"Dead Aim" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johansen Iris)

12

The huge net was stretched from shore to shore across the entire opening of the inlet and four feet above the surface of the water.

"So what do we do now?" Alex murmured. "Cut the net?"

Morgan shook his head. "We wait." He cut the motor of the speedboat. "You called and left a message we were coming. It's her move."

"We may be out here awhile." Her gaze fastened on the small stone-and-wood house hugging the shore. Christ, this was a beautiful place. Jewel-blue water, green mountains, and tropical breezes swaying the trees. It was like something from a travel brochure. "I don't see any sign of stirring. Maybe we should try shouting or making- There's someone." A woman had appeared from around the back of the house and was heading for the pier. Or Alex guessed she was a woman. She wore khaki shorts and a T-shirt, and her feet were bare. She was small and delicately built, with the shining fair hair usually seen in small children. But there was nothing fragile or childlike about the way she jumped into the motorboat at the pier and took off. She breathed competence, forcefulness, and vitality as she gunned the boat toward them.

She stopped fifteen yards on the other side of the net and studied them.

She was stunning, Alex realized, and no child. She was probably in her mid-twenties. Huge dark eyes and features that combined delicacy and boldness to form an extraordinary face. The boldness was definitely on the ascent in the cool glance she was giving Alex. "Alex Graham?"

Alex nodded.

"You don't look like the picture they have of you on CNN." "God, I hope not. You're Melis Nemid?"

The woman nodded.

"Then how do you know what I look like on CNN? I thought you told me you never watched the news."

"I don't. But I had to make sure you were who you said you were."

"Are you satisfied?"

"That you're Alex Graham and that you're up to your ass in trouble? Yes." Her gaze narrowed on Morgan. "But you may be in bad company."

Alex shook her head. "I'd be in a hell of a lot more trouble if he hadn't been around. You can trust him."

"Ah, trust at last," Morgan murmured.

"I don't trust either of you." Melis Nemid was silent a moment and then shrugged. "But I don't have much choice." She started the boat and came slowly toward the net, skimming beside it until she reached a spot a few yards from where Alex and Morgan waited. She bent over the side of the boat, and a moment later a ten-foot-wide section of wire net fell to the surface. "Start your motor and then cut it when you reach the net and coast over," she called.

Morgan obeyed, and the moment they were on the other side of the net Melis Nemid rehooked it and drew the rope that lifted it to its former height. Then she was turning the boat and speeding back toward the shore.

"I guess that means we follow?" Morgan started the motor. "Must be. What a warm welcome. You'd think we'd come without an invitation."

Melis Nemid had already tied up her boat and was striding toward the house when Alex and Morgan reached the pier. She glanced over her shoulder. "Come on. I can't be all day. I have things to do."

"Sorry." Morgan helped Alex out of the boat. "We won't be hurt if you start without us."

She stared coldly at them. "This isn't funny. None of it."

"We know that better than you." Alex stared her in the eye. "And we're not going to be put off or intimidated by rudeness or bad temper. We came for a reason, and you want to supply us with that information or you wouldn't have let us come. Now, can we get on with it, Ms. Nemid?"

She blinked, and then a slight smile touched her lips. "Maybe I do trust you… a little. At least you don't bullshit. Call me Melis." She turned and threw open the front door. "Come in and have an iced tea."

"We'd rather have conversation," Morgan said as they followed her into the house. "And Philip Lontana."

"Then you'll be disappointed. I never told you he was here." She went toward the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "So take the iced tea. It's a long, hot trip back to Tobago." "Thank you," Alex said. She wasn't about to turn down any peace offering, no matter how small. "If he's not here, where is he?"

"Somewhere in the Azores, I think." She poured the tea and set the glasses down on the bar in front of Morgan and Alex. "Or maybe the Canary Islands. At any rate, you can't get in touch with him. Forget it."

"We can't forget it," Morgan said. "He may know something we need to know."

