THE BLACKMAIL OF ZERO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 23

THE BLACKMAIL OF ZERO

By JOHN GOODWIN

CHAPTER Xlll.—(Continued) , "Good!" Cynthia said. "Hold it for me, Tom. Tony won't be arrested! I was scared for nothing. He was safe unless those stolen papers were brought against him as evidence. Well, they won't bo." Tom looked at her sharply. " How d'you know that?" " Feminine intuition. We females are great on instinct. It beats man's cold logic every time." Devine frowned, staring at her hard. " Now look here, my girl, give me a straight answer to a straight question. What are you up against? Is it blackmail? If so there's only one thing to be done." " What's that?" " Tell me all about it; I'll put it right into the hands of the police, Cynthia." " If it happens I might do that. Though I doubt if the police would help Tony—rather the contrary." " Answer me! Are you or aren't you?" he said. Cynthia laughed and shook her head. " No. Don't you lose any sleep on my account, Tom. I shan't be blackmailed, and I know what I am doing. All that's troubling me is Tony's disappearance! Where is he? 1 want to tell him all's clear! There's something sinister in this vanishing trick of his; it isn't a bit like Tony, and , I'm wondering if someone else is taking a hand in it." Devine looked grave. " Hotter evidence against Tony has come up than any that was stolen from the Alston safe." There was little more that he could tell her and he left soon afterwards. She must have sat there an hour in the gloom, thinking, fearing to make a false step, when there came a ring at the bell. She switched on the lights and hurried into the hall, hoping it was Tom Devine back again. He would be more than welcome' now. But as she opened the door a cry of joy and relief broke from her. Anthony himself Btood on the step! " Tony!" "Let me in! Are you alone?"

She pulled the door to and brought him through into the sitting-room. He caught her to him with a hug—like a bear—he was in a huge, rough, travelling ulster—and kissed her. "You darling!" he said. "Why, what's wrong? You're white as a ghost." "Where on earth have you been? Why haven't I had word from you?" "Sorry, dear. Affairs—very private. This wretched Steyne business. But thank goodness it's all O.K. at last." "I was trying to find you for two days to tell you that you were safe. And now—" "Safe! I know I'm safe enough—don't you worry about me! If they're trying anything on me —" "Of course not, Tony, dear! That's all right, then. You don't know how worried I've been." "I don't wonder! You're not to worry about me! When I think of what you've been through. . . It's appalling! There's no end to the horrors of this wretched Steyne business. I'm thinking Desmond will deserve all he gets. Why can't fellows fun straight P When you get up against the police—and yet— I don't know. There's something at the back of this that nobody's got on to. There's devil's work here somewhere." He turned to her abruptly. "Tell me, Cynthia. That fellow Vandon? You haven't seen or heard from him? Has he been here?"

Cynthia winced. Before she could answer, there was a short double ring at the bell. Anthony looked up. "Perhaps we'd better see who that is." "You here," said Cynthia, and walked out into the hall, her heart racing and her nerves tense. She felt like one who has laid a charge of explosive and lit the fuse. It was Vandon, of course; just like him, to come at such a time. W 7 ell, let him. There was a surprise coming for him, too. She opened the front door herself. It was not Vandon. Chief Inspector Greer stood on the step. Behind him, standing against the railings, was a tall, silent policeman in uniform. Cynthia's heart sank. She would rather have seen even Vandon himself. There seemed to be no getting away from Greer. He pushed the door open gently and entered, without asking leave. Across the hall, through the halfopen dqor of the sitting-room, he saw Anthony Holt, and walked in. Anthony met the intruder's eye with a cool, defiant stare. Greer turned to Cynthia, who had followed him in. "Miss Rolles, do you mind leaving us alone for a moment?" he said. "I've a word to say to Anthony Holt." "This is my house. Anything you have to say to Mr. Holt you can say in front of me!" returned Cynthia. "Sure thing," said Anthony. "Not our first meeting, inspector. As you're the man who knows all things, you may,, know I've no secrets from Miss Rolles. So get on with it."

"Very well, if you prefer it. I have a warrant for your arrest." ' "My arrest! On what charge?" "Cqnspiracj with intent to defraud, jointly with the directors of Steyne and Co. Anything you say me be taken down and used as evidence. That's all for the present. Get your hat and come along." ""By all means. I have nothing to say, except that there's no foundation for the charge." Cynthia stepped forward. "I know the charge is false, Tony," she cried. "I know you're innocent of anything they may bring against you. I'll defend you, and I know how to do it." Anthony flushed. "1 know you would, Cynthia," he said, quietly. "Don't be anxious about me, dear. I won't have to call upon you to defend me. Our busy friend here may find that he can't hold me. You may take that down if you like, Greer, and use it! Carry on Inspector, I'm ready!" Greer, taking no more notice than if he had not spoken, led Anthony out and handed him over to the waiting policeman, who put him into the back seat of a car standing by the kerb and sat down silently beside hirn. Greer stepped back into the house. "Sorry this had to happen here," Miss Rolles," he said, briefly. "But you'll admit you asked for it. I've had trouble enough in this case, and I think I should warn you to be careful what you say, or do. That's unofficial, but bear it in mind. Don't say you weren't warned." Cynthia looked at him, dead white, a burning spot on each cheek-bone. "One thing I know; you've no right in mv bouse. Will you leave it?" "I'm doing my duty; bear that in mind, too," replied Greer, aa he went out.

