“You were orchestrating everything from the beginning.” I’m still struggling to take it all in, to comprehend the ramifications of what I’ve done, the magnitude of my own stupidity.
“I was pretty much the puppeteer, yes,” Marius confirms. “This was a plan a year in the making.”
“Why?” Graham asks, the veins in his neck straining from the effort of trying to free himself. “Why all the subterfuge? What are you hoping to accomplish?”
“It was a simple plan, really,” Marius explains. “Kane would kidnap the professor’s daughter. He’d get caught—by yours truly on behalf of SAMP—along with all the other members of Animal Freedom Defenders. The exposure of the kidnapping plot would go a long way toward discrediting the animal rights movement and shift public support to the side of animal research.”
“That’s crazy,” Amy blurts out.
“I prefer insanely clever.”
I rock lightly on the balls of my feet, waiting for an opportunity to catch him off guard. But judging from Marius’s stance and the way he’s holding his weapon, the man is ex-military.
“What does SAMP get out of it?” I ask in an effort to keep him talking. Talking is better than shooting. And Marius is enjoying center stage, eager for admirers of his scheme.
“Aside from the incalculable value of public support for animal research, SAMP stands to gain millions of dollar’s worth of security contracts. Think of all the research organizations who’d be only too eager to hire SAMP to protect their interests.”
“I trusted you,” Graham accuses, glaring at Marius. “You lied to me about your resource not being able to trace Amy’s call.”
“One lie among many, my gullible friend.”
“You put my daughter at risk!”
“It was supposed to be a simple plan,” Marius says again. “Amy was to be returned safely. You were to be the recipient of additional funding—sympathy grants, if you like.” Marius looks at me. “That’s whatshouldhave happened. Until you messed everything up by getting emotionally involved.” He shakes his head. “I knew from our last conversation you were up to something.”
Marius doesn’t know about Nolene, I realize. She left before he arrived. So does he think I gave Amy back to her father, tied Graham up, and then what? Planned to disappear after saying goodbye to Amy? I wince inwardly. I can step through the holes in that story, but hopefully they won’t occur to Marius. Not with his ego crowding up his head.
There’s little chance Nolene will return. She’s most likely on her way to the airport.
“How did you know I was here?” I ask.
“Tracking device on your Land Rover.” Marius takes a step forward, leading with his Beretta. “Since a simple plan has become unfortunately complicated, the plan has to change.”
Come on, a little closer. “Change how?”
“A new ending,” he says. “Animal rights terrorist breaks into the home of a renowned neurology professor and kills him and his daughter. I arrive at the professor’s house for a security briefing, hear the shots and come running. Regrettably, not in time to save them, but in time to shoot the terrorist.” He sounds irritated. “A more violent outcome, but with the same results.”
“Is that the lengths you’ll go to?” Graham asks disbelievingly. “Murder?”
Marius shoots him a scathing glance. “What do you think I did when I worked for the military,Professor?You think I organized charity events?”
“Your fight is with me,” Graham says, squirming against his restraints. “Let Amy go.”
“Why?” Marius asks with a chilling smile. “According to you, Amy has a death sentence over her anyway.”
“You don’t say a word about that!” Graham rages. “Don’t you dare say a single word!”
I’m completely thrown by Marius’s words. So is Amy, judging from the startled look on her face. One glance at Marius’s taunting expression and Graham’s frantic response tells me that whatever is coming won’t be good. Apprehension charges through my veins.
“Dad, what is he talking about?” Amy asks.
“Marius!” shouts Graham.
Paying no attention to him, Marius addresses Amy. “After your mother died, your father had you genetically tested. He found out you carry a gene mutation you inherited from your mother. The faulty gene was something he always suspected but could never confirm because your mother had barred him from testing you.”
It’s suddenly hard for me to breathe.No, no, no. Oh, Amy.
“What?” asks Amy in a small voice.
