Free The Cauldron by Colin Forbes

thither. Excuse me...'
    He was back in a few minutes, handed back the original to Tweed. Thanking him for his help, Tweed left the house, got behind the wheel of his Ford Sierra with Nield beside him and headed for Cornwall.
    'Did that help?' Nield asked as they left the outskirts of London and Tweed pressed his foot down.
    'I'm not sure. It echoed a mad theory I have at the back of my mind. Probably all wrong. Maybe we'll have better luck in Cornwall.'
    'Maybe we'll have more excitement. Marler told me about their firefight at Mullion Towers. Let's hope things are hotting up.'
    'Just so long as we don't run into a furnace.'

    5

    'It was a complete and total shambles.' Moloch told Brand as they sat in his office. 'From start to finish they outmanoeuvred you. Call yourself a security expert? You're a rank amateur.'
    'They took us by surprise.' Brand mumbled.
    'Which means their tactics were infinitely superior to yours. Did you put that paper I gave you through the shredder?'
    'Yes.' lied Brand. 'I've reorganized all our defences...'
    'We're not on the defensive now. We're going on the offensive against Tweed.'
    'Great idea.'
    'Shut up. I'll take over the planning now. You take the whole team, check every hotel in the area - Truro, Falmouth, Mylor. You're locating where Paula Grey is staying. Apart from Tweed, she's the only name we have in that top-flight outfit at the moment. The opposition has to have a base in the area - they wouldn't have driven all the way from London to launch their attack. What are you sitting there for? Get off your backside. Get moving.'
    'We're on our way...'
    'I also want powerboats sent out from the Venetia - to explore the rivers and creeks. You can take command of that part of the operation. Don't come back until you have found them.'
    'On my way.' Brand said hastily as he reached the door. 'But that means there will be no guards here...'
    'Moron! You don't expect them to return the same day, do you?'
    'Good thinking...'
    'Someone round here has to think. And don't overlook the small villages. Explore Mawnan Smith and Mawnan. There are some good hotels in that area.'
    'Will do. And I could check whether Tweed is staying down here...'
    'Idiot! Tweed will be in London, planning Lord knows what. He's the last man on earth you'd find down here. Now, for God's sake, go .'

    Moloch waited until he had watched from his window a cavalcade of cars leave. The damaged gates had been removed and he made a mental note to check whether Brand had ordered new and stronger gates. He then sat down at his desk and from memory pressed the buttons of a number in California. It was 6 p.m. in England so it would be 10 a.m. in California. He was calling Black Ridge and asked to be put through to Ethan Benyon.
    'Ethan? This is VB. How is the project going? When will you be ready?'
    'It goes well,' answered an English voice, quiet and subdued. 'I should be ready in a few weeks. It will work.'
    'Good. Try and speed everything up. Is the offshore drilling ship operation going well?'
    'Ahead of schedule.'
    'Have there been any suspicions voiced about it?'
    'No, Mr Moloch. Everyone is convinced it's a research ship drilling for specimen cores off the seabed.'
    'Good.' He paused. 'Ethan, you sound depressed.'
    'It's Mother. She's just moved to a house near Big Sur on the coast. I have to visit her. She's making my life a misery. She even threatened to beat me.'
    'I see. Ethan, don't let her take your mind off your work. I'll deal with the old horror...'
    'Please, Mr Moloch, don't do that. She'll take it out on me something terrible.'
    'No, she won't. I have an ace card I can play to make her behave like a civilized human being. Keep up the good work. And thank you for your dedication.'
    'It's my life's work ...'
    Moloch put down the phone. Standing up, he wandered round his office, hands clasped behind his back. He hated his stepmother. Lord knew why his father had ever married the creature. And she had driven him into an