ordering me around."
"Perhaps we better discuss that at tonight's meeting." Anger showed in Kevin's voice.
The third figure placed his candle on the table, saying, "Look, I'll get the candles. Where are they?"
Kevin answered, "Back in the storeroom."
"Okay." The hooded figure, whose voice Frank didn't recognize, started walking right toward the room he was hiding in.
"They're not back there," called Biff, his voice muffled by his dark hood. "I stored them over there under the stage."
"You weren't supposed to do that," said Kevin.
"So?"
"You sound like you've got an attitude problem."
"Yeah, and I'll tell you why. I don't like what you did to Jeanne."
"I didn't do anything to her."
"But you know who did, Kevin," accused the hooded Biff. "When I went by to pick her up tonight, their butler told me Jeanne had been kidnapped. Why? Where is she?"
"She's perfectly safe, Biff."
"Whose word do I have for that — just yours?"
"Just mine, yes. And I suggest you don't push this any further just now."
Biff took a step toward Kevin. "I haven't even begun to push yet. Where is she?"
"In a safe place. That's all I can tell you."
"That's all you can tell me, huh? How about telling me what any of this has to do with the Circle."
"A decision was made," answered Kevin. "For the good of all concerned, Jeanne Sinclair has to be kept out of the way for two days."
"Two days? What has this got to do with this club or with any of us? How can you just decide that my girlfriend is going to be — "
"The decision wasn't made by the club."
"Who made it then?" Lunging, Biff caught hold of the other guy's robe. "I thought we ran the Circle and made all the decisions."
"You misunderstood."
"Then you'd better start explaining things to me.
Kevin pulled free of Biff's grasp. "Chill out, Biff," he said evenly. "When the time is right, you'll be told all you need to know."
"That's great. That's just great. Maybe one fine day you'll get around to explaining just what — "
"Take it easy for now," advised Kevin, smoothing the front of his black robe. "But keep this in mind — if you don't make any trouble, Jeanne will be just fine."
Biff stood silently for a moment. "And if I do make trouble?"
"Trust me, it wouldn't be a good idea. Not at all."
The third young man said, "I don't like any of this. And I don't like the way the Circle has been going lately. Kevin, things are getting completely out of hand. I think I'd like to quit."
"Nobody is going to quit. Not yet, anyway," said Kevin. "Anybody who tries — well, just keep in mind what happened to Jeanne." He nodded at the doorway to the corridor. "Now, calm down, both of you. I hear some of the others coming."
The door opened and five more robed and hooded figures came in — three young men, two young women.
Frank moved back from the open door. He worked his way, slowly and silently, to the single window.
What he had to do was slip outside and wait. When the Crimson Circle of Twelve meeting broke up, he'd tail the one called Kevin. He had a good idea he'd turn out to be Kevin Branders, someone Frank knew casually and didn't like. Kevin would more than likely lead him to where Joe and Jeanne were being held.
Frank inched the window open, so slowly that it made no noise. Then, tucking his flashlight into his belt, he climbed out over the ledge.
There was a ten-foot drop to the ground.
He lowered himself until he was hanging from the window ledge by his finger tips.
That was when a gruff voice from below said, "Hold it right there, son. Unless you want to get shot."
Chapter 10
Joe rammed his shoulder into the thick metal door, straining against the handle at the same time. Nothing budged.
"Pretty solid," he finally admitted, leaning back against the immovable barrier. "You were right about it, Jeanne."
"I'm really very sorry about all this." Jeanne Sinclair had gotten up from the antique sofa she'd been sitting on. Now the dark-haired young woman stood in the doorway of
"Perhaps we better discuss that at tonight's meeting." Anger showed in Kevin's voice.
The third figure placed his candle on the table, saying, "Look, I'll get the candles. Where are they?"
Kevin answered, "Back in the storeroom."
"Okay." The hooded figure, whose voice Frank didn't recognize, started walking right toward the room he was hiding in.
"They're not back there," called Biff, his voice muffled by his dark hood. "I stored them over there under the stage."
"You weren't supposed to do that," said Kevin.
"So?"
"You sound like you've got an attitude problem."
"Yeah, and I'll tell you why. I don't like what you did to Jeanne."
"I didn't do anything to her."
"But you know who did, Kevin," accused the hooded Biff. "When I went by to pick her up tonight, their butler told me Jeanne had been kidnapped. Why? Where is she?"
"She's perfectly safe, Biff."
"Whose word do I have for that — just yours?"
"Just mine, yes. And I suggest you don't push this any further just now."
Biff took a step toward Kevin. "I haven't even begun to push yet. Where is she?"
"In a safe place. That's all I can tell you."
"That's all you can tell me, huh? How about telling me what any of this has to do with the Circle."
"A decision was made," answered Kevin. "For the good of all concerned, Jeanne Sinclair has to be kept out of the way for two days."
"Two days? What has this got to do with this club or with any of us? How can you just decide that my girlfriend is going to be — "
"The decision wasn't made by the club."
"Who made it then?" Lunging, Biff caught hold of the other guy's robe. "I thought we ran the Circle and made all the decisions."
"You misunderstood."
"Then you'd better start explaining things to me.
Kevin pulled free of Biff's grasp. "Chill out, Biff," he said evenly. "When the time is right, you'll be told all you need to know."
"That's great. That's just great. Maybe one fine day you'll get around to explaining just what — "
"Take it easy for now," advised Kevin, smoothing the front of his black robe. "But keep this in mind — if you don't make any trouble, Jeanne will be just fine."
Biff stood silently for a moment. "And if I do make trouble?"
"Trust me, it wouldn't be a good idea. Not at all."
The third young man said, "I don't like any of this. And I don't like the way the Circle has been going lately. Kevin, things are getting completely out of hand. I think I'd like to quit."
"Nobody is going to quit. Not yet, anyway," said Kevin. "Anybody who tries — well, just keep in mind what happened to Jeanne." He nodded at the doorway to the corridor. "Now, calm down, both of you. I hear some of the others coming."
The door opened and five more robed and hooded figures came in — three young men, two young women.
Frank moved back from the open door. He worked his way, slowly and silently, to the single window.
What he had to do was slip outside and wait. When the Crimson Circle of Twelve meeting broke up, he'd tail the one called Kevin. He had a good idea he'd turn out to be Kevin Branders, someone Frank knew casually and didn't like. Kevin would more than likely lead him to where Joe and Jeanne were being held.
Frank inched the window open, so slowly that it made no noise. Then, tucking his flashlight into his belt, he climbed out over the ledge.
There was a ten-foot drop to the ground.
He lowered himself until he was hanging from the window ledge by his finger tips.
That was when a gruff voice from below said, "Hold it right there, son. Unless you want to get shot."
Chapter 10
Joe rammed his shoulder into the thick metal door, straining against the handle at the same time. Nothing budged.
"Pretty solid," he finally admitted, leaning back against the immovable barrier. "You were right about it, Jeanne."
"I'm really very sorry about all this." Jeanne Sinclair had gotten up from the antique sofa she'd been sitting on. Now the dark-haired young woman stood in the doorway of
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