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"Your daughter?" He pretended ignorance. |
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"That's her," Wiley said. The sound of piano wafted up from below. |
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"Moonlight Sonata," Wiley said. "But I'm sure you didn't come to talk Beethoven." |
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Wiley indicated an upholstered armchair beside the fireplace. Jerry sat. |
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"Can I get you a drink?" Wiley moved to a table of crystal decanters and glasses. |
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"No, thank you, but please go right ahead." |
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Wiley poured himself some old ruby port, then sat in the facing armchair. He took a sip and lit up a cigarette from a gold case. "You know Maria Terranova?" |
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"I met her in passing, you might say." |
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Wiley nodded. "I haven't seen her in years. How is she?" |
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"Dead. Like Stefan Karsky." |
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Wiley's glass froze at his lips. |
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"Karsky drowned and Maria was attacked by a dog. But I have reason to believe their deaths were not accidental, that they had to do with the work that you and they were conducting at BiOmega Labs twenty-some years ago." Wiley's eyes were widening. "I'm terribly sorry to be the bearer of sad news." From the briefcase he pulled photostats of the obituaries. "Here are the reports of their deaths." |
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Wiley put his glass down and looked at the obits. A photograph of Wiley and his daughter as a teenager sat on the table near his glass. The girl was in a wheelchair. |
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"Who are you?" Wiley asked. |
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"I'm an independent investigator, Dr. Wiley." |
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Wiley studied him for a momentfrom his cordovan tassels up his gray slacks to the blue blazer, pinstriped shirt and pig tie. |
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"And just what do you want?" |
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"More than anything else, to warn you that your own life might be in danger." Night swarmed behind Wiley's eyes. They were so beautiful, Jerry nearly gasped. "Yes," Jerry went on. His heart was pounding. "But it would help considerably if you tell me the nature of your research project." |
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