(COPYRIGHT) A TALE OF MYSTERY, EXCITEMENT AND ADVENTURE

CHAPTER XIV. ALLIKS When the police car had carried Anthony away into the night, anger and defiance died in Cynthia. She dropped into a chair, buried her face in her arms, ar,d sobbed like a chi'd. Something told her that there was finality in the exit of Tony. She had shown a brave front till now. So had he, but assure herself as she might that he would come out of it, Cynthia felt a foreboding of disaster. Her resentment and bitterness were not levelled against the law, in spite of an instinctive distrust of Greer. If the police had secret information on the Steyne case, they had no choice but to act on it. Zero, sensing that an attempt had been made to betray him, had turned on his betrayer. That was her reading of the case. He himself seemed beyond reach. What safety was there for anybody while such a man was allowed to live? Hut John Vandon . . . where did he stand in this? Hadn't he, by breaking in between her and Zero, brought this disaster to Tony? Every time he had crossed her path trouble had followed. Was Vandon the friend he professed himself to be? Or was he the enemy? With all her doubt of him, that strange attraction that he had for her persisted still. The feeling that she could rely on him. She fcjid never felt that so strongly for any man, not even for Anthony himself. She had been thinking of him ever since Greer left. The doorbell rang.

Cynthia rose quickly. At such a time she would not deny herself to anybody who could bring her hope. She braced herself, and brushed the tears from her face. Then she stole quietly across to her bedroom. Even in a losing battle no man should see the marks of distress on her. She washed, powdered her face, and rearranged her hair. Then she opened the door. John Vandon was standing patiently in the dark porch. , "May I come ip?" he said, and his voice was so sympathetic and gentle that the load of her trouble seemed to fall away from her. She brought him into the sittingroom without a word and closed the door. "Do you know that they've arrested Anthony?" He nodded gravely. "Yes. I saw him go by just now in the police car. I'm sorry." "He's innocent!" "Innocent men have been arrested before. An arrest doesn't end a case, you know; it only begins it. "You've done your best. Do you mind my saying you haven't done as well as you might? It shows what comes of dealing with Zero. It also shows that when a man is up against anything he must face it, and that to try and buy Zero off—or have anyone do it for him —is fatal. "While we're on the subject"—Vandon felt in his pocket—"forgive my mentioning money at 6uch a. time, but we have to get this cleared up. He laid a wad of clean banknotes on the table before her. "Here's your five hundred pounds that I borrowed you two days ago. As I told you, I d. a use for it. I've pleasure in returning it to. you." , ±i j Cynthia stared at the notes, startled. She had forgotten them in the stress of the last few hours. "Take it," he said. "It's yours. I think you mentioned you intended to raise another five thousand pounds. Did you do so? If so, keep it, hoM it for emergencies. Let no one get it away from you. I'll show you how to use it in case of need; there are better ways of defence than paying it to a blackmailer. But, I warn you that, though it's dangerous to yield to Zero, it's still more dangerous to defy him; you've got to be careful." "How?" asked Cynthia. "Strictly, I should have told Greer everything, but —it iseems a queer thing to say about a police chief —I felt a distrust of him. I thought She stopped dead. Vandon looked at her quickly, and the sardonic little twinkle came back into his eyes.

"You might be right about that—who knows?" answered Vandon. "I don't much like Greer myself. But he's an extremely able man.' "What ought I to do?" said Cynthia. "Should I put the whole of Tony's case and mine up to the police? I've been afraid to. It's now or never." "If you do," said Vandon, "it will be disastrous for you both, and Zero will score another win. Now listen. "In private cases of blackmail, the police allow the victim to remain anonymous, and prosecute the blackmailer only, ignoring the offence of the complainant; it is a matter of arrangement. But in your case this is impossible; the Steyne crash is a great public scandal, and things have gone too far." She knew that he was right. She paused a moment; then looked straight at him. "Tell me," she said, "what is your interest in Zero?" Vandon's light blue eyes met hers with a queer, steely flash; points of fire, extraordinarily compelling. "His destruction." A quick little thrill ran through her. Her eyes half closed as she looked at him. "I have only one interest in life," he said slowly. "The unmasking of Zero. Ending the activities of that spy and informer. To fight him, bring him down—this blood-sucker, who fattens on human misery and human errors. Bring him to the reckoning to which he has brought so many—finish his career."

He leaned forward in his chair. "How do you feel about that?" he said. "I'm for it!" said Cynthia. "With all my heart and soul, I'm for that." He nodded. "I thought you'd agree." The misery Zero had caused; Lola Devine's tragedy, the treachery to Tony, filled her with a horror that cried aloud for retribution; she herself would face any risk to bring him down. "You can't appeal to the police," said Vandon. "Neither can I. I am convinced that the police, who have failed more than once to get Zero, will fail again. He knows the game too well. Challenge him officially, as cleverly as you like, he fades out quicker than breath on a steel blade, and leaves no more trace behind him. He can smell a policeman farther than a deer can smell a wolf up the wiijd. I'm not implying there are no "brains in the C.1.D.; there are plenty. But they won't get him. He has friends in unexpected quarters." "Then how P" "I'll tell you. If Zero is ever trapped, it will be by one of his victims. You are the latest on the list.' I'm another. 1 owe my prison record to Zero. Never mind whether I was innocent or guilty. He broke me; I'm going to comer him. I'm better equipped for it than any one living. H© thinks no one will ever get him 1 There's a joint in every man's armour—even Zero's." "Now, if you are in earnest, and have courage enough, you can stand in with me, as my ally. We're fellow sufferers, and you're still under the guns. But the objective, before all else, is Zero's finish. Partners?" (To be contiiiued daily)