Bahama Crisis

I found him in none of those places but finally ran him to earth in the Mai Tai. It took me some time to convince him of my sanity and even longer to move him to action. I think I ruined his dinner.

Tony Bosworth and I walked into the lobby of the Royal Palm and I noticed immediately the two uniformed policemen, one standing by the elevators, the other at the foot of the staircase. I crossed to the desk.

"Is Commissioner Perigord here?"

"In the manager's office."

I jerked my head at Tony and we went in. Perigord, in plain clothes, was talking on the telephone, and Walker sat on a settee. Perigord said into the mouthpiece, "I quite agree; I'll check it out thoroughly. I can expect you tomorrow, then." He looked up.

"He's here now; I'll have it in more detail by then. Yes, I'll meet you.

Goodbye. " He put down the telephone.

"Now, Mangan, you'll have to explain ' I cut him short.

"First things first. I'd like you to get those coppers out of the lobby and out of sight. I don't want Carrasco scared off."

He leaned forward.

"If your story is correct then Carrasco is the most dangerous man in the Bahamas."

"No, he's not," I contradicted.

"Robinson is, and he's the joker I want. He's the boss." I pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Besides, you can't charge Carrasco with anything. You need hard proof and you've got none. But scare him and he'll skip, and Robinson will send someone else in his place someone we don't know. Besides, I don't like uniformed policemen cluttering up the public rooms in my hotels.

It lowers the tone. "

Perigord nodded and stood up.

"We may be guarding an empty stable," he said sourly.

"Carrasco may not be back. Your men have lost him."

He walked out.

I turned on Walker.

"For God's sake! Is that true?"

He said heavily, "He went into the John at the Buccaneer Club and didn't come out. Rodriguez thinks he left by the window. His car is still there but no Carrasco."

I thought for a moment.

"Maybe he's in Harry's Bar; that's not far from the Buccaneer."

"No Palmer checked that out."

I thought of the topography ofDeadman Reef.

"A boat," I said.

"He's meeting a boat. Have your men thought of that?"

Walker said nothing but reached for the telephone as Perigord came back. He glanced at Tony.

"Who is this?"

"Dr. Bosworth. He identified the disease and has been of great help."

Perigord nodded briefly and sat down.

"Are you really trying to tell me that Carrasco is a maniac the stereotyped mad doctor of the " B" movies who is poisoning the water in hotels in these islands?"

"I don't believe him to be mad, but that's what he's doing. And Robinson is directing him."

"But why?"

"I've had a few thoughts in that direction which I'll come to in a minute. Let's look at the evidence."

"That I'd be pleased to do," said Perigord sardonically.

"I know it's all circumstantial, but so is most evidence of murder.

When I found that glass tube it all came together suddenly. One, I'd seen others like it on Kayles's boat. Two, I remembered what Kayles must have heard me saying to Sam Ford. "

"Which was?"

"I was blowing my top about the chain of disasters which had hit the Bahamas. Rioting in the streets of Nassau, Legionnaires' disease at the Parkway, the burning of the Fun Palace, even the shredding of the luggage at the airport. Now, I'd knocked Kayles cold and he was just coming to his senses. He must have been muzzy dislocated enough in his mind to think I was actually describing Robinson's doings to Sam.

So when he escaped he reported to Robinson that I knew all. "

I frowned.

"And what convinced Robinson was that there was at least one item on that list that Kayles wasn't privy to. That indicated to Robinson that I did indeed know about his plans – he told me so and he was as worried as hell because I might have told you."

Perigord said, "Are you telling me that Robinson burned down the Fun Palace? And sabotaged the carousel at the airport?"

"Yes, I think he did but not personally. Another thing: when Robinson admitted to trying to have me killed in an air crash he made a curious remark. He said the death of the Americans was an unexpected bonus, and he went on to say that Wall Street was a bit rocky about it. The idea seemed to please him. "

"Come to the point you are so circuitously making."

"It was all pulled into place by a remark made by Billy Cunningham," I said.

"When we put together the Theta Corporation Billy did some research in the course of which he talked to Butler of the Ministry of Tourism. He learned that eighty per cent of the economy and two-thirds of the population are supported by tourism. Billy said to me that it was too many eggs in one basket, and it worried him a little. And that's your answer."

"Spell it out," said Perigord.