"You can't see him," she repeated. "You talk to me. I told him to get lost and stay lost. Phil doesn't usually pay a lot of attention to me, but he will this time. He got scared at Fairfax."

"Why?"

"Why do you think? He was in over his head. He thought he was going to save the world, and he found out that he'd been lied to. It's a wonder he got out alive. Phil's always been transparent as glass."

"He found out about Arapahoe Junction?"

"No." Her tone was sharp. "Neither of us knew that the thermal-sonic apparatus had even been used there. Not until you left the message on the phone. Phil only came to suspect his device might be developed for weaponry instead of geothermal energy."

"The scientists said there were seismograph readings that indicated an earthquake at Arapahoe Dam. Could those have been caused by Lontana's apparatus?"

She nodded. "Theoretically." She shook her head. "No, that's a word Phil uses when he doesn't want to face the truth. Hell, yes, it could have caused an earthquake. One that would be severe enough to impact the dam. I can't tell you how many times Phil told me how careful he had to be about developing probe techniques that would strike a balance."

"Evidently he wasn't that careful at Fairfax."

"For a long time he was so absorbed in the research that he didn't pay much attention to what was going on around him. After working there for a while, he gradually began to distrust Betworth and Powers and the other people who were in and out of the facility. So one night about three months ago he took his notes, destroyed the prototypes he'd developed at Fairfax, and took off."

"I'm surprised they let him."

"He was smarter than they thought. Phil's a little eccentric, and that fools a lot of people. They considered him the typical absentminded professor. Brilliant, but no common sense. In a way they were right. Phil's always lost in his own world."

"But I'd bet you aren't. Why didn't you stop him from going to Betworth?"

"It's his life. I don't interfere with-" She shrugged. "He didn't tell me. He knew I wouldn't approve, so he took off without saying anything. It wasn't that unusual. Phil was always going off on exploration trips without me. Then he'd show up excited or depressed and stay with me until the next time, the next adventure. I didn't even know where he was until he called me and told me he'd meet me in Nassau and to ready the Last Home."

"Then why are you here?"

"I didn't leave him in the lurch," she said defensively. "I'd never do that to Phil. I got him on the ship and out of port, but I had sickness here. I had to come home."

"We need to see him."

"No, he's out of it. I told him to stay away until I let him know it was safe. He can remain out to sea for years if he has to." Her lips tightened. "And he may have to do that. Thanks to those bastards. If they don't kill him, they'll frame him, won't they?"

"Probably," Morgan said. "But I'd bet on the former."

She shook her head. "I won't let that happen. Why do you think you're here? I can't trust the government. Betworth has too much influence. I can't really trust you either, but you're in hot water and you're going to be moving fast and trying your best to take Betworth down. Right?"

"Yes."

"I won't let you near Phil, but you can have me. I had Phil tell me everything that happened at Fairfax in case something happened to him. What do you need to know?"

"What are Z-2 and Z-3?"

She stared at him blankly.

"Okay, let's try another tack. While the experiments were going on, did they concentrate on any particular vent areas?"

"The Rocky Mountains. The coal-mining country in West

Virginia. The offshore hydro vents near Baltimore."

"Offshore?"

She nodded. "Those really interested Phil. He's always more intrigued by anything underwater." "The Rocky Mountains," Alex repeated. "Arapahoe

Junction…"

"He didn't know that," Melis said quickly. "I tell you, it was just scientific experimentation as far as he was concerned. He wouldn't hurt-"

"Okay. Okay." Morgan held up his hand to stop her. "Where are these coal mines in West Virginia?"

"He didn't know. Somewhere south, he thought. They were having him work very hard on the mathematical equations for that area." Her lips twisted. "Phil thought it was wonderful that they'd concentrated on such a poor region for geothermal benefits."

"Yeah, Betworth is all heart. What about the Baltimore hydro vents?" Melis shook her head. "They abandoned them halfway through the initial survey."

