Morning-Noon-and-Night - By Sidney Sheldon Page 0,58

at me! Nadine came into the office with a cup of hot coffee. '. This will make you feel better.' She looked at Kendall curiously. ' everything all right?" ... I had a little accident yesterday," Kendall said. '? Was anyone hurt?' In her mind, she could see the face of the dead woman. '. I ... I hit a deer." about your car?"

"It's being repaired."'ll call your insurance company.", no, Nadine, please don't.' Kendall saw the surprised look in Nadine's eyes.

It was two days later that the first letter came: Dear Mrs. Ren=4 rm the chairman of the Wild Animal Protection Association, which is in desperate need, I'm sure that you would like to help us out. The organization needs money to preserve wild animals. We are especially interested in deer. You can wire $50,000 to "count number 804072-A at the Credit Suisse bank in Zurich. I would strongly suggest that the money be there within the nextfive days. 226 It was unsigned. All the Es in the letter were broken. Enclosed in the envelope was a newspaper clipping about the accident. Kendall read the letter twice. The threat was unmistakable. She agonized over what to do. Marc was right, she thought. I should have gone to the police. But now everything was worse.

She was a fugitive. If they found her now, it would mean prison and disgrace, as well as the end of her business. At lunchtime, she went to her bank. ' want to wire fifty thousand dollars to Switzerland.' When Kendall got home that evening, she showed the letter to Marc. He was stunned. ' God!' he said. ' could have sent thist ' ... nobody knows.' She was trembling. ', someone knows.' Her body was twitching. '"here was no one around, Marc! I ' a minute. Let's try to figure this out. Exactly what happened when you returned to townr "Nothing. I ... I put the car in the garage, and She stopped. ' got a bad dent here, Mrs. Renaud. Looks like there's blood on it.' Marc saw the expression on her face. '?' She said slowly, ' owner of the garage and his mechanic were there. They saw the blood on the fender. I told them I hit a deer, and they said there 227 should have been a lot more damage.'She remembered something else. '.. CYCST "Nadine, my secretary. I told her the same thing. I could see that she didn't believe me either. So it had to be one of the three of them." "No,' Marc said slowly. She stared at him. ' do you meanr ' down, Kendall, and listen to me. If any of them was suspicious of you, they could have told your story to a dozen people. The report of the accident has been in all the newspapers. Someone has put two and two together. I think the letter was a bluff, testing you. It was a terrible mistake to send that money." whyt ' now they know you're guilty, don't you see? You've given them the proof they needed.", God! What should I dot Kendall asked. Marc Renaud was thoughtful for a moment. ' have an idea how we can find out who these bastards are.' At ten o'clock the following morning, Kendall and Marc were seated in the office of Russell Gibbons, vice president of the Manhattan First Security Bank. ' what can I do for you, todayt Mr. Gibbons asked. Marc said, ' would like to check on a numbered bank account in Zurich.' GYest 228 Ve want to know whose account it is.' - Gibbons rubbed his hands across his chin. ' there a crime involvedt Marc said quickly, '! Why do you ask?", unless there's some kind of criminal activity, such as laundering money or breaking the laws of Switzerland or the United States, Switzerland will not violate the secrecy of its numbered bank accounts. Their reputation is built on confidenti@iity: ', there's some way to ... T gilm sorry. I'm afraid not.' Kendall and Marc looked at each other.

Kendall's face was filled with despair. Marc rose. ' you for your time.' 41@m sorry I couldn't help you.' He ushered them out of his office. % When Kendall drove into the garage that evening, neither Sam nor Red was around. Kendall parked her car, and as she passed the little office, through the window she saw a typewriter on a stand. She stopped, staring at it, wondering if it had a broken