“An excellent question,” Beckett said. “But I’m afraid I can’t answer that for you. Consider it a mystery.”
I wanted to smash him for toying with me, but then I’d have to deal with Gullerson.
“Okay. How did you find me here?”
“Originally I placed a tracking device under the lapel of your jacket when we collided at the Accademia. That led us to the Gritti and then to Milan, although we lost you when you slipped out of the country without going through customs. Neat trick.
“We were watching out for you and learned of the fire at your residence. So unnecessary. We guessed you had returned to California, which is where we picked up your signal at the Hollister House.”
“People change jackets. What made you think I’d keep mine on?”
“People do change coats, don’t they, but when they’re on the road they generally keep their belongings with them. We found the bloody transmitter in the grass by a cottage in serious need of repair. It must have come off during your fracas.”
“We could have been killed there,” I said angrily. “And now Tecci’s got Antonia.”
“Yes, that is unfortunate. However, don’t forget who abandoned whose ship. And watch your tone with me. I’m your life preserver, so to speak.”
He pulled the backup disk Mona made for me from his pocket. “Found this in the glove box of your car. Had a chance to look over your work—the two hundred separate rings—and Leonardo’s notes. I know you’re on to something exceptional, although I confess I’m utterly mystified at this point.”
“That’s why you’re here,” I said, stretching my neck, which tugged at the bandages on my throat. I heaved my suitcase onto the bed, dressed, then pulled back the curtain and went to Archie’s side. Beckett followed, his gaze bearing down on me. I wasn’t going on Gibraltar’s hook. But I was going back in the water, and I knew which direction to swim.
“Archie,” I called. “You’re going to be all right, my friend.”
He opened an eye and grabbed the front of my shirt with surprising-strength.
“Wha haffen Ginny?” he mumbled.
“They took her,” I said, gently placing his hand on the bed. “But I’m going to get her back. And you’re going to help me,” I said to Beckett. “I know how the Circles work.”
Beckett’s eyebrows raised slightly. He smacked his lips.
“Splendid.”
We stepped through the Medical Center’s automatic doors into the fresh air.
“Tell me you have a jet nearby,” I said.
“Of course. At the Big Bear Airport,” he answered. “One of the privileges of being well funded.”
“You saw the files. You must have a computer handy.”
“My laptop in the car is loaded with CorelDraw and all the files that are on the disk.” He pointed to a silver sedan in the parking lot, Mobright at the wheel.
“Then all I need is a program that’ll translate Italian into English,” I told him. “You wouldn’t happen to have that in the car, too, would you?”
“Actually, I am an expert Romance linguist. My Italian is flawless. So you see, Gibraltar is your friend.”
“I’m not doing this for Gibraltar.”
“I’m clear on that,” Beckett said as we reached the car. “Your focus has shifted—you are after Ms. Gianelli, and the Dagger is your bargaining power.”
“Exactly. You and I still have different agendas.”
“Quite. Nevertheless, I dazzled the sheriff so as to extricate you from his meaty clutches. Quid pro quo. Getting into the car instead of mugging me, stealing the disk, and vanishing in the mist will be a good start.”
He held the rear door open and I climbed in. Mobright squinted his beady eyes at me in the rearview mirror.
“Now,” Beckett said. “Let’s find the Dagger, shall we? Any idea where to begin?”
“Rome,” I told him.
That was a particularly cruel kind of torture, finally having someone-to live for, but not knowing if she was still alive. The Dagger was a ransom I would gladly pay to free her. I had to follow it and work with Beckett to unravel the mystery of the Circles of Truth.
Once we were airborne, Beckett said, “Well, then . . . I suspect we have some work to do over the course of the next thirteen hours. Please begin with an explanation of the Circles.”
I plugged the laptop into an AC bar just above the bird’s-eye maple table in front of me, and turned it on. Beckett watched with keen interest as I opened the CorelDraw files, located the proper rings of Truth One, put them in the correct order, and rotated them to fit together, repeating the process with the second circle. Beckett studied the results carefully.
“So,” he stated, “inner and outer alternations, thirty-six degrees per ring, flip flop from one circle to the other. Positively ingenious. How the devil did
