‘That’s why they held the conference here?’
‘Of course. Sophisticated criminals always choose the places you’re least expecting. What do you think they’re hiding in Antarctica? Yetis?’ He laughed.
To Kelly, this was a new world, untouched by her kind. She had trouble keeping up with it and believing it was another ball game entirely. She hadn’t decided yet. She glanced at Johnny and knew he was losing patience. She was supposed to be meeting a woman and she’d been chatting to a young man for almost ten minutes.
‘Jamie tried to tell me, but he was compromised before he had the chance to confirm the location. He became obsessed with the patient. At one point he thought it was Paul, his partner.’
This was new to her. ‘How did he know it wasn’t him?’
‘He didn’t. He suspected.’
‘Paul was close to Angelina, how could he have let anything happen to her, if he knew what was going on?’
‘Perhaps he didn’t, or not at least willingly. I know the methods of these people first hand. I went into hiding because I had a visit from some unpleasant men in black balaclavas.’
‘Ah, I had that last night, but just one.’
‘You get used to it. You’re still here. That means it was just a warning.’
‘Do you have proof that Jamie and Angelina were murdered because of what they were going to reveal?’
‘He does.’ Joe nodded to his phone that Kelly was still holding.
‘This address is near Rydal,’ she said, reading the details.
‘It was here all along, right under Jamie’s nose. He was just too late.’
‘Did he go there to see if it’s true?’
‘It is true.’
‘How do you know? Have you seen it for yourself?’
‘No. Angie did though.’
A couple of hikers muscled in on the queue and caused a stir for pushing in. Kelly saw Johnny watch them closely and follow them towards the back of the cave. He’d spotted something. Then Joe moved away. He’d seen something too. Kelly searched the cave for signs that some of the people there were not tourists, but she struggled to identify any imposters.
She saw Joe leave and turned back to Johnny, who was suddenly behind her. He blocked her with his body and the two hikers passed by. He pulled her arm, and she went to theentrance, and as she looked back, she saw one of the hikers staring at her and give a signal to her of a slit throat.
She was still walking beside Johnny when she turned away from the stranger and walked out into the bright sunshine.
‘Jesus, how did you know?’
‘Their trainers were too clean,’ he said.
‘Damn,’ she said under her breath. ‘Did you see where Joe went?’
‘Joe? The fucking podcaster? That’s him? Jesus Christ, you were set up. He’s down there, getting into his car. Has it crossed your mind why he’s still walking around freely and they’re not following him? He’s playing both sides, Kel. I’d bet my life on it.’
They walked back to her car and watched as Joe got into his and drove away.
‘When you are forced to gather intel like this, Kel, perhaps it’s a sign that it won’t end well and you’re dealing with people who are more powerful than your job.’
‘We need to go here,’ she said, showing him the address in Rydal on her phone.
‘Don’t you think it’s time you requested some back-up? You have no idea what you’ll find there.’
She slammed the car door shut without getting in and peered back up to the caves.