"Why? Not practical?"

"Phil thought it the most promising of the three. But

Betworth said that it wouldn't work. That it wouldn't bring the effect he wanted. He told Powers that they'd have to contact a man named Morales. They needed more bang for the buck."

"And that meant?"

"Phil had no idea. But by that time he was getting pretty pissed off at the entire operation. Not enough to abandon his work, but he just gave up arguing and concentrated on West Virginia."

"And they called in Morales?"

She nodded. "Phil saw him a couple times at the plant be fore he was introduced to him. He said he didn't look or talk much like a scientist, but it wasn't his business. He didn't have to work with him. Morales was glued to Powers and Betworth most of the time."

"Morales was there often?"

"Yes, but he came and went. He must have been sort of a visiting consultant."

"You might call him that," Morgan murmured.

"Anyway, he was evidently put in charge of the Baltimore operation. Phil didn't like it. It didn't make any sense to him. He didn't want anyone else to handle his apparatus, and Betworth seemed to be handing his pet project over to Morales."

"So he cut out?"

"Not then. He was still too intrigued, and evidently Betworth lost faith in Morales, because a few months later he stopped coming around the plant."

"And that made Lantana number one again."

"You've got to understand. It wasn't just professional jealousy. He was getting uneasy. There was more talk about volcano and earthquake effects than tapping reserves for thermal power. Phil has a big ego, but he felt deeply about this project. He didn't want it compromised." She looked down into her glass. "But it was compromised. Jesus, was it compromised."

"How did they manage to sabotage Arapahoe Junction without him?"

"I don't know. He said he took all but one prototype with him, and that one was in Washington with Betworth. But he didn't think it would be of any use without the mathematical calculations that he'd refused to turn over to the team."

"They evidently tried it on Arapahoe anyway," Morgan said. "Powers said it went wrong. That they'd lost Lontana and it had gone wrong."

"What went wrong?" Alex asked. "They destroyed the dam and Arapahoe Junction." Melis shook her head. "How could you expect Phil to know that? He didn't have any knowledge of how those bastards were going to use the sonic apparatus." "And he never heard of Z-2 or Z-3?"

"No."

"No references to places or dates?"

Melis frowned. "No places other than what I've already told you. But Phil said they kept pushing him to move faster. Betworth had a target date by which they had to have a successful launch to present to Congress."

"What date?" "November twelfth."

And it was November 8 today, Alex realized. The knowledge sent a ripple of tension through her.

"D- Day?" Morgan asked speculatively.

"But they lost Lontana," Alex said. "That might have changed everything." "Or it might not." He turned back to Melis. "I need to know more about why Morales was at Fairfax. Did Lontana say anything more about him?" "Just that he didn't like him. But then, Phil's very competitive. He wouldn't have liked anyone who took over one of his projects." Her forehead creased in thought. "He said he overheard a lot of talk about a suitcase."

"Could it have been a briefcase?" Alex asked. "Morgan said

Morales was carrying a briefcase the night he saw him." Melis glanced at Morgan. "You saw Morales? You met him?" "No, it was a very short encounter. But Alex is right, he was carrying a briefcase, not a suitcase." "It could have been a briefcase, I suppose. Phil's not always precise, except in his work." Melis shrugged. "I'll ask him next time I talk to him." She checked her watch. "Is that all? It's time I gave Susie her medicine."

"Unless you can think of anything else."

She shook her head.

"Or will let us talk to Lontana."

"I told you, no one talks to Phil."

Alex smiled. "You're being very protective."

"Someone has to take care of him. He's a good man. It's not his fault he wants to believe everyone is as good as he is." "That sounds familiar," Morgan said. "I believe I know someone else who's similarly inclined."

