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“Well, good luck Loren, we’ll look for you to join us in the dining hall shortly”
As Audrey uests, Loren leaned across the table and spoke in a low voice “I’ve never known you to have the patience for fishing, even on vacation”
Pitt glanced around the roo devices “It all depends on the quarry I’e catch to be had in these waters”
Loren shook her head “Well, just don’t bring back any monsters” She rose stiffly and turned her back on hi to the hall Uncharacteristically, she neglected to kiss hiood-bye
Pitt watched her leave with growing concern Loren was turningLoren’s arer McKee turned and looked at Pitt, tossing hiht-headed hi his instincts He sniffed at his coffee, then put it down, unfinished He returned to their roorabbed a jacket and the car keys
He found the corridor empty and decided to have a look around Their roo the lakefront hallway The view suites, named for Scottish clans with bronze plaques on the doors, were separated by small s that overlooked the lake Similar rooms lined the interior wall, s that opened onto the manor’s central courtyard
Pitt walked to the opposite corner, where the hallway turned and ran toward the front rotunda, passing the dining hall along the way Near the corner, he stopped at a single side door that lacked any emblems He tested the handle, and the door opened to a carpeted stairwell that led to a lower level Scant lighting illumined the way as Pitt descended to the basement
The carpeted steps gave way to a thick-planked wood floor, worn by centuries of use The empty open room was die stack of oak barrels to one side Behind them, he found a roooden racks filled with bottles of wine He pulled out a bottle, blew off its dusty coating, and read the label aloud “‘Château Lafite Rothschild, 1961’ Well done, Mr McKee”
He replaced the bottle andfor a wall switch, he illu and a polar bear skin rug Two huge salmon, presumably from the loch, were stuffed and back chairs sat in thea side wall
Stepping into the room, Pitt could see the wall displayed an assortlass case, was an ancient frock and kilt, stained with dirt and blood and identified as a Highland rebel’s uniforer, spear, and blunderbuss were mounted beside it A small label beneath proclaimed ANGUS McKEE, BATTLE OF CULLODEN
On either side was an impressive display of ancient arhteenth-century dueling pistols Pitt ad pistol with attached bayonet, displayed in a wooden case The case was dusty like the wine No one had admired the collection in quite some time
Pitt turned off the light and left the study Beyond it, a wide corridor ran to his right, toward the front of the e rooms and a pair of dark offices, then reached a set of double doors They were locked
He backtracked and entered the first office A plushly decorated executive retreat, it featured rich paneling, Persian carpets, and a largethe walls were oil portraits of historical fe Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Queen Elizabeth I On the far wall hung a floor-to-ceiling painting of a red-haired wo a band of warriors in battle against a Roion
The desk was clean and orderly, adorned with a single photo of Evanna McKee at the manor’s entrance with Audrey and Riki He opened the desk drawer, finding only a calendar that showed upcos in Paris, Jakarta, and Istanbul He heard the bass thu hall
He exited the office and poked his head into the next roo office with two standard-sized desks, each supporting a desktop computer