The Tightrope Men by Desmond Bagley

Author:Desmond Bagley [Bagley, Desmond]
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780060807313
Publisher: Harpercollins
Published: 1984-11-15T16:56:40+00:00

'But it gave me a shudder at the time,' said Carey. 'Mrs Hansen, ring the hotel and find what's keeping Denison.'

Diana Hansen got up and crossed the room. She was about to pick up the telephone when it rang shrilly. She put it to her ear, then beckoned to Carey. 'For you -- it's Armstrong.'

Carey took the telephone. 'Ian, what's the hold-up?'

'I was in my room,' said Armstrong. 1 had my door open so I could see the door of Denison's room. About twenty minutes ago Miss Meyrick busted out of there fast so I went into the corridor to find what was happening. She grabbed me and said Denison had had some kind of attack. I went into the room and found him on the floor, out cold. He came round about five minutes ago.'

'Is he all right now?'

'He says he is.'

Then you'd better bring him along here,' said Carey. 'I'll have Harding have a look at him.'

There was a pause. 'Miss Meyrick says she's coming, too.'

'Nothing doing,' said Carey. 'Ditch her.'

'I don't think you understand,' said Armstrong. 'When she spoke to me in the corridor she said Denison had had an attack -- not Meyrick.'

Carey's eyebrows crawled up his forehead. 'She knows?'

'Apparently so.'

'Bring her along and don't take your eyes off the pair of them. And be discreet.' He put down the telephone. The girl has caught on -- and your patient is coming home to roost, Harding. He's had another of his thingummy attacks.'

'A fugue,' said Harding. 'It must have .been the Meyrick girl.'

'She called him Denison,' said Carey flatly.

They waited for twenty minutes in silence. Carey produced his pipe and filled it, and then smoked jerkily. Harding stretched out his long legs and contemplated the tips of his shoes with an all -- consuming interest. His forehead was creased into a frown. Diana Hansen smoked cigarettes one after the other, stubbing each out half-way down its length. McCready paced back and forward, wearing a groove in the carpet.

There was a tap at the door and everyone jerked to attention. McCready opened it, letting in Lyn and Denison, with Armstrong close behind. Carey stared at Denison. 'Harding would like a word with you in the other room. Do you mind?'

'No,' said Denison quietly, and followed Harding.

When the door closed behind them Carey stood up and said to Lyn, 'Miss Meyrick, my name is Carey and I'm from the British Embassy here. This is Mr McCready.

Mrs Hansen you already know, and you've already met Mr Armstrong.'

Lyn Meyrick's face was pale but two pink spots deepened in her cheeks when she saw Diana Hansen. Then she flung out her arm at the door through which Denison had gone. 'Who is that man? And where is my father?'

'Please sit down,' said Carey, and nodded to McCready who brought up a chair.

'I don't understand,' said Lyn. 'He said his name was Denison and he told me an unbelievable story . . .'

'. . . which happens to be true,' said Carey. 'I wish it wasn't so.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.