Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [688]
“Oh, I’ve brought my laptop. It’s in my hotel room.”
“I would guess,” Pakula said, “that he’s used some standard measures to prevent anyone from finding him. I doubt we’ll be able to track his e-mail.”
“But the FBI has all sorts of things they can do now since 9/11, right?” Father Keller asked. Now Maggie thought she could hear a tinge of frustration in his voice.
“What else do you have?” Pakula pressed on, glancing at Maggie. Finally he was showing some doubt and dissatisfaction. She sat quietly.
“I have a copy of the list,” Keller said and gave the top of the box a tap. “Father Paul Conley was on it.”
“What about Father Rudolph Lawrence?” Pakula asked.
“Lawrence? No, I didn’t see that name.”
“Are you sure?”
“When you discover your own name on a list of people to be eliminated you tend to know who else is on the list.”
“How many are on the list?” Pakula wanted to know.
“Including myself, five.”
Pakula let out a long breath. His eyes met Maggie’s before he reached up to swipe his hand over his shaved head.
“The deal was to turn over everything that I believe might help you capture this person. It’s to my benefit that he be caught. However, before I do that,” Keller said, but by now there was a definite, although subtle, quiver to his strong deep voice, “there’s something else I need.”
Of course there was, Maggie thought. What good timing. She wanted to tell him to forget it. They weren’t even sure any of his information would help. But she could see Pakula sit forward and shift in his chair. She knew he wanted to see what was in the box and if there were actually any fingerprints.
“What else?” Pakula asked, glancing at Maggie but not waiting for her okay.
“As I mentioned to Agent O’Dell, I believe I’ve been poisoned. I have reason to believe it’s something called monkshood.”
Maggie wanted to laugh at the irony but instead muttered, “How appropriate.”
Both men ignored her.
“I believe The Sin Eater sent me tea laced with monkshood. That’s how he thought he would eliminate me.”
“But you found out?” Pakula said. “How?”
“He told me. He seemed rather proud of his cleverness.” Keller wiped at beads of sweat now on his forehead despite the room’s still being freezing cold. Maggie thought his pupils were dilated and one of his hands had dropped to his lap where it fisted up as if he might be in pain.
“What do you want from us?” Pakula asked.
“I think it’s called digitalis. It’s used in heart medication. It’s supposed to be an antidote to treat monkshood poisoning. I need it. You bring it to my hotel room and I’ll hand over the box and my laptop.”
He pushed back strands of hair sticking to his forehead and now he stood. She saw him wince; perhaps that simple movement was painful. Maggie tried to remember what the symptoms were for monkshood poisoning but couldn’t be sure of anything other than it had been used mostly during the Middle Ages. It certainly wasn’t a modern-day poison of choice.
Pakula stood, too, but looked at Maggie, waiting for her response, letting her finalize what had initially been her deal.
She remained seated. “Why in the world do you think you can trust us,” she asked Keller, “when I’ve made it quite obvious that I think you’re a cold-blooded killer?”
Although he appeared to be in some discomfort—she could see him using his left hand against the table to steady himself—his voice didn’t waver when he met her eyes and said, “Because you gave me your word, Agent O’Dell. And I happen to know that means something to you.”
CHAPTER 76
The Embassy Suites
Omaha, Nebraska
Pakula had finished his call to Chief Ramsey, then checked his voice messages to see if any were urgent. Kasab had taken Keller back to his room before the priest ended up having some sort of attack or before O’Dell ended up strangling him. She still looked like she wanted to. Pakula thought it looked more like Keller had malaria than been poisoned, but Keller seemed pretty certain what was wrong with him.
“Chief Ramsey’s wife is an internist over at the Med