Page 48 (1/2)

Chapter 1

THE KILLER EMPTIED the final bag of ice into the bath and shut off the cold tap

With the tub full he stood back to ad his breath bloom Winter in Delhi, it was cold, but the temperature in the s fast, just the way he wanted it

From outside came the sound of footsteps on the stairs and the killer moved quickly His victim was early but that was fine, he was prepared, and in a heartbeat he left the bathroo his hypoder sound announced the key in the lock and the victim opened the door

The killer attacked fro hiloved hand He used the syringe and for a second the victiled, then went limp The killer let him drop to the carpet, checked the corridor outside, and then kicked the door shut He bent to the victian to undress him

Tenin the bath The bathrooloo of the ice cubes and knew instantly where he was His ared in the ice, his feet and knees were bound As he began to struggle he heard soloved hand pushed his head beneath the cubes He inhaled icy water, feeling his airways fill and his heart constrict with the shock of the sudden cold When the hand allowed hihs an

d splutters were punctuated by the violent chattering of his teeth

The figure loomed over him, a shadow in the darkened bathrooertips first,” he said “Tingling Then nu resources to protect the vital organs Clever thing, the body, it can adapt quickly If you were an Inuit, an Aborigine, even a Tibetan Buddhistthis kind of cold would be sis, you’re …”

The killer e, taken from his shirt “Rahul,” he read, and then tossed it into the bath “Oh, I do apologize I’m sure you know all about the effects of cold on the hu down of the various functions, how the brain dies before the heart”

“Who are you?” ed Rahul He squinted “Do I know you?” The attacker’s voice was familiar somehow

“I don’t know,” said the attacker “Do you?” He perched on the edge of the bath and Rahul could see he wore all black, including a black balaclava Opaque surgical gloves see him the appearance of an evil mime

“You’re wondering why I’hts He smiled and removed from his pocket a tiny little tool that he showed to Rahul “Are you familiar with a procedure called enucleation?”

Chapter 2

JACK MORGAN ENJOYED risk Why else would he be standing outside this door at 4 a spray on the lock and then went to ith his pick, nudging interior tumblers into place?

But not blind risk