His only hope now was that Guiyesse might have studied them before he dropped them off. And that the Surete, having missed the pickup, would check back with the banker and get enough information to find the place.
When they pulled up in front of the farmhouse, Gerault forced him out of the car before he could manage to get the Beretta back into his pocket. He barely had time to shove it down far enough behind the cushion to hide it from the Frenchman, who stayed inside until Fleming was clear of the car.
The hidden gun had been his last hope to turn the tables by himself. If the Surete didn't come through, the Flemings could be tortured to death!
Damn! Damn! Why the hell did I fool with that phony money? I only wanted to get Tommy and the girls out of there before the shooting started between Gerault and the Surete. Now, it looks like I've killed us all!
All the way down to the cellar, Fleming was sweating cold drops which beaded on his brow and upper lip. It would be only a matter of time before the newsprint "banknotes" would be discovered.
When the family was again alone in their dungeon, he confessed to the faulty planning and warned them of what might happen. He couldn't let them have any false hopes, and he was so disgusted with himself for having come a cropper, that he wanted them to hate him for it as he was hating himself. "Exactly where is the gun, Dad?" asked Tommy.
"What difference?" Fleming countered. "We can't reach it from here!"
"Mother gave me a hairpin they missed when they frisked us. I've been practicing, and I can open every one of my cuffs excepting the one on my right wrist. I lock them all up again, each time, just so I won't get caught at it before I'm completely loose."
"I'll be damned!" said Fleming. "Listen. Keep working on that stubborn one until you get it. If we can get one of us loose, and he can get out of here, we'll have it made."
"I know! I know! It's just that I can't seem to do as well when I'm working with my left hand. But I'll keep after it, all right!"
"Okay. Well, you all should know, anyway. Just in case. The gun is exactly like the 7.65 Beretta I have at home. You've all had training in how to use it. It's tucked between the seat and seat-back of the car out front – the rear seat, of course. There's a round in the chamber, and the safety's on. If any one of us manages to get to it, remember this: besides the round in the chamber, there are only four others in the clip. So make your shots count if you have to use it on these bastards."
"I'd hate to think of Le Boeuf getting hurt or killed, Daddy," Darla interjected.
"What are you talking about?" said Fleming. He was shocked to hear her defend the Moroccan. "Isn't he the sonovabitch that raped you first?"
"Yes, Daddy, but he was acting under orders. Gerault has something on him, and if he doesn't cooperate, Gerault will turn him in. He's really the only one of the bunch who has any compassion at all. And he's really a lot more intelligent and humane than you might guess from the way he acts."
"Darla, honey, you're inclined to romanticize a little too easily, you know. But even if you're one-hundred percent correct in your opinion of the Moroccan, we can't take chances. All of our lives es depend on getting the upper hand with these people."
"Yes, Daddy, but he's promised to help us all he can. He doesn't dare do anything that Gerault might discover and use as an excuse to turn him over to the police. But in any other way, I really believe that he'll honestly try to help us. He just can't refuse a direct order from Gerault if he's likely to be found out."
"What if Gerault orders him to kill us?"
"Oh, Daddy! You don't think they'll go that far, do you?"
"Honey, we are very likely to be skating right now on thinner ice than ever before in our lives – and I hope we can get lucky enough to get out of it somehow!"
"Well, the worst thing that Gerault can be holding over his head is murder – right? He wouldn't commit one murder just to keep from being turned in for another, would he?"
"Of course, he would! He'd have to! Whatever Gerault has on him – even murder – is unknown to the authorities at present. If he had to kill us on Gerault's orders, that could be presumed to be without the knowledge of the authorities, too. What he really has to fear is Gerault's telling on him. And that will happen, supposedly, the moment he refuses to do anything Gerault orders including our mass murders!"
"I think he'd kill Gerault, first!" said Darla. "I really do!"
"Well, honey, we can't take chances. The only thing we can do is plan to overcome them, no matter how we do it. If Le Boeuf goes along with our takeover – if we are lucky enough to make it – then he'll be spared. But if he resists us, we'll have to fight him in any way we can. It's survival, honey. Surely you can see that."
"I guess so," said Darla, feeling strangely sad about this discussion which might lead to the kindly Moroccan's death.
They ceased any further discussion as the stairway door opened. Gerault descended slowly, and as he entered the circle of light provided by the naked bulb in the center of the arena, they saw the black look he wore on his face. "It seems that we have need of the services of Madame Fleming," he announced. He moved to where Ann was chained, and unlocked her shackles. He led her up the stairs as the others looked at each other and then followed the departing pair with anxious eyes.
Ann was taken to the living room, where the sofa bed was opened and ready for occupants. She looked at it, then studied the dark face of Gerault.
"Your husband has seen fit to play a dangerous game," he said. "I have examined the ransom he brought from Marseilles, and it seems to be somewhat less than the agreed amount." He was looking at her with mocking eyes, and the arch of his brows made her think of the prototype of all the Mephistopheles characters she had seen or imagined in the role.
"We shall now begin a very interesting series of adventures. You are honored to be the first member of your family to inaugurate this series. Take off your clothes and get on the bed!"
Ann slowly removed her clothes, wondering what was going to happen to her, now. When she had removed all but her bra and panties, she hesitated, wondering again what she was in for. Gerault stepped toward her, and tore the brassiere from her, making the straps cut her shoulders and arms, cruelly.
Then his hands were under the band of her panties, and he gave the elastic a mighty jerk downward, pulling them from the area of her blonde-feathered genitals, and off her thighs. Another jerk, and he had them down past her calves, at her ankles. She stepped out of them, and her eyes were wide as he moved her rudely back onto the bed. Then he was spreading her legs, and his mouth found her opening blossom of flesh, as it split asunder.
He's eating me. I hope it ends these! What can he have planned? Oh! He certainly knows how to get at the heart of a cunt! He's licking and slurping at my little erection as though he's going to devour it! Oh-h-h! That tongue! It's pushing right into my hot pussy! What's he doing, now? Oh-h-h-h! He's biting at my cant lips with his teeth! Oh-h-h! It hurts so good! This is torture, all right, but I think I can stand it, of I can just hold on!
Then she felt the lips and tongue depart, and her hungry flesh lay there, exposed and throbbing with her need. Suddenly she felt the entrance of a hard intruder, as Gerault's rigid member penetrated her passage.
He's fucking me, now. I can stand that. Le Boeuf gave me one of Darla's pills this morning, and I can take whatever he dishes out. In fact, I think it feels good!
Then the meaty invader was pounding at her, and she felt the slap of his hairy bag on her buttocks and anus as he plunged repeatedly into her depths. She began to groan as the frictional contact of his loins rubbed her sensitivities excitedly. Then he was moving faster, and she felt his mouth on her breast. He sucked and nibbled at the delicate bud which formed excitedly under his teasing mouth. She felt herself going, and the thrilling plunge into oblivion was an ecstatic pleasure, until he started to bite her. As she felt the shuddering tremors start to spread from the center of her being, his teeth clamped down on her tender nipple, and she felt pain such as she'd never known before.