Iris Johansen - Eight Days To Live

Lina didn’t move for a moment. Then she reached out and took both the box and the computer. “It will take time. I glanced at it at the cottage. The script is incredibly tiny, and I’ll have to be extremely careful with it. It’s more like a book than a tablet. And since it’s ancient Aramaic, I’ll need some reference books that I might not be able to find online.”

“Then we’ll get them for you,” Caleb said. “But you’ll need a place to work, and this isn’t it.” He glanced at Jane. “In spite of Jane’s hurry to push you forward, I’d prefer you be out of Millet’s path before you start.”

Lina gave him a cool look. “I don’t care what you prefer. Go to hell, Caleb.”

“No, that would only be an interesting diversion.” He lifted his coffee to his lips. “And Jane doesn’t want any detours. I realize you’re still angry with me, but you’re sensible enough to realize that I could be valuable to you.”

“I don’t need you.” She looked at Jane. “Do you need him?”

“No. I don’t need him.” She was still as shocked and wary of Caleb as she had been when he had thrown Weismann down at her feet. Yet she was feeling a curious reluctance to reject him that had something to do with the panic she had felt for him before he walked through her door tonight. “But this isn’t the time to send anyone away. We should stay together.” Jock was studying her with narrowed eyes, and she added quickly, “It’s safer for everyone.”

“Maybe.” Jock gazed at Caleb. “Tell me, is it safer for you?”

“Of course, I feel very secure with you keeping an eye on me.” He added, “And such a close eye.” He finished his coffee and checked his watch. “And now I think we’d better get out of here. We should be picked up in about five minutes at the front of the motel.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “And just who is to pick us up?”

“His name is Hans Wolfe. He works at the local gas station about two miles from here. A very pleasant fellow.”

“And how did you meet this pleasant fellow?”

“I was running an errand and asked him to help me out. He was very cooperative.”

“I imagine he was. What errand?”

“I’ll tell you all about it. But we should get moving.” He headed for the door. “Hans is going to take us to a small private airport about forty miles from here. I’ve called and arranged for a charter pilot, Marc Lestall, to pick us up there. He’s flying in from Paris. I’ve used him before, and he’s reliable and exceptionally discreet. He should be arriving shortly after we reach the airport.”

“All of this in one hour,” Jane said. “And without consulting us.”

“It didn’t hurt to set it up. I figured you could always refuse.”

She didn’t move. “Yes, we can. Where is this plane supposed to take us?”

“Anywhere you want to go. I suspect you might want to go to London first to pay a visit to Alan Roland. Or perhaps MacDuff’s Run to drop off Lina and Gavin. She’d be safe there while she’s translating the tablet.” He repeated softly, “Anywhere you want to go.”

She looked at Jock.

He shrugged. “It’s true that Lina would be safer at MacDuff’s Run.”

“Then let’s get to that plane. Get anything out of the rooms you need.” She turned and grabbed her jacket and bag. “By all means, we mustn’t keep Hans waiting.”

They had just left the room when the shock wave came. The earth shifted slightly beneath Jane’s feet, and she instinctively reached out to clutch Caleb’s arm. “What on earth was-”

Caleb’s gaze was on the trees in the distance that were glowing orange. “I believe that might be Millet exercising his venom and frustration.”

Jane’s gaze followed his to the trees. “What are you talking about?”

“That’s the general direction where I abandoned the BMW. Millet must have found it and got a little irritated that we were nowhere near it.”

“Millet?” Her gaze flew to his face. “How far?”

“Over thirty miles away. And not in the direction we’re going. He used quite some firepower to cause that kind of vibration.” He took her elbow. “But I do think we should accelerate our departure, don’t you?”

HANS WOLFE DROPPED THEM OFF at the small private airport thirty-five minutes later.

“Is there anything else I can do?” His square, blunt face was eager. “I could go back and get you food at that bakery we passed.”

“The bakery was closed,” Caleb said.

“But I know the owner. I know everyone in this town. He’d open up the shop for me.”

“Thank you, but I believe we’ll be fine,” Caleb said. “Our plane should be arriving any minute.”

Hans’s face fell. “Then what else may I do for you?”

Caleb smiled gently. “Nothing more. You’ve been a good friend to me, Hans.”

“Yes, we’re very good friends. It’s good that you were able to stop by after all these years.”

“But it’s time for you to go home now. I think it’s best that you forget us.”

He nodded. “Because of that trouble you said you were in. I understand. You’ll come and see me again?”

“Yes, someday.” He shook his hand. “I think I hear the plane. Now go home and don’t let anyone see you on the way. Good-bye, Hans.”

“Yes, I hear it, too,” Hans said as he turned away. “Good-bye, Seth. I’ll see you next time.”

Lina turned to Caleb as Hans drove away. “He’s very accommodating. How long have you known him?”

“Long enough.” He turned and watched the Gulfstream jet coming in for a landing. “I think I’m going to be his silent partner. He’s always wanted to own his own gas station.”

“Providing he could trust you,” Lina said, as she and Jock moved toward the Gulfstream.

Caleb made a face. “It’s going to take quite a while to get her to think kindly of me, isn’t it?”

“You could use the same voodoo you did on Hans Wolfe,” Jane said.

“No, I couldn’t. I told you that I have a few rules I don’t break.”

She was silent a moment. “It’s very generous of you to give Hans his dream.”

He shrugged. “I put him at risk. He may still be at risk.”

“Will he forget everything just as that bank manager did?”

“Yes. It’s safer for him as well as us.” He walked toward the tall, sandy-haired man who was getting out of the plane. “Thanks for coming on short notice, Marc. We need to move quickly.” He gestured to the pilot. “This is Marc Lestall. Get on the plane. I’ll make formal introductions later.”

“Where are we going?” Lestall asked. “It would be a good idea if I knew. Right?”

Caleb looked at Jane. “MacDuff’s Run?”

She nodded. “But I want to go see Alan Roland first.”

He was silent for a moment. “It might be dangerous.”

“Not if we go to his office. He’s not going to make a move surrounded by all his office staff.”

“And it might not accomplish anything. He’s not going to admit anything.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want him to think that he’s safe because he’s hiding behind all that money and power. I want him to be aware that we know what a bastard he is.”

“Then we’ll go to Edinburgh and split up. You and I will go to London to see Roland and send Lina and Gavin to MacDuff’s Run. We’ll join them later.” Caleb followed her up the steps and said over his shoulder to Lestall. “Scotland.”

THEY WERE IN THE AIR within a few minutes, and Jane gazed down at the ground disappearing from view. Millet might be down there, but he couldn’t touch them. Not now.

Relief. Intense relief.

“Blanket?” Caleb was standing beside her with a navy blue blanket in his hands. “We have a few hours, and you might be able to catch a few winks on the trip. We haven’t had a chance to get much rest since this began.”