Melis looked at Alex. "You? Then I feel sorry for you. You get hurt a lot less if you don't let yourself trust people." "I'm sure you don't suffer from that affliction to any great degree," Morgan said. "May we leave now? I watched you, and I think I can lower the net." "If you don't hook it in the correct order, you'll get a hell of an electric shock. I'll come with you and let you out." She opened the refrigerator and took out a wrapped parcel. "As soon as I tend to Susie." She crossed the room, opened the sliding glass doors, and went out onto the lanai. "Five min utes."

"I believe we'll tag along," Morgan said. "Not that we don't trust you. I just believe your philosophy is absolutely sound." "Come along. I don't care." She moved across the lanai and around the corner.

They followed, to find her sitting on the edge of the lanai, which was built out over the sea. Her bare feet were hanging in the water and she was unwrapping the parcel she'd taken out of the refrigerator. "Be quiet. She's not usually skittish, but she's been ill." She raised her voice. "Susie."

Nothing.

"Susie. Stop being a baby. It's wrapped in fish."

A high-pitched squeak and a gray head suddenly emerged five feet from where Melis sat.

"Not you, Pete. You chowhound. Go get Susie."

"Galen mentioned that you work with dolphins," Alex said. "I don't work, I slave," Melis said. "And the ungrateful creatures won't even come when I call them. Susie!"

Two white snouts appeared not two feet from where she was sitting. "It's about time." She took one of the pieces of fish and threw it to the smaller dolphin. The mammal caught it and gulped it down. "That's a good girL" She tossed the other piece to the other dolphin. "Thanks, Pete."

The two dolphins swam closer, rubbing affectionately against her bare legs in the water, softly squeaking. She stroked the female's head. "I love you too," she whispered. "But you've got to take the medicine, baby. No more hiding, okay?" The dolphin squeaked, nodding, and then disappeared be neath the water.

Melis sighed. "Yeah, sure. Keep an eye on her, Pete." The other dolphin glided away after the female.

Melis stared after them, her expression soft, almost radiant. Her demeanor was completely different from the guarded, tough exterior she'd shown Alex and Morgan.

"What's wrong with Susie?" Alex asked.

"A digestive-tract parasite. Nothing that can't be fixed." Melis stood up. "If I can get her to take her medicine. She doesn't like the taste. I've disguised it half a dozen ways, but half the time she won't come when I call her."

"Then what do you do?"

"Get on my scuba gear and go after her." She moved past them into the house. "As soon as I contact Phil, I'll call you and let you know if there's anything else he remembers." She glanced back over her shoulder and said fiercely, "I helped you. Now you go work your buns off and make sure he's safe."

"If you'd been concerned only for Lontana, you'd never have called me back," Alex said. "I believe you realize there are a few other people concerned in this. It's a big world, Melis."

"Not my world." She jumped into her motorboat. "My world is here." She started the engine. "I'll go ahead and lower the net."

"Are you totally alone on the island?" Morgan asked. "It's risky. I'm surprised Betworth hasn't sent someone here."

"He did. Two boatloads of assholes. I electrified the fence."

"Electrified?"

"I told you Phil was brilliant. The net gives off only a small charge to discourage sharks or other predators. But I can rev it up." She grinned. "I told them Phil wasn't here and they still tried to cut the nets and come and see for themselves. After a couple of them were literally blown out of the water, they decided I was telling the truth. For a few weeks I saw someone far out to sea keeping watch on the place with binoculars, but no one lately."

"They could come back."

"Let them. As you've noticed, this island is pretty inaccessible."

"By sea."

"The island is so lush with trees and vegetation that you can't even get a helicopter down. Besides, I'd know they were coming and I have weapons. I'd be ready for them." She peeled out over the water, toward the nets.

Alex glanced back at Melis as she skimmed toward her house on the island. Twilight burnished the waves and bathed the woman and her light-colored boat in a golden haze. "Beautiful…"

"Yes, she is."

"No, I mean… Of course she's beautiful. But the island and the sea and those dolphins. I wonder what it must be like to live on an island and be able to close everyone out as she does."

