Colin Forbes: The Power

Gaunt sat in one of the large leather armchairs on the elevated level facing the long bar. He was holding court, waving a large hand at his audience. Beside him sat Eve Amberg, wearing a white polo-necked sweater which did nothing to conceal her rounded breasts. She also wore a grey pleated skirt and grey pumps. A suede riding jacket was folded on the arm of her chair as she sipped her drink,

Facing her at a three-quarter angle to Paula was Jennie, listening while she fingered her pearls. A string of pearls? Why did they disturb Paula? The fourth member of the group, seated next to Jennie, was a surprise for Paula. Amberg sat very erect in his black business suit, his slick black hair gleaming. Didn't he ever wear anything else but black – and what was he doing in Padstow, Paula wondered.

'We had a whale of a trip down the Rhine in the Mayflower, Amberg,' Gaunt boomed. 'Kept going through the night. Advantage of being able to get by on four hours' sleep – I can. Eve took over the wheel when I needed a bit of kip. Make a good team, you and I, don't we, Eve?'

'Well, we got here in one piece,' she said unenthusiastically. 'Rounding Land's End in this gale wasn't frankly my idea of a whale of a time.'

'Nonsense! You revelled in every second of the voyage. Put a sparkle in your lovely eyes…'

'Isn't it illegal to sail on the Rhine at night?' asked Amberg.

Paula had the impression it was the first time the banker had spoken. He sat with his drink in front of him untouched.

'Oh, bureaucratic regulations,' Gaunt snorted contemptuously. 'Never get anywhere if you don't display initiative. Not in this world run by those fat-cat commissioners in Brussels.' He looked at the door. 'I say! Look who's turned up. Your favourite boy friend, Eve.'

'Why don't you shut your trap?' she snapped.

Newman waved briefly, took Paula to the bar, ordered Scotch for himself, a glass of white wine for Paula. He perched on a stool, whispered to her as she sat next to him.

'I've no idea what Tweed is up to. Best to wait until he arrives.'

'I can't fathom the relationship of those three,' she said quietly. 'I mean Gaunt, Eve and Jennie. Something very odd is going on …'

Tweed walked in when they were sipping their drinks. He ordered mineral water, stood by the bar. He gave them the order as he picked up his drink.

'Let's join them over there. A few questions I'd like to ask. Paula, you did park the Land-Rover by the harbour earlier?'

'Out of sight, round the corner. As you suggested.'

'So, we're all back where we started from,' Tweed greeted Gaunt's group amiably. He sat perched on the arm of Eve's armchair, staring diagonally across at the banker. 'Except for you, Amberg. What brings you to this remote part of the world?'

'I have come to see where Julius died. I felt it was the least I could do. Then I wish to collect his body so it can be returned to Switzerland for decent burial.'

'You did say Julius?'

There was a sound of breaking glass. Jennie had knocked over her wine. She glanced across at the banker, who was ashen-faced, then spoke in a strangely remote voice to the bartender who had rushed across with a cloth to mop up the spilt liquid.

'I'm so sorry. That really was frightfully careless of me. Do be careful not to hurt yourself – there are pieces of broken glass you can hardly see.'

'Which is why I brought over this wash-leather. If you would just sit back and relax. Bring you another glass on the house…'

Paula was studying Tweed, expecting him to show sympathy to Jennie who was embarrassed by the accident. Instead, he sat very still, looking at each person seated round the table, as though assessing them one by one. Paula was conscious of a sudden change in the hitherto peaceful atmosphere. Now she sensed it was fraught with tension. If only she could identify the source. Tweed waited until the waiter had finished cleaning up, had brought a fresh glass and placed it in front of Jennie.

'I think I know why everyone's here,' he began, his manner and his tone authoritative. 'It's understandable that no one is anxious to go back to Tresillian Manor, considering the tragedy. That being so, the sooner we all do go there the better. It's called laying ghosts.'

'Bloody sauce!' Gaunt protested. 'In case you've forgotten, I happen to own the place.'

'But last night after you'd landed here in the harbour you took Eve and Jennie to the Metropole where you stayed the night. Bracing yourself for going back today. I can understand it,' he repeated.

'How on earth do you know all this?' asked Gaunt in a very subdued tone.

'I checked the hotel register, then had a word with the Harbour Master. Because it's your house you're the one most likely to be affected. No more protests. Drink up and let's get the show on the road.'

Paula glanced swiftly round the assembled company. She saw Jennie fingering her pearls, twisting her mouth, then, aware of Paula's scrutiny, she gave a cold smile. Eve sat calmly. Amberg had an expression which could have been bewilderment or controlled fury. Gaunt sat back in his chair, staring into the distance and she couldn't read his expression.

One thing she did know. By sheer force of personality Tweed had dominated them, persuaded them to do his bidding. He said one more thing before he beckoned to Newman and Paula and marched out of the bar.

'I insist that our Land-Rover leads the way. No attempt to overtake me, Gaunt. Let's get moving…'

The gale had reached a new pitch of frenzy on Bodmin Moor. Hunched over the wheel, with Paula by his side and Newman in a rear seat, Tweed drove the Land-Rover at high speed but within the limit, then slowed to turn off along the side road leading to Tresillian Manor.

Paula slid her hand inside her shoulder bag, gripped the. 32 Browning in the special pocket. She had phoned Monica from Washington, and when they passed through Customs at London Airport Monica handed her the small cloth bag containing her gun.

'The gate's open,' she commented.

That's Buchanan. I asked him to open it so we could not waste any time…'

He parked the Land-Rover at the foot of the long stone terrace in front of the house. They waited on the terrace for Gaunt to arrive in his BMW, Tweed met the car, held out his hand for the front door key.

'This is my house…' Gaunt began.

'The key. We're going in first.' Tweed looked at Jennie as she slowly stepped out of the car. 'You do want to know who killed them, don't you?'

'Why look at me?' she snapped back at him.

'Wait, everyone.' It was Eve, snug in her riding jacket, walking towards the stables at the side of the manor. She looked back at Gaunt. 'You said you'd look after Rusty, my beautiful mare.'

'Ned, a reliable chap, has come in every day, cleaned out her quarters, fed her, given her a trot over the moor.'

'I'll give you two minutes,' Tweed told her. 'We'll wait here on the terrace…'

Eve was as good as her word, returned in two minutes with a glowing smile for Gaunt.

'She's in beautiful condition, and so glad to see me.'

'We'll now all go inside,' Tweed announced.

Opening the heavy front door with the key, he strode inside the hall with the woodblock floor. With a firm tread he walked over to the closed dining-room door and looked back before he grasped the handle. Eve stood behind him, Jennie, looking grim, was close to her. Amberg came next, prodded forward by Newman.

Tweed flung open the door, strode quickly inside. The others followed and stopped dead in their tracks. A grotesque scene met their stunned gaze. Seven figures dressed in black men's suits were sprawled round the long table. Two were still seated, slumped across the table in pools of dark red blood. Four more, toppled out of their chairs, lay in more pools of blood on the floor. The ultimate macabre horror was at the head of the table -where Amberg had sat. This figure was bent over a broken-backed chair, its face eaten away by acid, skeletal bones like steel rods exposed, revealing the skull beneath the skin.