Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

“We will, Miss McGregor. We have tracking dogs.”

From the corridor came the sound of barking and a moment later a handler came into the office with two large German shepherds on leashes.

“The dogs have been all over the building, sir. They’ve searched everyplace but this office.”

The superintendent turned to Kate. “Have you been out of this office anytime in the past hour or so?”

“Yes. I went to look up some records in the file room. Do you think he could have—?” She shuddered. “I’d like you to check this office, please.”

The superintendent gave a signal and the handler slipped the leashes off the dogs and gave the command, “Track.”

The dogs went crazy. They raced to a closed door and began barking wildly.

“Oh, my God!” Kate cried. “He’s in there!”

The superintendent pulled out his gun. “Open it,” he ordered.

The two policemen moved to the closet door with drawn guns and pulled the door open. The closet was empty. One of the dogs raced to another door and pawed excitedly at it.

“Where does that door lead?” Superintendent Cominsky asked.

“To a washroom.”

The two policemen took up places on either side of the door and yanked it open. There was no one inside.

The handler was baffled. “They’ve never behaved this way before.” The dogs were racing around the room frantically. “They’ve got the scent,” the handler said. “But where is he?”

Both dogs ran to the drawer of Kate’s desk and continued their barking.

“There’s your answer,” Kate tried to laugh. “He’s in the drawer.”

Superintendent Cominsky was embarrassed. “I’m sorry to have troubled you, Miss McGregor.” He turned to the handler and snapped, “Take these dogs out of here.”

“You’re not leaving?” There was concern in Kate’s voice.

“Miss McGregor, I can assure you you’re perfectly safe. My men have covered every inch of this building. You have my personal guarantee that he’s not here. I’m afraid it was a false alarm. My apologies.”

Kate swallowed. “You certainly know how to bring excitement to a woman’s evening.”

 

 

Kate stood looking out the window, watching the last of the police vehicles drive away. When they were out of sight, she opened her desk drawer and pulled out a blood-stained pair of canvas shoes. She carried them down the corridor to a door marked Private, Authorized Personnel Only, and entered. The room was bare except for a large, locked, walk-in safe built into the wall, the vault where Kruger-Brent, Ltd., stored its diamonds before shipping. Quickly, Kate dialed the combination on the safe and pulled open the giant door. Dozens of metal safe-deposit boxes were built into the sides of the vault, all crammed with diamonds. In the center of the room, lying on the floor half-conscious, was Banda.

Kate knelt beside him. “They’ve gone.”

Banda slowly opened his eyes and managed a weak grin. “If I had a way out of this vault, do you know how rich I’d be, Kate?”

Kate carefully helped him to his feet. He winced with pain as she touched his arm. She had wrapped a bandage around it, but blood was seeping through.

“Can you put your shoes on?” She had taken them from him earlier, and, to confuse the tracking dogs she knew would be brought in, she had walked around her office in them and then hidden them in her drawer.

Now Kate said, “Come on. We have to get you out of here.”

Banda shook his head. “I’ll make it on my own. If they catch you helping me, you’ll be in more trouble than you can handle.”

“Let me worry about that.”

Banda took a last look around the vault.

“Do you want any samples?” Kate asked. “You can help yourself.”

Banda looked at her and saw that she was serious. “Your daddy made me that offer once, a long time ago.”

Kate smiled wryly. “I know.”

“I don’t need money. I just have to leave town for a while.”

“How do you think you’re going to get out of Johannesburg?”

“I’ll find a way.”

“Listen to me. The police have roadblocks out by now. Every exit from the city will be watched. You won’t have a chance by yourself.”