Fatal Tide - Iris Johansen [87]
“Oh, yes, I've heard of you.”
“You know a lot about what's been going on, don't you, Phil?” Melis asked slowly. “Do you think I'm idiot enough to believe you'd be content to sit on the sidelines and watch someone else get credit for finding Marinth?”
“Believe what you like.”
“I will. But I don't like it.” She tried to steady her voice. “Do you know what I believe? I'm beginning to think you're as guilty as Archer. I'm putting together the pieces. What was the deal? Archer was to torment me until I was desperate enough to do what you wanted. What were you going to get in return? And don't tell me it was a chance to stay here and experience Marinth secondhand.”
“I never wanted to hurt you, Melis. I knew Archer couldn't break you. But you had to be urged along.”
“Urged?” She had a moment's memory of those nightmare conversations. That hideous moment when she had stared down at Carolyn's body. “Oh, yes, he was very persuasive. But what was your price, Phil?”
He shifted uneasily. “I think you'd better leave now.”
“Not yet.” Kelby took a step closer. “Let's talk about targets. You said Melis wasn't the target. Who was the target, Lontana?”
Phil started to turn and go back into the cottage.
“It was you, Kelby,” Melis said. “From the beginning it was you. All Archer put me through was just to keep us heading toward Marinth. To unsettle me, keep me off balance, make sure I kept on pushing you. He wasn't sure he'd be able to get those research papers from me. Isn't that right, Phil?”
“Nonsense.”
“You wanted Marinth. You set Kelby up to find it for you. But what happens after he finds it? I think you told Archer to kill Kelby and destroy the Trina so that you could move in on the project. That would be the only payoff that would make sense. Marinth and Kelby's death for your research papers. Why did you move that chest from the mountain?”
He was silent a moment and then he shrugged. “I knew Archer was probably playing a double game. He was aware that you knew where the chest was. If he could get the research from you, he'd do it and leave me out in the cold.”
“You mean he wouldn't take me down,” Kelby said.
“I'm not admitting anything,” Phil said. “Actually, I think I could like you, Kelby. We have a good deal in common.”
“Archer was playing a double game. He was expecting you to come to the mountain tonight to help me, Kelby,” Melis said. “I was surprised he was upset when his men didn't find anyone in the woods. He expected you to be there. Then, if I was lying about the location of the chest, he could still get the research papers from Phil as the price for killing you. Where's the chest, Phil?”
He hesitated. “In the cabinet under the window seat.”
“Weren't you afraid Archer would come here and find it?”
“He doesn't know I'm here. I'm not stupid enough to let him get his hands on me. We communicate by phone. He's a barbarian.”
“And what are you, Phil?”
“Go get the chest, Nicholas,” Kelby said.
Nicholas nodded and started toward the house.
“Those tablets are mine, and so is the research,” Phil said quickly. “You can't take them away from me.”
“Watch us,” Kelby said. “The tablets were found by Melis, and the research came from them. You get nothing, Lontana.”
“Stop him, Melis. You know how hard I worked.”
“You're incredible,” Kelby said. “You actually expect her to help you?”
“I helped her. I gave her a home when she needed it,” he said defensively. “If she hadn't been so stubborn, none of this would have been necessary.”
“I've got them. Papers and tablets.” Nicholas had come out of the cottage carrying a large wooden box. “I'll go put them in the car.”
“Don't let him take them away, Melis. I only did what I had to do,” Phil said desperately. “I didn't do anything really wrong. There are so many riches down there in Marinth. This sonic device was only the tip of the iceberg. I'm the only one who has the right to explore it. The entire world could benefit from what I find down there.”
“Could it?” Melis's voice was uneven. “At the moment I don't really care how the world is going to be a better place because