Hieata and Evie sat in a bedroom in the bungalow. The impromptu bindings were traded for nylon rope and tossed aside. They sat side by side on the double bed, bound at the wrist and ankle. Their anxiety was only increased when Drea and Anne were ushered into bedroom. Anne's wrists were untied long enough for her to be seated in a chair and re-tied behind the chair back. Drea was compelled to lie face down on the floor and her ankles were bound, as were Anne's.
"That's the last of the rope," Erika announced.
"I'd be happier if we had more rope," Ilsa said.
"Maybe there's some Erika put away that we forgot about," Vitea said.
"Let's go look for some."
After they left the room, they discussed the rope situation with Glenda. "If we don't have any more rope and we can't find any substitutes, then post a guard at the door," Glenda said. "Ilsa, come outside with me. We'll have to discuss things with Madame Debernard."
"We'll have to dispose of them, you know that," Madame Debernard.
"I am not a murderer," Glenda declared.
"Those four women can put us all in prison for the rest of our lives. If they were to meet with a sudden boating accident, perhaps trying to locate the missing money and jewels."
Glenda pondered the situation. She had long been able to avoid harming her victims. The binding was used to immobilize the victim long enough to make a clean escape from the scene, nothing else. This was an eventuality she knew might come, but she never imagined Drea and Anne might be the first ones she killed. They were two bright, amiable young women. Their deaths would certainly be a great loss, despite being adversaries, doubly so since she knew the two sleuths personally. "All right," she said resignedly. "We'll have to formulate a plan though."
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Drea managed to get to her feet. Of course, she had trouble staying on her feet, but she landed on the bed. It was a bit rough on Evie, but that was the price they had to pay. Drea looked around the room and noticed a jar of Vaseline sat on the dresser. Erika probably used it to keep her cameras from corroding near the salt water, but that was not what concerned Drea at the moment. The lubrication provided by the petroleum jelly would help her to literally slip out of her bindings.
Drea hopped over to the dresser and took the jar in hand. She did this in full view of Anne, who nodded her approval. With little effort, Drea popped off the lid and stuck her hands into the slippery stuff.
Getting the jelly to where it would do the most good proved to be a bit of a challenge. Drea found the best way would be to wriggle a bit and try to use her fingers to slide the jelly under the bonds. Slowly, steadily, the rope slid away from her hands.
Once she was free of the ropes, Drea faced the minor problem of getting the Vaseline off of her hands she rubbed some of the excess off on her long, shapely legs. She had first undertaken weight training for competitive swimming, but kept at it to maintain muscle tone.
With her hands now capable of gripping, Drea ungagged herself and untied her ankles. Instead of releasing her companions, Drea collected the rope and stood by the door then called out "Anne I've worked the gag out! I'll try to cut myself loose with your knife."
A short time later, Vitea appeared in the room. Drea clamped a hand over the woman's mouth and said: "You be quiet and you don't get hurt."
Vitea understood. Besides, she thought it would only be temporary. After all, Glenda and the others were still around.
Drea removed Anne's gag and untied her friend. "Good job, Drea," Anne said.
In short order, Drea and Anne were releasing the other to captives. "What can we do against six?" Hieata asked.
"Sombody will start to wonder how long it takes to gag one person," Drea said. "When that happens, we'll take care of the person and see what we can do from there?"
That person turned out to be Erika. As soon she opened the door, Erika found herself yanked inside by Drea and Anne. While Drea held Erika, Anne stuffed the gag into the photographer's mouth and secured her wrists with some of the ropes.
"Okay, now for the next move," Drea said.
Anne looked out the window and said "Glenda and Ilsa are out there with Madame Deberard."
"That means the twins are still inside."
"We don't have enough to gag all of them, counting the blindfolds used on us," Hieata objected.
"Drea and I both carry handkerchiefs, so as not to disturb fingerprints," Anne said. "Besides, I pocketed some rope from this morning."
Drea, meanwhile, found a .38 caliber revolver in a drawer. She was more accustomed to automatics, but knew how to operate a revolver. Anne collected the materials used on Hieata and Evie earlier.
"Keep an eye on these two," Anne instructed as Drea let the way out of the room.
Madeleine and Monique were surprised when the erstwhile captives appeared out of the bedroom with a weapon pointed at them. "On the floor," Drea commanded and twins set themselves face down on the floor. With no undue haste, the girls were bound at the wrists and ankles.
Monique let out a torrent of French obscenities before she was gagged with her mother's scarf. Madeleine said: "When my father finds out abou- mmmph."
"He'll probably be disappointed in the way his daughters have gone," Anne said as she applied the gag.
Next, Erika and Vitea were brought from the next room. They were compelled to sit on the couch and their ankles were bound. "Let's hurry outside, before Glenda finishes out there.
In fact, Glenda, Ilsa and Madame Debernard were heading back to the house when Drea and Anne emerged. Drea made for Ilsa, while Anne went after Glenda.
"How did you get loose?" Glenda wondered.
"Oh, Drea found a way to slip out of things," Anne quipped as she dodged a karate kick from Glenda. "Certainly, Erika isn't bound to interfere."
Drea, for her part, decided for the most part to try the up close and personal approach to Ilsa and negate the other woman's longer legs and arms. It was a difficult task, as Ilsa had the same, if not more, proportional strength than Drea.
Anne landed a blow that winded Glenda. The former took full advantage of the situation and pinned her adversary to the ground. Anne pulled the rope from her pocket and securely tied Glenda's wrists. From there, Anne was able to help Drea subdue Ilsa. Soon Ilsa's wrists were bound behind her back.
The two sleuths looked around, wondering why Madame Debernard had not joined in the fray. Evie and Hieta each held the woman by the arm. "Let's get them inside with the others," Anne said.
Once inside, Madame Debernard was shocked at the sight her daughters lying face down on the floor, bound and gagged. "How dare you do that to my children!" she cried.
"This coming from a woman who was plotting murder only a few minutes ago?" Ilsa spat contemptuously.
Ilsa and Glenda were gagged then set down on a couch, where their ankles were bound. Finally, Madame Debernard was had her wrists bound. "You had to invite these two," she snarled at Hieata. "I could have handled the insurance investigator."
"Enough!" Anne exclaimed. "Hieata, could you call the police while Drea and I take care of things."
By the time Hieata completed the call, Madame Debernard sat on an over stuffed chair, wrists and ankles bound in the same manner as Glenda and Ilsa. Drea applied a tight cleave gag while Anne surveyed the seven bound captives. "You know," Anne said. "Jack is going to have trouble believing this."
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The next day, several teams of police and French Navy divers began to recover cash and jewelry from the wreck. Drea. Anne, Hieata and Evie were all present. "Success," Anne said.
"Indeed," Evie said. "I would much like to stay longer, but I must be on my way to Paris tomorrow."
"A pity," Hieata said. "I suppose Drea and Anne will have to leave soon."
"We do get vacations," Drea said. "But not at the same time."
Drea and Anne had one day of fun in the sun before they flew back home where, both were certain, another case awaited.
THE END
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