"She wasn't able to close us out. She had to let us in. She had to get medicine for her dolphin, so she had to use outside help for that."

"Because she chose to do it."

"But if Betworth's guys hadn't been told that Lontana shipped out in the Last Home, she'd probably have had a much more determined crew to deal with. In that case, the choice wouldn't have been hers either. The island concept is nice, but it seldom works. Civilization always interferes, emotion interferes."

"I'd like to try it sometime."

He shook his head. "You couldn't stand it. You're too in volved with life. Give it a month and you'd be risking your neck on the Gaza Strip or digging through some ruin with Sarah Logan and her dog."

"But you could. You could stand on the outside and watch the world go by." "Sure I could." He glanced at her and his lips tightened.

"We're different, Alex. That's what I've been telling you." She quickly looked back at the island to mask the pain that went through her. "It must be a really strange relationship between Melis and Lontana. She seems more the protective parent than he does. He evidently leaves her out here in the middle of nowhere for months on end."

"I wouldn't worry about her. She's definitely no victim." "I didn't say I was worried. I just don't like the idea of any one being that isolated." She grimaced. "We didn't find out much, did we? Except about the coal mine. How many coal mines are there in West Virginia?"

"I don't know, but we'd better find out soon," he said grimly.

She felt the same sense of urgency. They seemed to be taking only the tiniest steps forward, and again she had the panicky feeling that time was running out. "It's like trying to work a picture puzzle with half the pieces missing."

"But we're gradually finding those pieces. We know Betworth origina.lly hired Lontana because they thought they had a foolproof way of accomplishing their ends without being found out. But evidently there was some reason why they thought the sonic apparatus wouldn't give them the effect they wanted on the last project in Baltimore. So they brought in Morales to handle it and evidently also to give them backup plans in case Lontana's technology didn't work."

"And after they got what they needed, they called you to get rid of him so he couldn't talk," Alex said. "And when Lontana took off for the high seas and ruined their nice little scenario, they had to backtrack and rely on Morales's original plans."

"See, we're making progress."

"Yeah, some progress. We don't know why, when, or where. As a journalist I was taught those questions were the essentials for any story."

"Well, we know who. Betworth. The rest will fall into place."

She hoped it would fall into place in time. "Do you think Lontana is as innocent as she claimed?"

"Maybe. He bailed out before Arapahoe. Did he suspect? It's possible. But Betworth evidently didn't think he'd picked up enough information to be dangerous or he'd never have gotten out of Fairfax alive." He frowned. "What I'm wondering about is Morales's involvement in this Baltimore project. It's logical that it would be Z-3. But the diagram in Morales's briefcase looked more like a skyscraper than anything to do with a seaport. And Morales dealt in drugs and arms. Betworth wouldn't have trusted him to have anything to do with this thermal-sonic apparatus. He had to have some other job to do in Baltimore."

"What?"

He shook his head. "I don't know and he can't tell us. But maybe someone else can. Most arms dealers don't work alone. The transactions are too involved and complicated. They have partners or at least contacts."

"Did Morales?"

"I didn't do an in-depth investigation of him before the hit.

It was going to be a simple job. No problems." He reached for his phone. "I told Galen to run a check on him, but it's time to let him know we might need something in a hurry." When Galen picked up, Morgan went through everything they'd learned from Melis Nemid. "Finding that coal mine should take top priority. But I don't like that info on Morales. I didn't realize he was that much involved in the project. It could be those diagrams are just the tip of the iceberg."

"Then I'll see if I can find the rest of the berg." Galen paused. "We have your transport set out of Tobago, but you don't have to come back here. You could stay out of the country. It would be safer. Or you could leave Alex down there."

"No way. Alex and I have just been discussing islands and the fact that Alex couldn't live on one and certainly couldn't be one. So I guess I'll go along for the ride." He hung up and said to Alex, "Though he's right, it would be safer to stay down here in paradise. And much pleasanter than that shack in West Virginia."

