But Holly was already swimming steadily toward the beach. She had a weird feeling that the big hammerhead was an omen, or maybe a metaphor for what might be waiting for them on St. Marks. She tried to shake off the feeling and failed.
They walked out of the water a few minutes later and flopped down on the blanket next to their friends.
“I’m exhausted,” Holly said. “Too much adrenaline; I’ve used it all up.”
“Looked like a dolphin to me,” Dino said.
Stone shook his head. “I saw it underwater; a hammerhead.”
“Eeeew,” Genevieve said.
“My feelings exactly,” Holly replied. “I’m going to shower, then I have to make a phone call.”
Twenty minutes later, she dialed Bill Pepper’s satphone number. He answered immediately. “Scrambling,” she said, and pushed the button.
“Okay, I’m scrambled, too,” Pepper said. He sounded as if he was very far away. “What do you want?”
“I’ve got new instructions from Lance,” she said.
“I don’t work for Lance, and I don’t take his instructions, unless I feel like it.”
“This is handed down from the director, bypassing Hugh English.”
“How do I know that?”
“Do you expect the director to call you?”
“Well, that hasn’t happened so far.”
“And it’s not going to happen now.”
“What are these instructions?”
“We’ve got to identify Robertson beyond question.”
“Isn’t a strong suspicion enough to call the cops, or Interpol?”
“The problem is, he may be someone else.”
“Someone else? You mean, besides the Heathrow robber?”
“This never goes to Hugh English or anyone else.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you like it; this has to be done.”
“All right, I agree. Now, who does Lance think he is?”
“Maybe Teddy Fay.”
Pepper burst out laughing.
“No kidding.”
He stopped laughing. “He’s not dead?”
“I wish he were.”