Kevin and the Adamas process.
“Good. I can’t afford for you to miss this appointment, Erica. If you’re not there, they will never find Kevin’s body. If you don’t have the notebook and the videotape, they will never find Kevin’s body. If you bring the police, yada yada yada. Get it?”
“I get it.”
“I’m glad we got to talk finally. I’m sure you’re just as smart as you are pretty. Don’t make an error in judgment like Michael Ward did.” Then the phone went dead.
She turned it off and dropped it on the seat in revulsion, realizing the Texan had gotten pictures of her from somewhere. There wasn’t time to stew on that. She started the truck, pulled down on the stalk shifter, and floored the gas. She had to get to Washington and see whether her plan might actually work.
CHAPTER 32
“Hey! Hey out there! Franco!” Kevin continued to pound on the bedroom door. “I have a problem in here.”
Kevin stepped back as the door swung inward. Franco, still dressed in his Italian-style gray suit, stepped through.
“I told you dinner wasn’t for another hour.”
“I know,” Kevin said, “but there’s a problem with the bathroom. I think the toilet’s broken.”
Franco came farther into the mansion’s bedroom and closed and locked the door behind him, putting the deadbolt key in his pocket. The room was sparsely furnished with a bed, a nightstand and lamp, a small writing desk, and a cane-backed chair. All decorations had been removed from the room just before his arrival. Darker areas were visible where pictures used to hang. Kevin had tried opening the window earlier, but it was nailed shut. If he broke it and attempted to jump the twenty feet to the ground, the guard posted outside his door would be alerted and capture him before he could climb through. Besides, he had no doubt it was hooked up to the alarm system. A tiny bathroom with a glass-enclosed shower, a sink, and a toilet was separated from the bedroom by a louvered door. As with the bedroom, all of its contents had been removed except for a hand towel.
“Did you take a dump in it?” Franco asked, walking toward the bathroom but never taking his eyes off Kevin.
“No, I just took a piss, and then it started to overflow after I flushed it.”
“Sit down in that chair while I take a look. And I don’t want to see you get up.” Kevin did as he was told. Franco went into the bathroom.
Kevin was somewhat surprised at how good he was at lying, considering he almost never did it. The toilet was stopped up, but Kevin knew exactly why. He had torn a piece of the sheet from the bottom of his bed and stuffed the wad into the toilet so that it couldn’t be seen. Only a plumber’s tool would be able to get at it, and he didn’t know of many plumbers that worked on Saturday nights or Sundays. Of course, if they thought it was an emergency, they could get someone, but Kevin thought they wouldn’t for a problem this minor. All he was hoping was that they would let him use another bathroom.
Franco came out of the bathroom after a minute.
“What’s the problem?” Kevin said.
“Do I look like a fucking plumber? How the hell should I know?”
“What am I supposed to do? I can’t use that toilet. It’s filled to the top with water. If I try to flush it, it’s going to flood the whole room.”
“I thought you college guys were smart. You said you just went. If you have to go, don’t flush. Now don’t bother me again.”
The door slammed shut. Kevin could only wait in the barren room, helpless.
Two hours later, dinner still hadn’t come. Kevin was famished; his lunch was still lying in the Virginia Tech commuter lot. He lay in the bed on top of the covers, staring at the ceiling in the dwindling twilight coming through the window. The events of the last week weighed heavily on him. He’d never experienced so much death and destruction. In fact, the only close person he’d lost up to this point had been his mother.
Now he was just like Erica. No parents. No family.
During the drive to Virginia and the subsequent race to get the experiment completed, he’d thought little about his father. When he did, it was only for seconds at a time. Now that his own death was imminent, he had plenty of time to think about his father’s. He didn’t cry, but he felt an emptiness, a loneliness he didn’t expect. Although he hadn’t been to church in years, he thought about heaven and wondered if his mother and father were there, together. Despite everything his father had done, he hoped so. He surprised himself by soundlessly mouthing a prayer.
Before he could finish, the door swung open. Kevin sat up.
A tray came through, held by Franco. Following him was David Lobec.
“I understand from Mr. Francowiak that you have had some plumbing problems.”
Franco placed the tray on the desk. The only things on it were a paper plate holding a sandwich and potato chips and a paper cup turned upside down.
“Boy, you guys are really going all out,” Kevin said, pointing at the meager meal. “You’re just trying to butter me up, right? I mean, before you offer me $10 million instead of $5 million.”
“You are quite an amusing young man, Mr. Hamilton,” Lobec said. “I am sorry that we haven’t been able to provide more luxurious accommodations, but I am sure you understand our position. It wouldn’t do to have you escape before we have the Adamas notebook in our possession. This is obviously the most secure room in the house. Nevertheless, someone will be outside the room at all times.”
“You could have at least given me a working toilet.”
“Yes, you’re correct. I have decided to let Mr. Francowiak and his replacements take you to another bathroom down the hall. I have instructed him to let you use it only if you behave. If you attempt to escape or cause any mischief, he will tie you to the bed for the rest of your stay. Is that clear?”
“If I’m good, do I get a lollipop?”
Lobec came to within a foot of Kevin. “Do you realize, Mr. Hamilton, that if Miss Jensen does not meet us at the Arlington Bridge on Monday, you will die?”
“You’re going to kill me anyway, along with Erica if she’s there. In fact, the only way I’ll live is if she doesn’t show up. Then you need me.”
“You can believe what you want, Mr. Hamilton, but I can assure you that no one wants this situation peacefully resolved more than I. Now, I have some business to attend to out of town. I will be back Monday morning to escort you to the rendezvous.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Enjoy your meal. Mr. Francowiak will escort you to the bathroom when you are finished.”
As he flashed a last corrupt smile at Kevin, Lobec followed Franco out the door, leaving Kevin wondering if he had a chance in hell of getting out of this.
At first apprehensive that the sandwich contained poison, Kevin quickly dismissed the idea as ludicrous. If they wanted to kill him, it would have happened hours ago, probably under torture. Tarnwell had asked him several questions about Adamas, but he obviously believed that the process was useless while the original notebook was still out there. And even with his memory, Kevin wouldn’t be able to accurately reproduce the entire experiment anyway.
He wolfed down the sandwich and potato chips and washed them down with several cupfuls of water from the sink. Somewhat invigorated from the food, he prepared himself for a task that in any ordinary setting would have been distasteful. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of maintaining his civility.
With the water running to mask the sound, he urinated into the sink.
After he was finished, he knocked on the door.
“Hey, Franco, I’m through with dinner.”
