Free The Satan Bug by Alistair MacLean

inside now, and nothing had happened to me yet. And the chances were remote that anything would happen now. I cornered the hamster, returned him to his cage, and left the lab to open the heavy steel outer door. Just in time I remembered that General Cliveden would be waiting not far from the door ready to fill me full of holes if I emerged still wearing the gas-suit— Cliveden would be understandably trigger-happy and could easily miss the fact that I'd removed the breathing apparatus. I climbed out of the gas-suit and opened the door.
    General Cliveden had the automatic at eye level, at the full stretch of his arm, pointing towards the widening crack of the doorway and myself.
    I don't say he was happy at the prospect of shooting me but he was ready enough for it all the same. And it was a bit late now to tell him that the Hanyatti had a hair-trigger. I said quickly, "It's all right. The air is clear inside."
    He lowered his arm and smiled in relief. Not a very happy smile, but still a smile. Maybe the thought had come to him too late in the day that he himself should have volunteered to go inside instead of me.
    " Are you perfectly sure, Cavell?" he asked.
    " I'm alive, aren't I?" I said irritably. " You'd better come inside." I went back into the lab and waited for them.
    Hardanger was first through the door. His nose wrinkled in involuntary disgust and he said, " What in hell's name is causing that vile smell?"
    "Botulinus!" It was Colonel Weybridge who supplied the answer and in the shadowless neon lighting his face seemed suddenly grey. He whispered again: " Botulinus."
    " How do you know?" I demanded.
    " How do I-----" He stared down at the floor and looked up to meet my eyes. " We had an accident a fortnight ago. A technician."
    "An accident," I repeated, then nodded. "You would know the smell."
    " But what the devil-----" Hardanger began.
    " A dead man," I explained. " Killed by botulinus. At the top of the room.
    It's Dr. Baxter."
    No one spoke. They looked at me, then at each other, then followed me silently up the lab to where Baxter lay.
    Hardanger stared down at the dead man. " So this is Baxter." His voice held no expression at all. " You are quite sure? Remember he checked out of here about half-past six last night."
    " Maybe Dr. Baxter owned a pair of wire-cutters," I suggested. "It's Baxter all right. Someone coshed him and stood at the lab door and flung a botulinus container against this wall closing the lab door behind him immediately afterwards."
    "The fiend," Cliveden said hoarsely. "The unspeakable fiend."
    " Or fiends," I agreed. I moved across to Dr. Gregori who had sat down on a high stool. He had his elbows on a bench his face was sunk in his hands. The straining finger tips made pale splotches against the swarthy cheeks and his hands were shaking. I touched him on the shoulder and said, " I'm sorry, Dr. Gregori. As you said, I know you're neither soldier nor policeman. You shouldn't have to meet with those things. But you must help us."
    " Yes of course," he said dully. He looked up at me and the dark eyes were smudged and with tears in them. " He was—he was more than just a colleague. How can I help, Mr. Cavell?"
    " The virus cupboard. Check it please."
    " Of course, of course. The virus cupboard. What on earth could I have been thinking of?" He stared down at Baxter in fascinated horror and it was quite obvious what he was thinking of. " At once, at once."
    He crossed to a wooden cupboard with a glazed front and tried to open it. A couple of determined tugs and then he shook his head.
    " It's locked. The door's locked."
    " Well." I was impatient. " You have the key, haven't you?"
    "The only key. Nobody could have got in without this key. Not without force. It—it hasn't been touched."
    " Don't be so damned silly. What do you think Baxter died of—influenza?
    Open that cupboard."
    He turned the key with unsteady fingers. No one was looking at Baxter now—we'd eyes only for Dr. Gregori. He