God!'
'What is it?' Paula asked.
Tweed had grasped something everyone else had over looked. His own remark about being lucky to be late triggered off the alarm bells inside his head.
'We were supposed to be the targets. I must phone Park Crescent instantly. This is a major emergency.'
'I'll call them immediately,' Butler said, ran into the hall and picked up the phone. He was dialling as Tweed hurried into the hall. 'Shouldn't be long now ...'
'Hurry!' Tweed urged him. 'Park Crescent could be in terrible danger...'
It took Butler several minutes - he had to dial again and Tweed stood close to him. Butler listened, nodded and handed the phone over.
'Pray God I'm in time,' Tweed said as he took the instrument.
3
Tweed and the others have driven down to a Tresillian Manor on Bodmin Moor,' Monica told Newman as she closed a file on her desk at Park Crescent.
Newman had just arrived in response to the urgent call from Monica waiting for him on his answerphone at his flat. He took off his favourite Gannex raincoat, hung it on the stand, settled in a chair facing her desk.
'Bodmin Moor? That's Cornwall. Who are the others and why has he gone down to that remote spot?'
'He took Butler, Nield and Cardon with him as guards...'
'A heavy delegation. As guards? That's unlike Tweed. Were they armed? What's going on?'
'Yes, they were armed.' Monica sounded disturbed. 'He was going to meet a Swiss banker, Julius Amberg, who flew in from Zurich.'
'Amberg. That nasty little berk, Joel Dyson, knows Amberg. A very odd coincidence. Has Tweed seen that film or listened to the tape?'
'No, they're still in the safe. He hadn't time. It was action stations from the moment he arrived and took the call from Amberg - begging him to hurry to Cornwall.'
'More and more mysterious. And why did you call me?'
Tweed wanted you to drive down there if you contacted me in time. I think it would be pointless your going now. The meeting at the manor was for lunch. It will all- be over—'
She broke off as the phone began ringing. Picking up the receiver she started to announce 'General & Cumbria Assur—'
'Monica, this is Tweed. You recognize my voice? Quick.'
'Yes, is something ...'
'Exit One! Exit One! Exit One! For Christ's sake
'Understood.'
Monica rammed down the receiver, took a key from a drawer, knocked over her chair in her haste. Inserting the key in a metal box attached to the wall, she pulled down a red lever, slammed the door shut. The moment the lever
was operated screaming alarm bells alerted every office in the building - including Tweed's.
'Emergency evacuation!' Newman shouted to make himself heard as he jumped up, grabbed his Gannex. Monica stuffed her Filofax in her handbag and Newman held the door open. Men and women were already moving down the staircase. There had been rehearsals: no one panicked. They kept moving.
In the entrance hall George, the guard, was slamming down a phone. He had a clipboard in front of him and ticked off people as they filed out through the front door. The bell in the hall was more subdued.
As Newman reached the entrance hall with Monica he glanced at Lisa, the fair-haired girl who operated the switchboard. He saw row upon row of red lights. Every phone was - had been - in use. Lisa snatched up her coat and handbag, as Newman asked the question.
'So many calls all at once?'
'Switchboard jammed,' Lisa replied quickly. 'Except for Tweed's line, which is separate.'
' I had a crazy call,' George commented, ticking off more names. 'Some nutcase said he was phoning from Berlin, had an urgent message. Been jabbering away for five minutes...'
Howard, the Director, appeared at the foot of the stairs. Immaculately dressed in a Chester Barrie business suit from Harrods, tall, plump-faced, he had thrown off his usual lordly manner. He stood by the desk next to George.
'Better leave,' said Newman as Monica vanished through the open doorway. 'It was Tweed himself who sounded the alarm from long
'What is it?' Paula asked.
Tweed had grasped something everyone else had over looked. His own remark about being lucky to be late triggered off the alarm bells inside his head.
'We were supposed to be the targets. I must phone Park Crescent instantly. This is a major emergency.'
'I'll call them immediately,' Butler said, ran into the hall and picked up the phone. He was dialling as Tweed hurried into the hall. 'Shouldn't be long now ...'
'Hurry!' Tweed urged him. 'Park Crescent could be in terrible danger...'
It took Butler several minutes - he had to dial again and Tweed stood close to him. Butler listened, nodded and handed the phone over.
'Pray God I'm in time,' Tweed said as he took the instrument.
3
Tweed and the others have driven down to a Tresillian Manor on Bodmin Moor,' Monica told Newman as she closed a file on her desk at Park Crescent.
Newman had just arrived in response to the urgent call from Monica waiting for him on his answerphone at his flat. He took off his favourite Gannex raincoat, hung it on the stand, settled in a chair facing her desk.
'Bodmin Moor? That's Cornwall. Who are the others and why has he gone down to that remote spot?'
'He took Butler, Nield and Cardon with him as guards...'
'A heavy delegation. As guards? That's unlike Tweed. Were they armed? What's going on?'
'Yes, they were armed.' Monica sounded disturbed. 'He was going to meet a Swiss banker, Julius Amberg, who flew in from Zurich.'
'Amberg. That nasty little berk, Joel Dyson, knows Amberg. A very odd coincidence. Has Tweed seen that film or listened to the tape?'
'No, they're still in the safe. He hadn't time. It was action stations from the moment he arrived and took the call from Amberg - begging him to hurry to Cornwall.'
'More and more mysterious. And why did you call me?'
Tweed wanted you to drive down there if you contacted me in time. I think it would be pointless your going now. The meeting at the manor was for lunch. It will all- be over—'
She broke off as the phone began ringing. Picking up the receiver she started to announce 'General & Cumbria Assur—'
'Monica, this is Tweed. You recognize my voice? Quick.'
'Yes, is something ...'
'Exit One! Exit One! Exit One! For Christ's sake
'Understood.'
Monica rammed down the receiver, took a key from a drawer, knocked over her chair in her haste. Inserting the key in a metal box attached to the wall, she pulled down a red lever, slammed the door shut. The moment the lever
was operated screaming alarm bells alerted every office in the building - including Tweed's.
'Emergency evacuation!' Newman shouted to make himself heard as he jumped up, grabbed his Gannex. Monica stuffed her Filofax in her handbag and Newman held the door open. Men and women were already moving down the staircase. There had been rehearsals: no one panicked. They kept moving.
In the entrance hall George, the guard, was slamming down a phone. He had a clipboard in front of him and ticked off people as they filed out through the front door. The bell in the hall was more subdued.
As Newman reached the entrance hall with Monica he glanced at Lisa, the fair-haired girl who operated the switchboard. He saw row upon row of red lights. Every phone was - had been - in use. Lisa snatched up her coat and handbag, as Newman asked the question.
'So many calls all at once?'
'Switchboard jammed,' Lisa replied quickly. 'Except for Tweed's line, which is separate.'
' I had a crazy call,' George commented, ticking off more names. 'Some nutcase said he was phoning from Berlin, had an urgent message. Been jabbering away for five minutes...'
Howard, the Director, appeared at the foot of the stairs. Immaculately dressed in a Chester Barrie business suit from Harrods, tall, plump-faced, he had thrown off his usual lordly manner. He stood by the desk next to George.
'Better leave,' said Newman as Monica vanished through the open doorway. 'It was Tweed himself who sounded the alarm from long
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