Celtic Empire (Dirk Pitt 25)

“Perhaps they’ve been fished out of the river,” Gavin said.

Riki enlarged the map on the computer. “The signal shows his phone is at St. Anne’s Hospital. It must still be working. I bugged it,” she added.

“Then activate it,” McKee urged.

Riki pulled out her cell phone and dialed the secret number to Dirk’s ph

one. After a click, they heard multiple voices chatting in Summer’s hospital room. Riki put her fingers to her lips, as it was an open two-way line.

“It must be the BioRem people who are after Meritaten,” they heard Summer say.

At the sound of Dirk’s voice, Riki’s eyes grew large. “They’re alive,” she whispered.

Gavin turned pale. “They bloody well have nine lives,” he said under his breath.

They listened quietly until Pitt’s and Loren’s voices carried through. McKee looked perplexed, then pointed at the phone and turned beet red. “That’s Pitt!” she seethed, barely suppressing her voice.

She pulled out her own phone and sent a text to the Inverness receptionist, Irene. Her anger rose as she continued listening to the voices at the hospital. When she could take no more, she stepped out the door and phoned Irene.

When there was no answer, she tried calling her other staff, finally connecting with one of the front guards.

“Irene . . . is dead,” the security woman replied. “All of the guests are gone. The police are here, searching the grounds. And I can see flashing lights across the lake. They want to know where you are. What should I tell them?”

McKee hung up. Her whole world was suddenly crashing down around her.

She took a deep breath. Perhaps there was still salvation. Nobody could know for sure where the Evolution Plague had been deployed. Maybe Richards had hidden the records and dumped the solution before the police arrived. The authorities might identify a number of locations, but the deployment could still be called accidental. The Evolution Plague had yet to be identified—and a cure was still unknown. She could relocate to a friendly Third World country and continue production. The vision could endure. There was just one impediment she had to address.

She walked back into the terminal as the Pitts announced plans to search for Meritaten on Skellig Michael.

Riki disconnected the call. She turned and gazed at her mother. McKee’s face wore a demented mask of rage.

Riki looked up. “Mother?”

“We go to this island,” McKee said with fire on her tongue, “where we eliminate both Meritaten and the Pitts.”

PART IV

SKELLIG MICHAEL

62

Now you be a good lass and get that shoulder all healed up,” Brophy said.

Summer leaned forward from her wheelchair and gave the Irishman a hug. “Thank you for all your help, Dr. Brophy. I wish I could go to Skellig Michael with you.”

“We’ll find her, don’t you worry.”

Brophy gave Summer a wave as Dirk helped her climb into the NUMA Gulfstream jet parked at Kerry Airport. Pitt was already aboard, helping Loren to her seat.

“No cartwheels until I get home,” Pitt said to Summer, giving her a peck on the cheek. He stepped to the back of the plane and held Loren in his arms. “You going to be all right?”

Loren nodded as she squeezed him hard. “The whole trip seems like a bad dream. But I think the drugs are about out of my system. When I get home, I’ll be due for some prolonged sleep.” She gave him a kiss, held him tightly once more. “Be careful.”

Before Dirk could step off the plane, Summer grabbed his arm. “Now don’t you go silent on me. I want regular updates on your search.”

Dirk nodded. “I’ll be sure and check in.”

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you.” Her voice fell low, and she gave him an earnest look. “When I was waiting for you at breakfast, I thought I saw Riki leave the hotel. I could have been seeing things.”