Celtic Empire (Dirk Pitt 25)

He guided Brophy to the passenger seat. Summer squeezed in with him. The stack of pies was now nothing more than strawberries, pie tins, and smashed boxes. Dirk retook the wheel and backed the car through the smoke and flames, onto the lawn.

The Killarney fire department arrived a moment later. They attached hoses to a nearby hydrant and doused the library. Paramedics checked the trio for smoke inhalation and, as a precaution, administered oxygen. Friar Thomas approached as they sat on a stone wall, watching the firemen.

“Thank the Good Lord you’re all right. I swore I left the door unlocked, with the key in it. I’m so sorry you became trapped. How did the fire start?”

“Arson,” Brophy said. “Somebody thought we’d enjoy an extra-large Molotov cocktail and locked us in with it.”

The friar’s face turned pale. “Arson? You can’t be serious. Did you see who it was?” He gazed around, studying the faces gathered at the scene.

Brophy shook his head. “We had our backs turned to the door.”

“It may be our fault,” Summer said. “We were attacked in Egypt while pursuing the same line of research. They must have tracked us here.” She turned to Dirk, and he nodded in affirmation.

“Who would try to kill you over some dusty old books?” Friar Thomas asked. “And why?”

“We don’t know who they are,” Dirk said, “but they sent a pretty clear message. For reasons unknown, they don’t want us to find Meritaten.”

Summer turned to Brophy. “We didn’t mean to put you in danger, Professor. Dirk and I can carry on from here.”

Brophy stood and began pacing. “Why, those cowards are not going to deter me. Mind you, if it’s a fight they want, that’s what they’ll get. I dare them to stop us.”

Summer smiled, and Brophy turned to her and winked. “Besides, they were a bit too late. We’ve already got the key to the princess’s whereabouts. Skellig Michael.”

The firemen finally shut off their hoses. Friar Thomas walked to the doorway and peered inside, shaking his head. The walls and roof had survived, the interior was a mess. A black mass of charred debris filled the front of the room. Miraculously, the shelves at the back of the room remained standing, their books slightly blackened, showing only light water damage.

Summer joined him at the door. “I’m so sorry the library has been destroyed.”

“The rare books in the collection look to have survived,” Thomas said, pointing at the intact rear shelves. “I think only the modern parish records have been lost, and those we have on digital files.” He gazed upward in reflection. “We thank the Lord. It could have been much worse. We could have lost all of you.”

The friar led them back into the main building to wash up. As Summer and Brophy thanked the friar for his help and turned to leave, they noticed Dirk had disappeared. They found him outside, walking away from an angry young woman. He had a long face and carried a smashed pie box.

“Help

ing with the bake sale?” Brophy said. “Kind lad.”

“Sort of,” Dirk said. “It was thrown in as part of the transaction.”

“Transaction?”

“I just bought a car.”

“Then why so glum? That should be a happy occasion.”

Dirk pointed to the mangled Fiat. “Not if you can’t drive it.”

45

It was near dusk when Pitt piloted the fishing boat back to Drumnadrochit. He thanked the lady at the marina and tipped her for use of the fishing gear. As he made his way to his car, he pretended to ignore the black BMW parked on the road above, which had tracked him up and down the loch all day. He turned onto the shoreline road and drove to the McKee estate.

As he approached the manor, he quickly pulled off the road well ahead of the entrance and parked. The tailing BMW was caught off guard and had to drive past Pitt and the manor and stop around the next bend. Pitt walked to the guard at the entrance and pointed at his car.

“I got in a fender bender. A tow truck is supposed to fetch it this evening. I told them to pick it up just outside the residence.”

The guard looked at the car, then back at Pitt. “I understand, sir. It will be safe there.” She motioned for Pitt to proceed.

Inside the gate, Pitt saw the interior parking lot was nearly empty. At the main entrance, a handful of women with suitcases were preparing to depart. He made his way to his room and found Loren in front of a mirror, applying makeup.

“There you are,” she said flatly. “We’re due to dine with Mrs. McKee in twenty minutes.”