“Nothing down there,” Gus reported in disgust. “Nothing!”
“Then we’ve been tricked!” Aaron Dietz turned furiously upon his prisoner. “You’ll pay for this!”
“I thought the gold was here,” answered Grant Atherwald.
“Lock him up in the vault and start the water running,” advised Jake harshly. “It’s a good way to be rid of him.”
The suggestion appealed to Aaron Dietz. At a nod from him, Atherwald was seized and dragged down into the pool. He was shoved into the vault, but before the two men could lower the heavy cement block into place, a signal from Dietz arrested their action.
“Wait!”
In her anxiety over Grant Atherwald, Penny had moved closer to the pool. Without realizing that she was exposing herself, she stood so that her shadow fell clearly across the open space. Before she comprehended her danger, Dietz hurled himself upon her, seizing her roughly by the arms.
Penny struggled to free herself but could not. The man’s grip was like steel.
“So you were spying!” he exclaimed harshly.
“I—I was just watching,” Penny stammered. “Don’t you remember me? I am the girl who pulled you out of the river when your car went over the drawbridge.”