“I’ve been there for hours,” she said in a strange voice that was hoarse and strained with fury. She stamped her feet to start circulation and flexed her arms slowly. Then she pulled my hat from her head, tossed it contemptuously out of the way and ran her brown hands through her tossed, yellow hair. “You are going to suffer for this,” she said. “How dare you force me into that closet, lock the door and leave me!” She took a tigerish step or two toward O’Leary, her nails gleaming suggestively.
“Not so fast, my lady,” interposed O’Brien, who had slipped silently through the window. Corole shifted her malignant gaze, regarded O’Brien for a moment, then slowly and malevolently swept the room.
“So you are here, too?” she said to me. “And Dr. Balman. And Jim. Quite a family party.”
“You are right,” agreed O’Leary smoothly. “Quite a family party. In fact, we need only one more to make our circle complete. Miss Keate, will you please summon Miss Day?”
My heart leaped again as I heard the name, and I heard Jim Gainsay mutter something that was quickly silenced. I opened the door and slid into the corridor; there was no need to call Maida, for there she was, standing opposite the dark door above which still gleamed that ominous red light. She was very white but said nothing as I beckoned her inside the room.
At our entrance O’Leary became active. He motioned to the available chairs.
“Sit down, Miss Day—Miss Keate. Dr. Balman, there is a place on the bed. We may as well make ourselves comfortable for I have a story to tell.”
I suppose my eyes went in some anxiety to the precious box in Jim Gainsay’s hand that was the cause of it all, for O’Leary smiled a bit grimly.
“Don’t be alarmed, Miss Keate. The radium is not in that box; I took it immediately to—a safe place. The box over there was only a bait.”
With a disgusted exclamation Jim Gainsay dropped the box and folded his arms. His eyes sought Maida’s but she did not return his gaze.