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〃No doctors；〃 Tracy whispered。
There will be a plane ticket for Geneva waiting for you at the Swissair counter。 Get out of Amsterdam as fast as you can。 As soon as the police learn of the robbery； they'll close up the city tight。 Nothing will go wrong； but just in case； here is the address and the key to a safe house in Amsterdam。 It is unoccupied。
The airport。 She had to get to the airport。 〃Taxi；〃 she mumbled。 〃Taxi。〃
The woman hesitated a moment； then shrugged。 〃All right。 I will call one。 Wait here。〃
She was floating higher and higher now； ever closer to the sun。
〃Your taxi is here；〃 a man was saying。
She wished people would stop bothering her。 She wanted only to sleep。
The driver said； 〃Where do you wish to go； mademoiselle？〃
There will be a plane ticket for Geneva waiting for you at the Swissair counter。
She was too ill to board a plane。 They would stop her； summon a doctor。 She would be questioned。 All she needed was to sleep for a few minutes； then she would be fine。
The voice was getting impatient。 〃Where to； please？〃
She had no place to go。 She gave the taxi driver the address of the safe house。
**********
The police were cross…examining her about the diamonds； and when she refused to answer them； they became very angry and put her in a room by herself and turned up the heat until the room was boiling hot。 When it became unbearable； they dropped the temperature down； until icicles began to form on the walls。
Tracy pushed her way up through the cold and opened her eyes。 She was on a bed； shivering uncontrollably。 There was a blanket beneath her； but she did not have the strength to get under it。 Her dress was soaked through； and her face and neck were wet。
I'm going to die here。 Where was here？
The safe house。 I'm in the safe house。 And the phrase struck her as so funny that she started to laugh； and the laughter turned into a paroxysm of coughing。 It had all gone wrong。 She had not gotten away after all。 By now the police would be bing Amsterdam for her： Mademoiselle Whitney had a ticket on Swissair and did not use it？ Then she still must be in Amsterdam。
She wondered how long she had been in this bed。 She lifted her wrist to look at her watch； but the numbers were blurred。 She was seeing everything double。 There were two beds in the small room and two dressers and four chairs。 The shivering stopped； and her body was burning up。 She needed to open a window； but she was too weak to move。 The room was freezing again。
She was back on the airplane； locked in the crate； screaming for help。
You've made it！ You're a marvel。 Let's have the box。
Jeff had taken the diamonds； and he was probably on his way to Brazil with her share of the money。 He would be enjoying himself with one of his women； laughing at her。 He had beaten her once more。 She hated him。 No。 She didn't。 Yes； she did。 She despised him。
She was in and out of delirium。 The hard pelota ball was hurtling toward her； and Jeff grabbed her in his arms and pushed her to the ground； and his lips were very close to hers； and then they were having dinner at Zalacaín。 Do you know how special you are； Tracy？
I offer you a draw； Boris Melnikov said。
Her body was trembling again； out of control； and she was on an express train whirling through a dark tunnel； and at the end of the tunnel she knew she was going to die。 All the other passengers had gotten off except Alberto Fornati。 He was angry with her； shaking her and screaming at her。
〃For Christ's sake！〃 he yelled。 〃Open your eyes！ Look at me！〃
With a superhuman effort； Tracy opened her eyes； and Jeff was standing over her。 His face was white； and there was fury in his voice。 Of course； it was all a part of her dream。
〃How long have you been like this？〃
〃You're in Brazil；〃 Tracy mumbled。
After that； she remembered nothing more。
**********
When Inspector Trignant was given the scarf with the initials TW on it； found on the floor of the Air France cargo plane； he stared at it for a long time。
Then he said； 〃Get me Daniel Cooper。〃
BOOK THREE
Chapter 32
The picturesque village of Alkmaar； on the northwest coast of Holland facing the North Sea； is a popular tourist attraction； but there is a quarter in the eastern section that tourists seldom visit。 Jeff Stevens had vacationed there several times with a stewardess from KLM who had taught him the language。 He remembered the area well； a place where the residents minded their own business and were not unduly curious about visitors。 It was a perfect place to hide out。
Jeff's first impulse had been to rush Tracy to a hospital； but that was too dangerous。 It was also risky for her to remain in Amsterdam a minute longer。 He had wrapped her in blankets and carried her out to the car； where she had remained unconscious during the drive to Alkmaar。 Her pulse was erratic and her breathing shallow。
In Alkmaar； Jeff checked into a small inn。 The innkeeper watched curiously as Jeff carried Tracy upstairs to her room。
〃We're honeymooners；〃 Jeff explained。 〃My wife became ill… a slight respiratory disturbance。 She needs rest。〃
〃Would you like a doctor？〃
Jeff was not certain of the answer himself。 〃I'll let you know。〃
The first thing he had to do was try to bring down Tracy's fever。 Jeff lowered her onto the large double bed in the room and began to strip off her clothes； sodden with perspiration。 He held her up in a sitting position and lifted her dress over her head。 Shoes next； then pantyhose。 Her body was hot to the touch。 Jeff wet a towel with cool water and gently bathed her from head to foot。 He covered her with a blanket and sat at the bedside listening to her uneven breathing。
If she's not better by morning； Jeff decided； I'll have to bring in a doctor。
**********
In the morning the bedclothes were soaked again。 Tracy was still unconscious； but it seemed to Jeff that her breathing was a little easier。 He was afraid to let the maid see Tracy； it would lead to too many questions。 Instead； he asked the housekeeper for a change of linens and took them inside the room。 He washed Tracy's body with a moist towel； changed the sheets on the bed the way he had seen nurses do in hospitals； without disturbing the patient； and covered her up again。
Jeff put a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door and went looking for the nearest pharmacy。 He bought aspirin； a thermometer； a sponge； and rubbing alcohol。 When he returned to the room； Tracy was still not awake。 Jeff took her temperature： 104 degrees。 He sponged her body with the cool alcohol； and her fever dropped。
An hour later her temperature was up again。 He was going to have to call a doctor。 The problem was that the doctor would insist Tracy be taken to a hospital。 Questions would be asked。 Jeff had no idea whether the police were looking for them； but if they were； they would both be taken into custody。 He had to do something。 He mashed up four aspirins； placed the powder between Tracy's lips； and gently spooned water into her