Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18 "Robert Cahill Henderson," Isabel repeated into the cell phone. "Got it." She turned around to talk to the others in the backseat. They'd left Coober Pedy at high speed, but she'd pulled off the road in order to take the call she'd been waiting for. "It's about time somebody did something right. The Lucian stronghold used their mother computer to analyze all known Ekaterinas from 1840 to 1900. The computer had a match for Coober Pedy and Cahill. Apparently, even mute crazy fools have to use their real name on a mining claim. Robert Cahill Henderson is our man." "So where do we go next?" Natalie asked, flipping her long silky hair over her shoulder. "I hope it's someplace with good shopping. Dubai?" she asked hopefully. "Jakarta," her mother said.

"Where is that?" Natalie said, crashing back against the seat. "It doesn't sound glamorous." "Why am I paying for your education?" Isabel asked. "Jakarta is on Java. Henderson took passage from there on a ship called the Lady Anne to Sydney in 1883." Isabel eyed Irina. "What's your problemski, comrade? Are you worried about little Dan and Amy? They seem to have nine lives. They survived. A little scare will keep them on their toes." Irina said nothing. At her feet was the empty jar and box that the Fixer had delivered to Isabel. Isabel had whistled as she'd carried it herself to the private plane she'd hired to take them to Coober Pedy. She'd also arranged for a Hummer to be driven up from Adelaide. Irina hadn't known what was in the box until Isabel had opened it. Isabel had smiled as she shook out the jar of deadly spiders. She'd planned on releasing them into the Cahills' hotel room, but this was better still. Right down the shaft onto their heads! Isabel had also handled the snake easily. Not a drop of perspiration on her brow as she flipped the latch and grabbed him from

behind, wearing the heavy gloves. She had enjoyed it. Enjoyed being close to so much deadly terror. "I want you to keep track of the Cahill brats while I take Ian and Natalie with me. Report in on their movements. If by some slim chance they're on their way to Java, delay them. I'm tired of them in my hair." "And then?" Irina asked. "And then what?" Isabel asked irritably. She was checking her lipstick in the rearview mirror, and she tilted it to look at Irina. "They aren't going away for long," Irina said. "We have seen their tenacity. What are your ultimate plans for them?" Isabel shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead. I'm concentrating on this clue. We could even find all thirty-nine clues— can you imagine that, children?— because we're almost one hundred percent sure that Robert Cahill Henderson had most, if not all, of them. Amy and Dan will be immaterial. They'll be dust. Not worth dealing with." Isabel played with the gold charms on her bracelet, then turned her attention

to her fingernails. Irina watched Isabel's careless indifference, as though her manicure was the most important thing in the world. She knew Isabel too well and for too long. It was true she cared deeply about nail polish. But she also cared deeply about getting rid of dust. Isabel had used some of her best tricks to scare them away. Soon she would unleash her rage. Irina could feel it building. This has been a long road, she thought. Now, I can finally see the end.