"That wouldn't take much." "But the answer's no?"

She looked back at the island, which was almost out of sight in the distance. She was so tired of fighting, and it would be heaven to find a place like that to rest and heal. The idea was beautiful and tempting… and completely out of the question. "The answer's no."

Galen called Morgan back when they were driving down a dirt road to a private airport on the island of Tobago. "I've found Al Leary."

"Where is he?"

"Guatemala City." "What?"

"He left Washington two days ago and we followed him to Guatemala City. Actually, he's in a small town south of the city. He's staying at the Rio Hotel, a Matanza hangout. One of Juan Cordoba's whores lives there, and he uses her place for his more sensitive meetings."

Morgan could feel Alex's gaze on him and carefully kept his face expressionless. "You're sure?" "No doubt about it. And I don't think Leary's down there trying to catch the bad guys. If he were, he'd be dead by now. It looks dirty to me. You're going after him?"

"Yes."

"You need transport?" "Of course."

"You don't want to talk right now, do you?" Galen said. "Call me back as soon as you can. I'll have Marco Salazar pick you up at the airport in Guatemala City. He'll try to help you, but it's really going to be your show. Matanza practically owns the town." He paused. "And Leary's being pretty brassy. He wasn't as hard to find as he should have been. Be careful."

"You know it." He hung up. "What's happened?" Alex asked.

"Logan is still in Washington, but hasn't found out anything. No other news." He put his phone away. "There's the airport. I hope this wind dies down. That prop plane doesn't look like it could stand much buffeting around."

Don Garver, the same pilot who'd flown them from Miami, gave them a sunny smile as he threw open the door for them to board. "Have a good trip? This one may not be so hot. It's going to be a little rough today."

"Should we be flying?" Alex asked.

"Sure. I wouldn't risk that pretty neck." He went back to the cockpit. "But I don't promise not to cause your stomach to do a few flip-flops."

"We'll survive." Morgan helped Alex into the plane and settled her in her seat. "That's what seat belts are for." "Speak for yourself," Alex said. "I don't travel well in bumpy weather." "I promise that you won't even feel it this time." Morgan smiled down at her. "Trust me." "That's a first." She smiled back at him. "Lately you've been trying to convince me you can't be trusted." He put his hand caressingly on the side of her neck. "No one ever said I was consistent."

"Good, because I do trust-" Her eyes widened. "What are-" She slumped down in the seat.

"You won't trust me when you wake up. Sleep well." He brushed a kiss on her forehead and turned to Garver, who was staring wide-eyed at him. "Take her to Miami and don't let her leave the plane until Galen gets there."

"What did you do to her? Hit her?"

"Sort of. And she's going to be mad as hell when she wakes up. If I were you, I'd want to be out of this turbulence before I had to deal with her." He turned and headed for the door.

"Tell her it was necessary. I had no choice. Galen will explain it to her."

The White House

"I have to talk to you, Mr. President," Keller said.

"Not now. I'm late." Andreas moved quickly down the hall.

"I was supposed to be at the dedication of that statue at the Pentagon ten min-" He stopped when he saw Keller's face. "My God, what's wrong?"

"Plummock Falls. We believe it's… gone."

Andreas halted in his tracks. "You told me it couldn't happen again. You told me it was safe."

"That's what I was assured by both the FBI and the CIA." "Assurances. God, I'm tired of assurances. Was anyone hurt?"

"You'll be glad to know that, thanks to your orders, our people were not-"

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Unfortunately, the explosion undermined the integrity of the surrounding acreage. Thirty-four miners are buried. We don't know if there are any fatalities yet." "Thirty-four-" He felt sick, and he knew that horror must be reflected on his face. He had to get to somewhere less public. He was the President. He mustn't show fear or disgust and most of all he mustn't show despair. He was the icon, the symbol. God, he was tired of that too.

