Page 179 of Storm of Bells
‘Oh. And we were getting along so well!’
Karim tightened his grip. The poor cook’sface started to turn the colour of cherry and blueberry pie.
‘Now, now, Karim. Be gentle with our friend.You’d like us to be gentle, wouldn’t you?’
‘Grk! Flnk!’
‘Excellent! Now, why don’t you show me theway? Then we’ll…put you gently to sleep, and when you’re found,you’ll look like a brave defender of your lord’s home and hearth.How about that?’
The cook hesitated for a moment—then extendedhis arm, pointing at a door almost at the end of the corridor.
‘Your cooperation is appreciated. Karim?’
Letting go with one arm, Karim grabbed hissabre, raised it pommel-first, and brought the hard metal knob downon the cook’s head with a crack. The man slumped to the ground,unmoving.
I sent Karim a reproachful look. ‘I saidgently.’
His brow furrowed. ‘His head is stillattached, isn’t it?’
I decided that here and now was not the timeto explain semantics to a living mountain. Hurrying down thecorridor, I peeked through the door the cook had indicated. Andyes—it was a study. A sumptuous, luxurious one. As for whose itwas? Well, the ginormous portrait of Lord Daniel Eugene Dalglieshon the opposite wall could count as a hint, in my opinion.
Most important of all—there was a safe.
‘Quick!’ I waved at Karim. ‘Get him inhere!’
Grabbing the unconscious cook by one leg,Karim dragged him into the room. Kicking shut the door behind him,he tore a curtain off a nearby window, rolled the man up like abeef roulade and dumped him in a corner of the room. You had tolove how he always was so kind and courteous.
I marched straight over to the safe. Eyesnarrowed, I leaned forward to examine it, but…damn! The markings ofthe manufacturer didn’t match those on the key. But then again…asafe containing top secret, dangerous documents, just out in theopen?
Dalgliesh was many things, but stupid he wasnot. This had to be a decoy. And if there was a decoy, the realthing had to be somewhere.
‘Hm…’ Frowning, I looked around the room.‘Where could Lord Dalgliesh be hiding important documents?’
I glanced down at the carpet. Lord Dalglieshliked to trample on anything and everything, so…why not?
‘Help me, will you?’
Grabbing one corner of the Oriental carpet, Itugged. Karim followed suit, and soon we had rolled up the entirething. Karim knelt, starting to tap against the floor, checking forhollow spaces.
‘Nothing on my end,Sahiba. How aboutyou?’
I tapped my fists against the floor. ‘Nothinghere, either.’
We continued examining the floor. Then, Karimstarted rummaging through the various cabinets and snatchedanything remotely of interest, while I began to go throughDalgliesh’s desk. There was a locked drawer which momentarilypiqued my interest—but it was a simple lock that was as easy tobreak as it would have been to open with a key. Inside were only afew bills and notes and the report on the estate’s finances.
‘Bloody hell!’ I punched the desktop. ‘Therehas to be something here! Anything! I know Dalgliesh. He wouldn’ttrust his grandmother with his secrets. They have to be within hisreach.’ My eyes roamed around the room. ‘But where would a man likehim put them? Where—’
I froze, my eyes suddenly drawn to the bigportrait above the hearth.
No.
No, it couldn’t be this easy, could it? Noteven Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh could be so egocentric as to usethat old cliché of a hiding place, surely.
Oh yes, said a little voice at thevery back of my mind.He can.
Rushing forward, I grabbed the painting withboth hands and tugged. It swung to the side, revealing—
Nothing.
