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Inside, the receptionist stood at theand watched Pitt drive by She hurried to her desk and dialed a nu when the phone at the other end went to voicemail She dialed a second nu
“A proble?”
“No, it ell,” the receptionist said “He claimed to have a water sample from El Salvador, which we obtained I’ll send you the video straight away The problem is Richards He just departed with the sa him”
“Did you try calling Richards?”
“Yes, but he didn’t answer”
r />“I see He should have shown more caution” A pause “Position one of the lorries on the lab road from Foyers Meet him on the way back And make it look like an accident”
The receptionist had no opportunity for debate With a click, the line fell dead
37
The Volkswagen drove south fro the River Ness to the town of the sae, then turned onto a sed Loch Ness’s southeastern shore
Pitt hung back, staying just within sight He followed the Volkswagen for tenin and out of view, until they reached Foyers, a village known for its nearby waterfalls The paved road turned south past the town and away from the loch The VW disappeared around a bend, but when Pitt accelerated through the curve, the vehicle had vanished He noticed a light spray of dust to his right, braked hard, and whipped the Mini onto a one-lane dirt road that snaked into the trees The Volkswagen appeared for an instant ahead, then ed by a dip
Pitt slowed, keeping well out of view, as the road passed a pair of quaint Victorian houses, then crossed a narroooden bridge across the River Foyers The road zigzagged through a forested ridge near the lake The loch’s blue waters flickered through the trees on Pitt’s right as the road paralleled the shoreline He continued along, noting there was no place the VW could have turned off
A mile on, Pitt noticed a marker to the side, the first he’d seen on the narrow lane He pressed the accelerator when he drew closer and saas not a marker It was a camera on a post After he sped past it, the road curved and dipped down a short hill, then ended at an open arched steel gate A quick glance revealed a high ate to the upper woods on the left, and downhill to the loch on the right
Pitt hit the brakes and skidded to a stop at the crest of the hill The thick steel gate slid closed, and the gray Volkswagen pulled into a parking lot, partially concealed by a thick hedge, just beyond Theas Perkins exited the car and disappeared down the paved ay
Pitt backed the Mini up and over the hill and turned around in a s behind the roadside caate If anybody atching, soate
Pitt didn’t wait for a welcome He jumped out of the car, sprinted into the trees to his left, then turned and angled his way toward the coh steel structure topped with concertina wire Just beyond it were electronic sensors mounted on short poles every few yards Extreht, for an environmental research lab