himself loose from th the tiled floor flo orand and get away festag he staggered a little as he be went too blind to see where he was going anne anna ca closed 0 sed the door of her room room and nd stood flood tor for a moment in the dark ark leaning h her er head back against the frame h her er eyes closed she was happier than the she had ever been or ever known she could be she went along the narrow passage into her room and stopped looking at the waste basket maybe she had bad bet ter read the girls note after all 0 not that it mattered because that was the past and pasts count it was just I 1 she stopped oi abruptly out in the hall ball was the sound of hurrying feet coming closer a quick frantic tattoo on the polished floor she put down the pen and turned around they were just outside in the next instant the door burst open and sue porter flashed it shut behind her ber again annell annel she cried she w was a 5 a as a white as death her cifes desperate with fear annet aanet give them back annel her voice broke into terrible sobs oh please annel anne went to her quickly give you what sue what is it what are you talking about bare f russells plans the specifications she tried to control herself 1 I gave them to mr taussig he said if he be could see them for half an hour he could decide if russell was the man for a big job they have just tor for half an hour he be said I 1 thought oh anne I 1 thought 1 I know what you thought anne as said id brutally go on but be bring brinig them back 1 I kept calling up but I 1 get him and just now he came over hebald he said they were gone out of his room he was terrible 1 he frightened me so I 1 knew what id done I 1 said steal them where are they and he said go ask your friend miss anne heywood ashes the thief ashes spied on me every everi turn of the road he hates you annel anne turned her head quickly her heart throbbing robbing ill suddenly iuda enly in her throat someone was in the hall on the other side of the door it was a sound of i cloth rubbing softly against the Ahe wood there was vs a knock on the door it came again insistent and yet somehow furtive as if whoever it was was looking up and down the hall to make sure no one else was coming sue raised alsed her body slowly from the bed the room was suddenly static with fear anne she whispered dont open the dohrl W I 1 mr richard taussig paced up and down between betwee tf the two beds like a caged tiger his face was mottled oyster gray the pupils of his bis eyes contracted to sharp points of obsidian both beds were disordered heaps he believe the fine blazed I 1 d linen charts held hed laid care 41 billy between tho the matt mattress and the springs w were re gone goine and he be knew before he ripped it up that he had not put win itin the other bed they were gone the filmor the microphotograph hed taken of them was safely in the minute camera iq in the armpit I 1 pocket of his enli dinn dinner i er jacket jacked but that was unimportant c compared oln pared with the disappearance of the original finesse mr taussig thought he looked around the room his 0 green guide lay on the llie tible table he went to the thedoor door and opened it quietly the sound of hysterical weeping came through the transom across the hall he slipped over listened looking up and down the hall ball to make sure no one came out anol and ahli hand to 6 knock knack there iva peg a sharp silence before he touched ed it to the polished wood panel anne heywood opened the door she was aware of sue porter tense and motionless waiting behind her good evening miss heywood mr taussig said pleasantly 1 I wonder it if allow me to come in for a moment anne hesitated her hand band on the doorknob 1 I think we three should have a conference he be said 1 I personally would like to lay my cards on the table face up he was suave and serious anne stepped aside come in mr taussig lg she said coolly sue moved back against the wr writing table her face was streaked with tears her eyes red and swollen 1 I think mrs porter has explained the situation mr taussig said its ICs absolutely necessary tor for you to return her husbands charts unless of course you are re purposely trying to ruin ill the two of them annes anne eyes dark amber and steady met his calmly he really believes I 1 have them she was thinking you do both of us an injustice miss heywood he said reproachfully what I 1 was was about to say gay is this it if you will return mrs porters property or rather the property of the united states government at once I 1 will give you a story I 1 have found out something thin g a bout about this island that even your your friend friend captain wilcox know you could blast the adminta I 1 I 1 A F A 11 44 fqy K J C 07 4 F vt A 1161 1 she crept to the end of the roof to the moon which would ue tie in beautifully with the policy of your fathers paper this must be important anne thought hes trying to bribe me with ith a special currency what Is the story mr taussig Taus r she he said coolly give mrs porter her property first arst id like the story first to see it if its worth it anne replied she looked at sue her eyes had widened with sudden hope As aa a matter of fact act mr taussig le I 1 cant feel that youre that anxious to save the porters frankly mr taussig smiled again by no means miss heywood it its a not the porters its myself I 1 assure you after I 1 have told a company of army officers that you suspect im a spy and they learn that youve found documents in my rooms room