Kazimir didn’t shake it as he continued to walk towards the transfer building. Despite the incoming breeze, the morning sun made his head feel like it was on fire. “You’ve failed me, Taylor.”
Erskine quickly fell in behind him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Morgenstern. I’ve tried everything in my power to find out what’s happening on the other side, but the last team I sent over failed to contact me again.”
“Those people were experienced, yes?”
“Absolutely, sir. They were highly paid professional contractors. All former American and British Special Forces.”
“Did you tell them what they would be going up against?”
“No, sir,” Erskine said sheepishly. “I… I don’t really know the full story myself, sir.”
There was a full bar with drinks waiting for him inside the Arrivals Lounge, but Kazimir strode past the smiling staff and continued on until he stepped out the other side and onto the concrete walkway beneath a canopy of palm trees. An electric golf cart with a driver was waiting for them along the sandy path leading towards the main hotel building.
Just before he got into the cart, Kazimir stopped and turned to face his chief of security. “What did you tell these contractors?”
Erskine wiped the sweat from the back of his head. “I told them one of the staff might be a serial killer.”
“So they didn’t have a clue?”
“No, sir.”
Kazimir pursed his lips. “I see.”
“Should I have told them?”
“I’m not quite sure about the full capabilities of this so-called subject my brother was keeping,” Kazimir said. “I confess the lab staff had given me continuous updates on Proteus, but I never really had the time to go through all the logs.”
Erskine kept silent. So this rich bastard is as ignorant as the others. And he expected me to get things done when I wasn’t even briefed on everything?
“I’m going to freshen up,” Kazimir said. “See me at my suite later.”
“Yes, sir. There’s two other things that have happened.”
“What?”
“We caught a tabloid journalist using a false identity,” Erskine said. “A reporter from the Daily Sky. I believe he was snooping around, trying to get into the private area.”
“Where is he now?”
“He’s been confined to his hotel room and I’ve cut off his communications. I’ve got a security guard stationed outside his door at all times.”
“Good. Keep him under wraps until tonight’s opening ceremonies are finished. Once the administrator for Lakshadweep leaves tomorrow morning, contact one of our lawyers in Kerala and see to whatever charges we can bring up against this knob and his paper.”
“I’ll do that, Mr. Morgenstern.”
“And the other thing?”
Erskine let out a deep breath. “One of our guests went missing last night. An American. We believe she went on a nighttime joyride with one of our employees in a small boat, and nobody’s heard of them since. The family is worried.”
“Fine, fine,” Kazimir said dismissively as he climbed into the golf cart. “You handle it. Like I said, keep things quiet for now.”
“Yes, sir,” Erskine said as he stood there, watching the little electric car drive off. He didn’t fire me yet, but I bet he will soon after the opening ceremonies.
Pattom Viswanatham served as one of the hotel managers, and he was inside the Arrivals Lounge when Kazimir walked right past him. He figured it was the right time to approach the security chief as he got out through the back door and got to within whisper range. “Mr. Erskine, could I have a word?”
“What is it?” Erskine snapped.
Pattom was taken aback by the other man’s brusqueness, but he kept his composure. “I was asked by the general manager if you could please have a word with Mr. Dirkse again. You see, he is most upset and has more questions to ask.”
Erskine wanted to tell him off, but Kazimir’s orders were clear. “Alright, where is he?”
“The family is at their guest cottage, sir. I can take you to them.”
“No need. I was there earlier so I know the way.”
“Of course.”
IT TOOK HIM AROUND twenty minutes of walking along the shaded pathways, past the carefully manicured jasmine and lotus gardens, until he got to the private cottages situated along the beach. More guests had arrived and two other bungalows were already occupied, while some of their children were building sandcastles by the shore. The Dirkse family was quartered at the far end of the beach, and it afforded them a certain degree of privacy from the other cottages.
Erskine had taken off his suit jacket and carried it with one hand over his shoulder as he walked up to the porch and pressed the bell beside the front door.
There was a slight pause as he heard someone coming up to the door and it opened. Nick stood by the open entryway, lines of worry crisscrossing his face. He backed away while beckoning the other man to enter. “Mr. Erskine, thanks for coming over again.”
“It’s no problem,” Erskine said as he walked into the living room. “I’m sorry it took awhile, but there are all sorts of things I’m currently dealing with.”
Nick closed the door behind him. “I’ve got some questions.”
“Of course, why don’t we have a seat?”
Cathy had been sitting on the couch for most of the morning, and she slowly got up and held out her hand as Erskine got closer. Her mouth was dry with worry and she made a faint smile for appearance’s sake. “Have there been any new developments, Mr. Erskine?”
The security chief smiled after shaking her hand and sat down on a padded chair beside her. “Please, you can call me Taylor. And sorry, no new updates as of yet.”
Nick felt like yelling in frustration, but he knew it would be counterproductive so he kept his anxiety in check. He sat down on the couch alongside his wife and clasped her clammy hand in support. “I checked on the internet, and it said there’s an Indian naval base on one of the nearby islands. Have you alerted them yet?”
Erskine lied. “We have. They’re also on the lookout for the dinghy and they’ll contact us the moment they spot it.”
“Okay,” Nick said, glancing at his wife before he continued. “There was another guest here who came in with us. His name is David Blaise. He told me there’s a private area at the other end of this island, have you checked over there too?”
“We did. The staff there reported no other boats or anyone else going into that place,” Erskine lied again.
“But David told me this billionaire, Morgenstern, who owns that part of the island has got some sort of crazy brother who lives there, are you sure you spoke to him too?”
Erskine held his hand up. “I’m afraid this David guy, the one who flew into the resort with you, is not who he says he is. His real name is Quentin Everett, and he’s a sleazebag tabloid reporter who got here under a false name.”
Nick was shocked. “What?”
“Yes, it’s all true. I have him under house arrest, and we will press charges soon enough,” Erskine said softly. “I’m afraid you will have to take whatever he said to you with a grain of salt.”
Cathy placed her free hand over her open mouth. “Oh my god. Do you think he had anything to do with Kim’s disappearance?”
Erskine shook his head. “I don’t think so. What’s clear is that a resort employee breached the rules by taking your daughter out for a nighttime cruise. I’m certain they’ll be back soon enough, and then I’ll deal with him.”
Cathy sighed. “I’m going to have a talk with Kim once she gets back here. I can’t believe she would be this irresponsible.”