Page 21 of The Death
“As I said, it doesn’t make sense.” She sat down on the couch and stared into the amber depths of the coffee in her cup. “Why would anyone want to kill me? And I don’t know anything about gold mining. Who were those other two people you mentioned? Masini Zakirar…”
“Zakira,” Dominic said. “At least you’ll agree he makes some sense. He’s a chieftain living in an African village named Shafira. He’s also a priest who has been causing a good deal of trouble among the other villages in the area. Eve Duncan is the other woman who could be involved, and she—”
“Eve Duncan?” Celine interrupted. “Of course I know who she is. I didn’t catch the name when you were reeling off all that information. It was just a blur.”
“I thought you’d recognize the name since you’re both artists.”
“Don’t be disrespectful. I’m only a part-time artist who works to keep the landlord at bay and put myself through med school. She’s a genius. I saw an exhibit of her work at a science show in New York and it blew me away.” She was trying to remember the details. “So… alive, but not really quite… here.” Then she suddenly frowned. “And that makes what you told me even more absurd. Why would someone like Duncan be involved with a crook like this Caldwell you told me about? I could see how he might think I could be lured to the dark side. I’m small potatoes as far as income is concerned. But it’s not asif he’d think he could offer her anything she doesn’t have now. You can’t get higher in your field than Eve Duncan. There’s absolutely no comparison between the two of us.”
Dominic smiled wryly. “You’re wrong. I’m sorry, but there may be a very significant similarity as far as Caldwell is concerned.”
Celine lifted her chin defiantly. “And what’s that?”
“My guess is that he may now be regarding you both as tools. And if you don’t prove useful to him, that designation will change to targets.”
Her eyes widened. “And on what evidence do you base that opinion?”
“None. Except that I’ve studied Caldwell’s behavior in the past, and he’s very efficient when he goes after something. Since he’s also completely ruthless, he doesn’t waste any time with people who don’t function as he wishes. He rewards the men who please him and punishes those who don’t.” He paused. “But for some reason he wanted to keep Jossland alive even though you’d done all the punishing yourself in the encounter. Perhaps he has plans for you later.” He thought about it. “But in that note that he sent you, he indicated that the Barnaby killing had been done because he wasn’t free to get you in his sights.”
“Yes, he did,” she said hoarsely. “I’ve got the damn thing memorized. And he wanted me to know that he was going to hurt him and that it was my fault.”
“So allowing Barnaby to be killed was done to pacify Jossland when he wasn’t permitted to go after you? He was obviously saving you for something special.”
“You’ve got it all figured out. Except that it doesn’t make any sense.”
“It makes a great deal of sense,” Dominic said. “You’ve just got to adjust to the idea that Caldwell is the central scumbag who arranged the killing of your friend Barnaby, though he used Jossland as the weapon.” He reached into his wallet, pulled out a photo, and handed it to Celine. “I decided that it was safer if you had an idea what Caldwell looked like. I’m afraid the chances are that you’ll be getting to know him very soon. He’s almost six feet tall and in his forties, with slicked-back gray hair and blue eyes.”
“And before the other night, I never saw this man you say could be in charge of whether I live or die.” Celine tossed the photo on the coffee table. “Would you care to tell me how you know so much about him?”
“He’s an assignment I took on when I found out what a son of a bitch he was. You might say I do vigilante-type work when I deem it necessary.”
“I don’t remember ever hearing about vigilantes working with police commissioners,” she said caustically.
“It happens under special conditions. My work is entirely legal and acceptable to law enforcement, or I wouldn’t have such influential backup.” He smiled. “I can give excellent references.”
“I saw that last night. It doesn’t mean you’re telling me the entire truth.”
“No, and you may not believe totally in me, but I think you have faith in yourself, and you’ll have to decide how far and on what grounds you’ll let me help you.”
“Help me?” she repeated warily. “I haven’t asked you to help me do anything. Just because you practically kidnapped me and brought me to this swank hotel doesn’t mean that I want you to do anything else.”
“No, you haven’t asked me for anything else,” he said. “I don’t think you’ve made up your mind yet, and I can understand that. I just want you to know that I’m available to you. I have more knowledge about Caldwell than you do, and I have people who will help in whatever we decide is best to do to him. Right now, you’re upset and it’s difficult to decide which way you need to go. I’ve checked you into this hotel for the next week, and Rashid will be on hand in case he’s needed. That will keep you safe while you get a chance to think. You’ll be alone except for Rashid. You won’t hear from me unless you call me and tell me you want to see me.” He handed her one of his cards. “Or if there’s anything I can do to make your way easier.”
She looked down at the card. “I won’t call you. I can take care of myself. I’ll probably go back to work in a couple days.” She grimaced. “If I still have a job to go back to. I’ll have to call them and see. The hospital doesn’t tolerate its interns not showing up for duty.”
“I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble,” Dominic said with a slight shrug. “The surgical director of your unit would fight to keep you. He says your first two years of internship have been remarkable; he thinks you may become the most brilliant brain surgeon the hospital has ever turned out.”
She was staring at him. “You actually talked to him?”
“I told you I had to know who you were. I thought your hospital director would be one of the best people to ask.” He smiled. “I was going to talk to the head of your art studio next. Do you think I should?”
“It would be pretty much a waste of time. He’d only tell you I have strength and stamina and an interesting face. Nothing important.”
“I disagree. All of those qualities have an importance to the right person.”
“Then maybe I’m not the right person.” She gazed at him with narrowed eyes. “But I think you know quite a bit about people, don’t you? You work at it?”
“I find most people very intriguing,” he said. “And some are extraordinary. For instance, it was a pleasure to explore you, Celine.” He smiled. “And at no time in the process did I ever consider you ‘a thing.’ There are some people who would consider referring to you in that way as almost a sacrilege.”
