Free The Golden Circle by Lee Falk

crowd of a hundred people or so."
"Leaves her needing the attention of a good doctor," he said. "Suppose as soon as she's fished out of the pool a Dr. Walker pushes through the guests, drapes a blanket around her and says he'll take her to his office and treat her?"
"It would give you a good way to get away," admitted Mara. "How about me, though, I'm going to bo up in the old lady's boudoir with the loot."
"No," said the Phantom. "You're going to be Mrs. Walker, anxious to help. Together we rush Mimi, and the jewels, out of there."
Mara bit her lower lip. "I don't know if I can work that fast. Especially if I have to get rid of a guard Inside the house."
"How get rid?" asked the Phantom.
"Relax, Walker. I told you I don't make a practice of murder. I know karate and a few other tricks. And I'm very good at taking people by surprise," said Mara, "Even so, I'm going to need at least five minutes inside there."
The Phantom grinned at Mimi. "You'll have to stay in the pool for five minutes then. You panic, get hysterical, at first you're so confused you actually fight off your rescuers. Can you do that?"
"Sure, I know a few tricks myself."
Beth was doodling in the sand. "Your ideas aren't bad, Walker. With the rest of us to back you up, the other five girls as originally planned, it should work."
"Of course it'll work," said the Phantom.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Under an enormous red and white canopy a string quartet was playing. Sedate music drifted across the two acre front lawn of the Steiner mansion. Another striped canopy sheltered a long white table with a large crystal punch bowl at its center.
As she ladled the orange tinted punch into his cup, Mara said to the Phantom, in a whisper, "We made it this far without a hitch." She poured herself some punch, then tapped the cup with one scarlet fingernail. "Plastic. I guess they don't want to risk the real crystal on a charity affair. Cheers." She clicked her plastic cup against his.
"Cheers," returned die Phantom. He wore casual tweed and wraparound dark glasses as he watched the crowd at this fund-raising affair. He spotted Mimi and three of the other golden arrow girls. He also noticed two beefy men who might be plainclothes guards.
The Phantom had decided to go through with this job exactly as planned, making sure no one was injured. Then when they all, including Beth, felt sure of him, he would arrange to have the police round up the entire gang. He wanted to learn a little more about their operation first, about the men, other than
Sweeney Todd, who worked for the band of thieves. So far, he'd gathered no new names in that area.
The Phantom felt some regrets. A few of the girls he found himself almost liking. The blonde Mara, for Instance, who was holding his arm and pretending to ho the affectionate wife of the substantial physician lie was supposed to be. Mara was an attractive girl— Intelligent. He had to remind himself that she had stood by while Beth killed the jeweler on the New York bound night train.
And there was Mimi. She was near the turquoise colored pool already, nibbling on a tiny sandwich, smiling at two handsome young men with tennis court tuns. A faint smile touched the Phantom's face. May- he he was getting sentimental. He liked Mimi, wished lie didn't have to turn her in with the rest of them. But he had made up his mind, made it up as long ngo as that rain swept night when he first saw the golden arrow pin. He was going to bring the entire gang to justice.
"You've been spending much too much time at the hospital, dear," Mara said. "You're standing here like you've asleep on your feet."
"I was thinking, excuse me." The Phantom led Mara in the direction of the large white Steiner mansion. "I believe the gentleman standing at the foot of the marble staircase and pretending to eat that cracker is a security cop."
"There won't be any trouble about getting onto the first floor," said Mara. "The guests can use that because of the powder rooms there. The upper floor's