Countdown - Iris Johansen [105]
“I have a few glimmers.” He leaned back in his chair. “Let me think about it.”
“Can we use MacDuff?”
He smiled. “He’d deny that anyone could use him. But we’ll almost certainly have to bring him into the mix. We’d have to kidnap Jock to get him away from his laird.”
“I’m not sure about that. He didn’t want MacDuff near Reilly.”
“And you believe MacDuff wouldn’t raise hell and track us down if we tried to interfere with Jock without his supervision?”
“No, I guess not.”
“And I made a deal with MacDuff about Reilly.”
“Reilly’s head on a platter?”
“Let’s say I promised him that if I found Reilly, he’d get his chance at him.” He tilted his head. “It was a bargain I had no qualms about making considering Reilly’s character.” He reached for the phone. “Sorry to wake you, Bartlett. We have a situation. Will you come to the library?” He hung up. “Don’t talk to Eve or Quinn for the time being, Jane.”
“Why not?”
“When I called Venable tonight, he said that his tech crew intercepted an unknown electronic signal in the area yesterday. Grozak may have been able to get a fix to tap the phone line.”
“That’s great,” she said in disgust. “That’s all we need right now.”
“We’ll get around it. We may even be able to use it.” He spoke to Bartlett as he came in to the room. “We’re going to the U.S.”
“You want me to arrange transport?”
“Not yet. I’ll let you know. We can’t be seen leaving here, so we may have to meet the pilot somewhere away from the Run. We’ll have to use a different pilot this time. Probably Kimbrough. He operates out of Paris.”
“When do we leave?”
“You don’t leave. You stay here.”
Bartlett frowned. “Why should I? I’m doing nothing here. I’ve been very bored lately.”
“I’ve an idea that that won’t continue.” He turned to Jane. “You’d better get to bed.”
Was he trying to get rid of her?
He shook his head as he saw her expression. “Tomorrow may be rough sledding. You can stay if you like, but I’m just going to go over the routine running of the security of the castle and my business affairs with Bartlett.” He smiled faintly. “I promise I’m not going to go anywhere without you.”
She stood up. “You bet you aren’t.” She headed for the door. “When are you going to talk to MacDuff? I want to be there.”
“Eight?”
She nodded. “Eight.”
But it was only a little after six the next morning when Bartlett knocked on her door. “I’m sorry to wake you,” he said apologetically. “But MacDuff just blew into the library like a hurricane and Trevor sent me to get you.”
“I’ll be right there.” She jumped out of bed and grabbed her robe. “Give me a minute to wash my face.”
“I’ll wait.” He watched her run to the bathroom and called after her. “But MacDuff seems very impatient. He’s not waiting for anyone to vent. I believe Jock must have decided to break his news to him.”
“I’m not surprised.” She was dabbing at her damp face with a towel as she came out of the bathroom and headed for the door. “I don’t know how unpredictable Jock was before, but he’s volatile as hell now.”
“No more than MacDuff,” Bartlett murmured as he hurried after her.
She saw what he meant when she entered the library. MacDuff was standing, hovering over Trevor like the wrath of God. His lips were tight and his eyes glittering as he turned to her. “Why did I have to hear it from Jock? Were you trying to shut me out?”
“I considered it. Jock didn’t really want you along,” she said curtly. “But Trevor said he’d made a deal.”
“How honorable,” MacDuff said with sarcasm. “Am I supposed to be grateful? Our deal was for you to find Reilly. It turns out Jock is going to find Reilly for me. I don’t need you.”
“But Jock won’t find Reilly for you,” Jane said. “He’s afraid for you. He wants us along.”
“So he told me.” He scowled. “I could push him.”
“And do you want to do that?” Trevor asked. “He appears to be pretty finely balanced. He could break or slip over the edge.”
MacDuff didn’t speak for a moment. “Dammit, I don’t want you interfering.”
“Tough,” Jane said. “You’re not the only one affected by that scumbag. Jock wants us and we’re going.