Again I heard the scream. This time there was no mistaking it. Val was screaming!
I threw myself against the door. I might just as well have thrown myself against a brick wall. I rattled the handle. I began to hammer on the panels.
The sound of my hammering fists was swept away by the noise of the hurricane.
Then the door shook as a tremendous blast of wind screamed down the corridor and I knew the door leading on to the roof had been opened.
‘Val!’
I wrenched and tore at the door. It was immovable. Then the wind was cut off as the door leading to the roof was shut.
There was a long pause while I leaned against my door, listening. All I could hear was the violence of the hurricane raging outside. I felt as if some living thing inside me had died. It was a feeling that left me weak and sick.
I groped my way across the darkness to the bed and sank on to it. I knew instinctively that Val was dead. I knew Gesetti had forced her on to the roof to be swept away by the wind as Vidal could have been swept away but for me.
I could still hear her far away scream of terror echoing inside my head.
The door suddenly jerked open and Vidal, carrying a hurricane lamp, came in.
‘An unfortunate accident Burden,’ he said, setting the lamp down on a nearby table. ‘Valerie was deranged.’ His little eyes, glittering with triumph, dwelt on me. ‘You understand? The doctors know she was suffering from a nervous breakdown. The hurricane unsettled her. She lost control of herself and before I could stop her, she ran out on to the roof to be swept to her death.’ His eyes never left my face. ‘You understand?’
‘You murdered her,’ I said.
‘Don’t be stupid Burden. It was an accident. And Dyer...’ He gave his short barking laugh. ‘He turned out to be a hero. Before Gesetti or I could restrain him he went after her only to be swept away in his turn. You understand?’
‘You murdered both of them,’ I said.
‘No one attempts to take my life nor my money without paying for it.’ His voice was a sudden snarl. ‘You won’t be involved Burden. You were sleeping and heard nothing. I doubt if the police will even question you. If they do, you know what to tell them. I’m giving you this chance because you saved my life.’
Gesetti came to the door and stared menacingly at me.
The sight of him sent fear through me: fear that paralysed me.
‘It was an accident,’ I said huskily.
‘That’s right,’ Vidal nodded. ‘People like those two don’t deserve to live.’
He left me, and after staring at me for a long moment, Gesetti turned and followed him.
I sat there staring at the flickering light of the lamp. Life would be empty without my dreams of Val. I had no one now, then suddenly I thought of Rhoda. Even she, with her sluttishness, was better than nothing.
I sat there, listening to the violence of the hurricane, trying to assure myself that Rhoda was indeed better than nothing. The thought, stupid as it was, helped me to face the hours that stretched ahead.