A stark silence ballooned at Caroline’s crude illustration of her plight, and nodding, Meyer glanced back at the pile of her notes on the table between us.
Addressing Akari, who appeared to be the person in charge, I took the proverbial bull by the horns.
“The Swiss police have told me that my plea deal is off the table until I agree to your specific terms.”I waited until her head rose, her gaze meeting mine.“Is this correct?”
In the corner of the small, corporate room the hospital had allocated to us, Kaspar cleared her throat.
“It is true we wished to meet with you and talk.”Akari’s expression was serious.“The information you provided, combined with the message from President Jackson yesterday, have given us additional causes for concern.”
“Something I can help you with?”
My focus traveled along their faces again, wondering who would be the first to break rank and actually get to the point.They hadn’t come all that way for the poor hospital coffee, even if the caliber offered in the corporate rooms had been elevated from the beverages served on the wards.
“We hope so,” Laurent answered.“It is this concept President Jackson mentioned of holding more women to account that we find the most troubling.”
“Yes.”I glanced over at Caroline, whose gaze fell at my attention.We both knew only too well what Ian had in mind when he made those threats.“I quite agree.”
“Yet, you were the president’s second in command until recently.”Meyer interrupted.“A man also responsible for overseeing such plans.Is that not correct?”
“I was not officially his deputy, no,” I countered, well aware that I was arguing semantics.“But yes, I have good reasons to believe that Ian trusted me implicitly until the day I fled.All of this was detailed in the information I gave to Officer Kaspar.”
“Yes, we have it.”Laurent waved the wad of papers in front of me.“Tell us how you think the president plans to hold these women to ‘account’.”
Pulling in a breath, I met the other man’s eyes.“Most likely, he will seek to kill them.Jackson has been hellbent on the idea of murdering those he deems ‘unworthy’ for years, but the projects I managed kept the outcome at bay until now.”
“You assume your departure has accelerated the president’s plans?”It was Akari who asked.
“It would seem so, although I can assure you that was not my intention.I only wanted Caroline to be safe.”I reached for her hand, entwining her delicate fingers with mine.
“You may not be aware, Mr.Harper, but the ICC has issued a new arrest warrant for Ian Jackson, and a number of European governments have agreed to action it,” Akari continued.
“I was not aware,” I admitted.“And to be honest, Ian spent precious little time concerning himself with either the demands of other countries or the international court.”
“We have it on good authority that if he steps foot onto French or German territory, for example, those governments will move to arrest him.”Akari reached for her cup and drew the china closer.
“But surely, he would never go to those places?”Caroline’s question appeared to be more aimed at me than the assembled judges.
“He rarely takes international trips,” I agreed.“But that’s less about the fear of reprisals and more about his arrogance.He just enjoys lording himself in Britain too much to leave.”
“So, we need a way to lure him out?”Caroline’s brow rose as though she was imagining what kind of honey trap would be required to achieve the feat.
Ian wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was also no one’s fool.There would have to be an almighty incentive for him to leave the utopia of his presidential palace, let alone the borders of Britain.
“We would like more information about the president’s plan.”Laurent’s pale stare pierced me.
“I have not been privy to his most recent strategies, as you know,” I replied.“But he had long been keen on the idea of clearing out those he deemed ‘unworthy’ to make space for more women at Fortorus.”Not wanting to upset my little girl, I chose my words carefully.“Some women were to be moved to permanent homes elsewhere, while others were to beremoved.”
“And how would he intend to remove them?”Meyer demanded.“What had he discussed with you previously?”
My fingers clasped Caroline’s a little tighter, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate what I had to say next.“Ian has always enjoyed guns.I suspect he would favor some sort of mass firing squad, but he has been known to hang prisoners, as well.”
Knowing the man I’d befriended all those years before, he’d have enjoyed the spectacle of either.
“Oh, God.”Caroline closed her eyes as she drew in a sharp breath.No doubt after months on the site, she could only too easily envision such a brutal massacre, as well as the men who might have happily enacted it for their glorious leader.“We can’t let him do that to all those poor women.”
“I know.”I hadn’t allowed myself too much time to think through the grim outcome, but there was no doubt Ian had both the means and the intent.
“Jackson’s video message suggested that you are still important to him, Mr.Harper.”Akari brought the meeting back to order.“Would you say that was true?”
