Irving Wallace - The Golden Room

Cathleen glanced at Karen. 'I couldn't,' she said.

Karen gazed at Holmes directly. 'Neither could I,' she said emphatically.

Dr Holmes snorted. 'Stupid,' he said, 'but your choice.' He aimed the gun first at one, then the other. 'Both of you, on your feet.'

He backed out of the bedroom, signalling them to walk through the doorway, past him.

'Where are we going?' Karen wanted to know.

'Down the hall, that way. Then down the staircase. I'll be right behind you. Try to get away and you're dead. At the bottom, turn to the right and go to the blank wall.'

In a single file they crossed the hallway and descended the stairs, with Holmes pointing his gun at their heads.

They turned right and continued to the blank wall. They stopped and waited for his next command.

Holmes, still holding the gun on them, went to the far side of the wall and pressed a button.

A portion of wall slid open. The women stared into the eerie, partially illuminated room, barren except for the examination table.

'Go inside,' Holmes commanded. 'Step up to the table and wait. Don't try to escape. There is no escape.'

'What – what's going to happen?' Karen wanted to know.

'You'll see,' said Holmes.

He pressed the button and the wall slid closed on the airtight room.

Satisfied, chuckling, Dr Holmes pocketed the Colt, pivoted, and started for his office. As he entered the room and strode over to the gas lever panel, there was the sound of the front doorbell.

This was unexpected, and Holmes halted in his tracks. He peered over his shoulder at the entry as the doorbell rang again and again, more persistently.

Should he answer the doorbell?

Or should he continue to the lever and turn on the gas?

He remained where he was standing, unable to make up his mind.

Still hesitating, Dr Holmes tried to make up his mind if he should continue to the lever or turn around and find out who was so insistently ringing the doorbell. Holmes told himself it could be no one important. He expected no one. At most, this could be a patient without an appointment, or possibly someone with a minor complaint.

If the visitor was indeed someone with a minor complaint, Holmes felt that he could dispose of the patient quickly. On the other hand, if it was a true emergency, the bell ringer might not cease in the effort to gain admittance.

Wanting to be alone and unhurried to savour the elimination of Cathleen and Karen, Holmes decided to answer the doorbell. Better to get his caller out of the way before indulging himself in the pleasures ahead.

Dr Holmes turned away from his office, went back into the entry hall, crossed to his front door, took the knob firmly and pulled the door open.

He was surprised to find himself facing two young men, both well-dressed and seemingly in the best of health. One was tall, husky, while the other was slightly smaller, but wiry.

The husky young man spoke first. 'Dr Herman Holmes?'

'Yes, I'm Dr Holmes,' the physician said, wondering who they were.

'I'm Bruce Lester,' he said with a tinge of Southern accent. 'This is Alan Armbruster.'

Holmes recognized neither one, and because of his tense state, their names were only dimly familiar.

'What can I do for you?' asked Holmes impatiently.

'We've been sent here by Minna Everleigh -'

'By Minna Everleigh?'

'Yes. The mayor has lifted his ban on the Everleigh Club. The Club is to be reopened today. Minna – my Aunt Minna

– is frantically trying to get her place in shape. She's giving a banquet for the prince of Prussia tonight. All her servants, musicians, and girls are back. I am very grateful to you for taking care of Cathleen and Karen. My Aunt Minna told us to borrow her car to bring them back to the Club as soon as possible – especially since my friend Alan is going to marry Cathleen this evening. Sorry to disturb you, but here we are to take your guests off your hands.'

Dr Holmes was momentarily confused. 'Well, I don't know – I mean, I'm afraid you're too late,' he said finally. 'Cathleen and Karen did spend the night in my house, but they're no longer here.' Holmes gestured behind him. 'You can see, I'm quite alone now.'

Suddenly suspicious of the doctor's manner, Bruce went through the doorway past Holmes to see for himself. He was immediately followed by Alan.

As Bruce and Alan turned towards the doctor's open office door, Holmes caught up with them.

His hand swept the office. 'You can see it's empty. They left an hour ago. It's strange they didn't let Minna know they were leaving.'

Alan shook his head. 'They left just like that? It makes no sense.' His eyes continued to rove about the office.

Holmes, having recovered his poise, feeling easier about the intrusion, took Alan by the arm and led him to the desk. 'Sit down for a moment, both of you, and let me explain.'

Alan sat down alongside the desk, and Bruce reluctantly seated himself across from the doctor, who had taken his swivel chair.

Briefly, Bruce considered the doctor's office. On the surface, it appeared average enough – the flat oak desk, the examination table, the fireplace, the square table that was heaped with medical journals. Yet, Bruce's intuition told him, it did not have the feel of a real doctor's office. It seemed somehow staged. There was something indefinably creepy about it, as there was about Dr Holmes himself.

Bruce's eyes met Alan's, and he sensed that Alan was having the same reaction.

Nevertheless, here was Dr Holmes and here was his office, and there was actually nothing wrong with either.

Bruce concentrated his attention on Dr Holmes once more.

'You say they left an hour ago?' repeated Bruce.

'Give or take a few minutes,' said Holmes.

'They were supposed to stay here,' Bruce persisted. 'They were to wait for Minna to contact them. Why did they leave?'

'I suppose it was uncomfortable for them,' said Holmes, fully composed. 'Perhaps they wanted privacy. They simply said they were leaving. I urged them to remain until they heard from Miss Everleigh. But no, they refused. Uh, maybe you will find them back at the Everleigh Club. Perhaps they wished to help your aunts with the packing.'

Alan shook his head again, more vigorously. 'That's quite impossible, Dr Holmes. You were acting as their host because the Everleigh Club had been shut down. They'd have had no way to know that it was ordered reopened this morning.'

Dr Holmes shrugged helplessly. 'Then I have no idea -not the faintest idea – where they went. Unless they were seeking you out, Mr Armbruster, because of the wedding.'

'Not in a hundred years,' said Alan. 'For all they knew, the wedding was cancelled.'

'Well, then it's all beyond me,' said Holmes.

'And beyond me too,' agreed Bruce, rising. Alan came to his feet, and together they went into the hallway, still casting about, mystified, eyes on the blank wall.

Holmes was hurriedly beside them. 'You can see – and hear – that I am quite alone. I have no idea where Miss Lester and Miss Grant went. I'm sorry you were put to all this trouble. You'll just have to look for the young ladies some place else.'

'We're certainly going to,' said Bruce with determination. 'I don't know where we'll begin, but we are going to find them.'

Holmes started walking the two young men to the door. 'Maybe Miss Everleigh gave the young ladies a means of contacting her, before she sent them off with me. At least I hope so. Anyway, neither of them told me where they were heading.' He opened the massive door. 'If I should hear of their whereabouts, I'll telephone Miss Everleigh instantly.'

Bruce nodded. 'Sorry to have bothered you this long, Dr Holmes.' 'Good day and good luck,' murmured Holmes.

Once they were gone, he shut the door.