Well, too bad. It went with the territory. He drew Keller out of the corridor into the green room. "Now, tell me what the hell happened."

Miami, Florida

"What happened?" Alex glared at Galen as he helped her from the plane. "And where's Morgan? I'm going to kill him."

"I can't say I blame you." Galen took her duffel and led her toward a car parked beside a hangar at the private airport. "But I'm innocent. He didn't say anything to me about ditching you until it was a done deed. He called me after your plane had taken off."

"But you suspected, didn't you? What did you tell him when you called while we were on the way to the plane?" "That AI Leary was hobnobbing in Guatemala City with

Cordoba, the head man of Matanza." "Leary…" She had to think for a minute before she made the connection. "He's the CIA agent who sent Morgan to North Korea." "And set up the Morales hit. Morgan asked me to locate

Leary." And he hadn't mentioned anything about it to her. She felt a burst of anger and frustration-and sheer terror. "He's gone after Leary, hasn't he?" "More than likely."

"You know damn well that's where he is." Her voice was shaking. "He wants answers and he thinks Leary will give them to him. It doesn't matter that he's down there with all those crazy butchers and killers and-" She had to stop to regain her composure. "And he didn't want me with him. He thought I'd get in the way. I'm not that dense. I would never have-" She drew a deep breath. "He said he'd call me, but he's more likely to phone you. You're not going to give him a guilt trip. So you have to let me know when he contacts you. No more secrets."

"Okay. I'd never think of disputing a lady as angry as you are." He opened the passenger door for her. "In the meantime, I promised Morgan I'd take you home with me until he could-"

"No way. Your wife's pregnant. I'm not going to put any more pressure on her than she has already. You can stash me back in that shack in Prescott and I'll wait until I hear-" She broke off as Galen's phone rang.

Morgan?

Galen shook his head to her unspoken question as he spoke into the phone. The disappointment was so intense she had to turn away from Galen for a moment. What had she expected? Morgan might not even have reached Guatemala City yet. Galen was cursing softly and her gaze flew back to his face. Grim. Very grim.

"What is it?" she asked as he hung up. "Your wife?"

He nodded. "But she's fine. She just wondered if I'd heard about Plum mock Falls."

"What?"

"It's a coal mine south of Huntington, West Virginia.

There's been a gas explosion and thirty-four mIners are buried."

Horror surged through her. "No," she whispered.

"That's what I said."

"Z-2?"

"It could be a coincidence."

"I don't think so." Thirty-four smothering darkness beneath the chances of getting them out?"

"It depends how unstable the mine's become and how much air is left down there." mIners caught in that earth. "What are the

"We should have been quicker. We should have been able to figure out where it was going to happen." "How? You just found out about the possibility of coal mines being in the equation. Do you think you're some kind of fortune- teller?" "I guess not." She felt numb. All she could think about were those men buried in that mine. "Why? Why would anyone do that?"

Galen shook his head.

"I have to know, Galen. You weren't at Arapahoe Junction.

All those people, all those deaths. It can't keep happening…" She tightened her lips to keep them from trembling. "I won't let it go on. It has to stop."

Galen touched her shoulder comfortingly. "Come home with me. I talked to Elena. She's good with it."

Alex shook her head. "I'm going to Plummock Falls."

"It's not a good idea. If it's sabotage, there will be all kinds of law enforcement there. And we've already established that some of those cops aren't as pure as they should be. They'll probably be expecting you."

"I don't care," she said fiercely. "I'm going. Even if you have to arrange plastic surgery to keep me from being recognized. I have to be there."

He studied her for a moment and then nodded. "Okay. You do what I tell you and we'll find a way for you to go. I'll call Logan and tell him I may have to ask for some help on this one." He smiled. "And we'll try to do without the plastic surgery. You can use the same disguise elements you did before. It would be a shame to take a knife to that face."