The Sinai Secret

TWENTY

At the Same Time

Van Decker put down the phone as he stood in front of the office's single window and watched the two men cross the nearby canal bridge. He was not surprised his men had found nothing remarkable in Mr. Reilly's hotel room. The American was too smart to make things that easy.

There was no doubt in the mind of the Dutch policeman that Reilly knew more about the connection between Dr. Yadish's murder and last night's shootings than he was telling. The DNA from the man in the boating accident would likely match that in the bloody trail that began outside the university, just as the slugs from both men would surely match any weapon that could be traced to the American.

The question was not Reilly's involvement; it was, in what?

Van Decker did not like unanswered questions, and he intended to find the solution to this one. That was why he had dispatched a number of plainclothes officers. Not to follow Reilly. If the man was as sharp as Van Decker thought, the tails would be spotted. Instead, each man or woman was simply to note Reilly's passing on his way back to his hotel. If he had hidden the gun somewhere, he would likely retrieve it before leaving the Netherlands.

Once Reilly was arrested in possession of a firearm, he might be more cooperative.

The policeman sat back down behind his desk. All he had to do was wait.