which should not I 1 admit frankly have been there it makes my position exceedingly exceed in gly awkward my profession Is 14 one that admit a shadow of misinterpretation what Is your profession mr taussig 11 1 I am a sanitary engineer miss misa heywood anne smiled of course I 1 knew that and when can I 1 have this L story tomorrow morning at six it if you will meet me downstairs mr taussig had not really believed fiomar ve it would be so BO simple 1 I keep the specifications as safe conduct until then sue porters porter eyes were burning green her cheeks hotly flushed that Is the understanding I 1 good night then mr taussig anne waited until he be closed the door she flashed across the room putting her hand over sues sue mouth nol she Bhe willip whispered ered not nol then she said aloud alourdas casually as she could force i herself to say it you can an hi have ve them by noon then sue you stay here tonight with me she ahe listened latently intently when taus tau sigs eggs door closed she dropped her hand come to in the bathroom she whispered look be quiet and lix U ten me I 1 got the charts but he be thinks I 1 have that in means an she he hesitated some one else els has and maybe we can save th the pieces for or you listen weve got to get hold of pete wilcox and gosh we cant phone he might hear us she looked at her watch it was after twelve sue stared at her dumbly now look anne anna said suddenly you put a chair under the door knob and go to bed im going out and find pete ill get back if I 1 can but it if I 1 cant ill go over to your house and stay until morning have you got a key and th the e nurses name if I 1 have to explain 11 marta maria sue answered weekly weakly she fished down in her pocket she held out the key what are you going to do anne 1 I dont quite know it all depends you just stay here and sit tight it if the phone rings say ive died or im taking a bath or something do you understand sue nodded and dont worry sweetie every work out anne went to the window overlooking the ocean and leaned out the wed tiled roof ot of the bar was five feet under her sill it sloped up gently and down again toward the sea wall B beyond e yond it was the sandy ocean beach she could get out all right getting back in was something else again stin still getting out was wa more important than getting in dont worry if I 1 dont come back she whispered just tay stay heri here tin till you bear from me she hung her bag over her shoulders slipped off her pumps fastened them inside her belt a and nd swung her feet over the ledge it if I 1 get arrested ill phone you i she gripped the sill and let herself down the stucco grating against her knees felt her feet bouc touch h the uneven wes tiles and let go the window she crept to 10 the end 0 of f the roof above the terrace her heart rose the trellis with the bougainvillea over it was near enough to for r her to catch hold of if U the terrace was empty she listened reached out caught it and swung herself across climbed down brushed herself off and slipped around to the sea wall around you youre re abeln being thersea a tool anne anne she thought she took her pumps off her belt put them on closed her eyes and jumped down do onto the cool firm sand to where the street came to a dead end in the ocean she hurried up under the palms to th the a broad avenue in front of the hotel and crossed the street meet to the taxi stand take me she stopped the driver was looking at her oddly as well he might she thought held hed look odder than that if she went to the bachelor officers quarters at fortress el morro to the she said it was hard bard to remember what a lady did or do in latin ca countries un the valeras would probably have very rigid ideas on the subject she got out for an instant she he hesitated sita ted and then hurried inside trial d and to the telephone her heart sank as she wondered what she could do if he was not no I 1 there she waited suddenly his voice came pe pete ethis this is anne im at the can you come quickly ill be outside an on the walk about halfway half way down ive got to see sea you petel pete are you there its anne pete is anything the matter please petel ive got to see youl it was give five minutes to six when anne came out of the dining room of the granada into the lobby at six mr taussig came down the stairs he had his bis green guide book and his bis brief case in his bis hand band good mor morning she said 1 I thought forgot ive been up an hour and had bad breakfast the a slight light frown on mr taussig Taus sigs lg face ace cleared splendid he glanced up at the clock where Is if mrs porter ashes asleep poor kid A car had come up the drive and stopped stepped under the portico she recognized diego Gon Gong garos aroa black limousine steady old girl she told herself sharply 11 what time will we be back do y you ou think id like to leave her a note better make it late and it if were back early it will be a pleasant surprise said mr taussig lg about five by five mr taussig expected confidently to be a substantial distance from the island of puerto rico in the long watches of the night he had bad come to one or two very definite conclusions chiefly concerned with his bis own future anne went to the desk dak shed better not write anything it might make him suspicious will you tell mrs porter who in my room that I 1 wont be back until late between live five and six she said to the night clerk she turned back to mr taussig with a smile she wont be so worried TO BE CONTINUED |