Casey Reynolds was startled by his cell phone vibrating in his shirt — he rarely received calls on his personal number, and his pulse quickened as he ducked out of his meeting and hurried to the bathroom. He answered the call on the fifth ring.
“Yes?”
“Reynolds, it’s Allie.”
“Allie! Where are you? Roland told me about the boat. I have no idea how that happened.”
“Not a lot of ways I can think of.”
Reynolds paused. “You think Roland told the police? I told you, he’s completely loyal.”
“That’s one explanation. Or you could have.”
“Are you out of your mind? Why would I do that? I helped you get away.”
Allie sounded less sure. “I don’t know.”
“They must have gotten a tip. Maybe one of the other boats saw you and phoned it in. I was able to kill most of the enthusiasm for finding your buddy, but he was all over the news last night. That’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“Drake thinks they might have been able to track Carson’s phone.”
“You have it?” Reynolds’s surprise didn’t sound faked.
“Had. We couldn’t recover the data.”
“Damn. Well, remove the battery, and you can hand it over when I see you. Maybe one of our tech guys can do something.”
“That’s not why I’m calling. I want to know who you think killed Carson and why.”
“We’ve been over this. I don’t know. But I’m guessing it has to do with what he was working on.”
“I don’t believe you. I think you know more.”
“I wish I did. I’m just as in the dark as you are.” Reynolds paused. “You never told me where you are.”
“That’s right. I’ll be in touch when we have something material.”
“Allie—”
The line went dead. He cursed, and then the door opened and another man entered. “Falling asleep in there, huh?” the man asked good-naturedly.
“No. Got some bad curry last night.”
“Stuff will kill you,” the man agreed.
Reynolds nodded, his mind elsewhere. “Death by a thousand cuts.”
Allie shook her head as she slid the phone into her back pocket. “I don’t know. He sounded like he was playing straight.”
“The guy’s a spy. It’s his job to lie convincingly,” Drake said.
“But to what end?” Spencer asked. “That doesn’t compute.”
“Well, if Reynolds doesn’t have a clue, maybe Indiana does,” Allie said. “He’s scared of something — that came through loud and clear.”
“You’ll be able to ask him in a few hours. Were you able to make the transfer to your online wallet?”
“Yes. It was actually pretty painless. Electronic, from my checking account.”
“You keep that kind of money in your checking account?” Spencer asked.
“I keep a half million, just in case.”
Spencer shook his head. “Okay. Let’s go over this again. You know the layout. There’s a police outpost at the gate, so it’ll actually be pretty safe for a meet,” he said, and swiveled back to the monitor, where a zoomed image of the fort dominated the screen. He tapped the screen with his forefinger. “I’ll be here, watching your back.”
“He said that if he spotted anything funny, he’d walk away and we’d never hear from him again. Or words to that effect.”
Spencer’s face hardened. “He won’t spot me.”
“How are we going to make sure he doesn’t pull a fast one on his end?” Drake asked.
“I’ve been thinking about that. Allie, you give me the private key for your wallet. When you’re ready to make the exchange, you call me. You’ll have a safeword to use so I know you’re fine, and I’ll make the transfer. It should be fairly instantaneous. If there’s a problem, don’t use the safeword, and I’ll stand down.”
“Which won’t help us,” Drake said.
“There’s risk to everything. But it sounds like he wants the money, so we have to believe he’ll perform. No tickee, no laundry.”
“I really wish Allie wasn’t involved in this part,” Drake protested.
“And I really wish you didn’t talk about me like some kind of object,” Allie snapped. “I’m right here. I can hear you just fine, and in case you haven’t noticed, I’m an adult. Besides which, it’s too late now.”
“You can call him and tell him it’s just going to be me.”
“And risk losing him? What’s the logic in that again?” Allie asked. Her voice softened. “Drake, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. I appreciate the concern, but it isn’t necessary. Spencer will be looking out for us. This is as good as it’s going to get.”
“We should buy a gun,” Drake said. “Several guns.”
“Just walk outside and start asking people where we can buy weapons?” Allie asked.
“Tell me there’s no black market here,” Drake countered. “Look around you and tell me that.” He turned to Spencer. “Ask your girlfriend where you can buy some drugs. She looks like she’d know.”
“What have you got against her? She’s been nice to me,” Spencer said.
Drake rolled his eyes. “Just do it. Clock’s ticking.”
“For the record, I think this is a terrible idea,” Allie said.
“Why? They already want him for murder one and me for helping. What are they going to do to us? Kill us twice?” Drake said.
“Just walk up to her and ask?” Spencer said. “That doesn’t seem weird to you?”
“Dude, tell her you and your friends want to party. Where’s the best place around here to find some fun — that sort of thing. Wherever they’re selling drugs, there’ll be someone who can get us whatever we want. You know how it works.”
“I think guns are illegal here,” Allie said.
“Which is why we’ll have to buy them from criminals,” Drake shot back. “Criminals never have any problems getting guns.”
“Is that what you are now?” Allie asked.
“That’s what they’ve made us,” Spencer said, rising and walking over to the waitress, who brightened as he neared.
Oliver Helms placed a call from his car parked fifty yards down the street from the Internet café, where he’d followed Drake and Allie.
“Yes?” a male voice answered.
“I met two Americans who were looking for Singh. They went to Delhi University and met with a professor of linguistics, and now they’re in a cyber café. I’m parked outside.”
“A professor? That’s got to be connected to our item.”
“I figured the same. It’s too coincidental that they would appear, looking for Singh, and then speak with the professor.” Helms gave the man the professor’s name to research.
“But there’s no sign of it? Or of this Carson’s colleague?”
“No,” Helms said. “It’s too large to fit in her purse. But they’re not going anywhere. What is the priority?”
“The same. Retrieve it. Let nothing stand in your way.”
“And the Americans? The professor?”
“Do what you feel you must. But get it back at all costs.”
“Should I just concentrate on the professor?”
The line hissed with static as an uncomfortable silence stretched. “No. Your instincts are probably right. We know that Singh was planning to sell it to Carson. This pair was probably working with him. That’s the assumption.”
“I got the woman’s phone number. Can you have it tracked?”
“Give it to me and I’ll see what I can do. But I thought you had them in sight?”
“I do. I can’t see inside the shop, but they’re in there. Still, it would be nice in case they split up.”
“I’ll make some calls.”
Helms gave him the number and then started the engine. “I have to go — they’re on the move. With a tall local,” he said, fooled by Spencer’s black hair and darkened complexion.
“Very well. I’ll get back to you on this professor and the phone.”