They had been walking for close to three hours and Malone was still hammering her with question after question. I should have knocked him out, she thought with a wry grin.
"Well, since I'm obviously not this spy guy, have you reached any conclusions about who it might be?"
She got a thoughtful look on her face and answered, "It could have been anyone. There was a time when I thought that Douglas himself was doing it."
Liking the theory, Malone pursued it further. "What made you change your mind?"
She hunched down behind some bushes as they reached the clearing and was relieved to see a faint light dancing at the mouth of the cave. She thought over Malone's question and finally said, "As much as I'd like to make him into the bad guy, there is no way it's him. He would have had to be in two places at the same time on more than one occasion. Too bad really, I would have loved to see him hang for it."
"Remind me to never piss you off."
She graced him with one of her rare genuine smiles and said, "Well, never order me to kill one of my friends and you should be all right."
Marguerite counted three raptors on the left side of the clearing. Two angry males fighting over a similarly hostile female. With any luck they would be too involved with each other to notice the two tiny figures slipping across the field. That leaves the two predators in the cave to worry about, she thought.
"Here take my weapon. I'll walk in front of you towards the cave so it looks like you're bringing me here against my will. Once we get inside, I'll worry about Douglas and you take care of Hannah. Hold your fire unless absolutely necessary, we don't want to chance Summerlee getting hit."
"Sure, whatever you say Roxton Jr.," she said sarcastically. "I can't seem to get away from overbearing men no matter where I go."
"Marguerite, if something goes wrong . . . if I don't make it, well . . . umm, could you tell—"
"If she ever lets me within a hundred feet of her, I'll give her the message."
Malone smiled at her and started off across the clearing. As they approached the cave, they could hear voices. Summerlee was trying to reason with his captors.
Marguerite gave Malone a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder and then called out, "Fancy meeting you here . . ."
The two lovers jumped at her voice and pointed a gun in her direction. "Marguerite, you really must learn to follow orders. Just kill the boy and get it over with."
"Give me Summerlee and I'll give you Malone."
Douglas ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Damn that woman! Now she'll have to die too. "Well it would seem we have a little dilemma Marguerite dear. But I'm sure we can reach an agreement . . . as I recall you have a weakness for diamonds."
Giving him a flippant smile she retorted, "What girl doesn't?"
Hannah continued, "You see, we need your help and we're willing to pay you handsomely for it. All you have to do is go along with our story."
"And what story would that be?"
"Malone isn't the German spy—"
"You don't say!" Her face was glowing with mock surprise. "Sorry about the mix up, Malone, I guess you're free to go."
Douglas gave her a brittle smile and said, "Not so fast. Hannah and I needed a fall guy and sweet innocent Malone was the perfect chump for the job. Now all you have to do is return to London with us and say that you killed the real German spy."
"Marguerite don't do it!" Summerlee called out weakly.
Looking interested in their offer she responded, "You act as if getting off the plateau would be as easy as shooting Malone. I've been looking for a way off for years and have yet to find one."
Malone couldn't believe his ears, she was actually going to get them to tell her the way off the plateau! For once I'm grateful for Marguerite's sneakiness!
"You just didn't know where to look . . ."
"How about you tell me . . ."
"First things first, finish the business at hand and then I'll show you the way," Douglas countered.
"Fine, but you better have those diamonds for me as soon as we get to London."
Hannah smiled at Douglas, She's an idiot if she thinks she'll ever make it to London!
"Marguerite, no! Don't do it child!" Summerlee yelled.
Douglas hit the older man in the jaw and Marguerite barely kept from killing him right then. Keep him alive . . . he knows the way off the plateau! And now that I don't have a place to live or any friends, there's no reason for me to stay.
Marguerite pushed Malone in the back, which was the signal for putting their plan into action. He pretended to fall forward from the force of her shove and discretely pulled out his revolver.
He got Douglas in his sights as Marguerite punched Hannah in the stomach. After that the cave was a blur of fists and blood. Hannah got in a few good hits before Marguerite finally knocked her out. She looked up to see Malone wrestling Douglas for control of his gun.
Malone called to her to get Summerlee out of there and she ran to help the older man out of the ropes that restricted his movement. "Get out of here Summerlee . . . take this," she said handing him Hannah's gun, "there are raptors right outside so be careful." She turned away and didn't realize that Summerlee stayed right where he was.
Marguerite heard Ned grunt in pain and turned around to see Douglas on top of him. She began running towards them when she heard a shot ring out and a yelp of pain.
She fell to her knees next to Malone and desperately prayed he was alive.