The motor caught instantly. He started with a clash of gears. In the rear view mirror he saw George Ladd running toward him. Then he reached the street—and almost immediately was slowed by heavy traffic.
Groaning under his breath, he made the best time he could. Irene watched him silently for two blocks.
"Aren't you going to tell me what it is?" she asked abruptly.
"He's after me," Basil said. "We've got to get there before he can stop me. You can listen when I tell the Secret Service about it."
Ahead was a traffic jam. Basil turned into a side street where he made better time. It was taking him forever to get there. But finally his destination was just ahead. The office building where the S. S. had its local office.
There was a parking space. Basil swerved toward it and braked to a stop. He reached past Irene and opened her door.
"Get out and run for it," he said.
The screech of tires almost drowned his voice. He looked over his shoulder. A car had pulled up beside his in the street. He saw George Ladd behind the wheel, alone.
Frantically, Basil pushed Irene out and followed her, taking her hand as they ran toward the building entrance fifteen feet away.
"We've got to make it," he said. "We've got to...."