“Art appreciation has always been one of my great sources of pleasure, but it can’t pay the bills,” she said. “I’m good at math and science, which is what led me into my current field.”
Before Brehmer could respond, the tall man from the train stepped forward. Carmen hadn’t noticed it before, but he was carrying an ornate silver tray. On top was an open bottle of red wine and two glasses. After setting the tray on the table, he poured wine into each glass.
“Thank you, Khaan,” Brehmer said when he was finished. “That will be all for now.”
As Khaan turned to leave, he gave Carmen a quick glance. Does he recognize me? She pushed the thought aside. If he had seen her in the closet, he would have taken action of some kind. The look he had just given her was likely meant to convey intimidation.
After Khaan walked off, Brehmer picked up a glass and offered it to Carmen.
She held up a hand. “No, I really—”
“Please, I insist. It’s one of the best in my collection.”
Carmen loved a quality red, and one glass couldn’t hurt. “Well, how can I refuse the best?”
After taking a glass of his own, Brehmer took a seat in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. Carmen sat down across from him.
“So how was your trip?” he asked.
Carmen took a sip of wine before answering. “Longer than I thought it would be.”
He frowned. “I’m sorry?”
“I thought we were supposed to take care of everything on the train. It was your idea, after all.”
“I apologize for any inconvenience,” Brehmer said after taking a sip of his own. “But I thought it best to deliver the request myself.”
“You don’t do trains?”
Brehmer stared at her for a moment as though trying to determine if she was taking a shot at him. If he was angry, he did a good job of suppressing it. “I have no problem traveling in public, even by train. I had originally asked my men to make the request, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that would be rude. I’m the one who should convey our offer, and I wanted to do it face-to-face.”
“As long as we can work something out, I don’t mind spending an extra night in Europe.” She waved a hand, indicating her surroundings. “Especially not when I get to stay in a place like this.”
“My ex-wife thought it a bit cold, but I like it here. It’s away from the prying eyes of the public. It’s also the place where I do my best thinking.”
“So tell me about Pallas Industries,” Carmen said.
Brehmer smiled. “I see someone has already done her homework.”
Carmen nodded. “I believe it’s a biophysics company?”
“Yes, we are. As you may know, biophysics covers a wide spectrum of industries. Bioengineering, nanotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry… the list is almost endless.”
“And what is your specialty?”
“Bioengineering. As an engineer yourself, I assume you probably know a little bit about our field.”
“A little bit but not much. Tell me more.”
“I won’t put you to sleep with a long discourse, but as the name suggests, firms like ours merge the fields of biology and engineering, much in the same way a chemical engineer merges the fields of chemistry and engineering.” Brehmer took another sip of wine before continuing. “In other words, we apply the principles of engineering to biology and health care. In doing so, we produce technology that can be useful to humankind.”
“When I think of bioengineering, I think of prosthetics,” Carmen said.
“It’s a perfect example of the kind of technology the industry has produced. But I must say that our work at Pallas is much different. We’re more focused on genetics.”
At that point, Carmen wanted to get down to brass tacks. “I have to admit I’m confused. Nothing we do at the agency relates to your work. As you can see, I’m barely able to even discuss the topic intelligently.”
“As my representative told you, we didn’t bring you here to discuss your work for the government,” Brehmer said. “In fact, we’d never ask you to do something that compromised your morals.”
Carmen frowned. “Then why am I here?”
Brehmer leaned forward. “We’re here because we’re trying to find your uncle. And we’re willing to make you a very rich woman if you help us.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
AFTER A LATE dinner with Jonas Brehmer, Carmen returned to her room. Leaving the light off, she crossed to one of the windows and parted the curtain with a finger. Even at night, the mountain silhouettes were stunning. But despite the beauty of her surroundings, her thoughts soon transitioned to Brehmer’s offer. He said they would pay her fifty thousand dollars in exchange for the phone number and location of Victoria Lind’s uncle, Dr. Noah Lind.
According to Brehmer, they needed Lind’s expertise to complete a project that would be of great benefit to humankind. When Carmen pressed him for more information, Brehmer said it involved a specialized form of genetic engineering that would enhance a human being’s ability to recover from injury. When she tried to learn more, he resisted, saying that the process involved valuable corporate secrets he could not and would not divulge.
Carmen figured the request for Lind’s phone number was a ruse meant to imply they simply wanted to open up a line of communication. They had no intention of calling him. They might first try to bribe him into cooperation, but if that didn’t work, they wouldn’t hesitate to force his cooperation. Carmen also realized that meant something else: if she didn’t comply, then she would receive similar treatment.
Carmen needed to check in with Ross to bring him up to date, but reaching out from Brehmer’s estate was a move fraught with risk. They had taken her phone — a standard procedure to prevent the theft of information, she was told — which left her with only one remaining option: the compact. It used an encrypted line, but if someone were monitoring the room for signals, she’d surely be caught. In the end, she had no choice. She needed to contact Ross. Not just to determine an action plan but also to let him know she was fine.
She walked to the bed and unzipped her bag. After opening it, she immediately realized some of the items were not in the same place as before. Someone had gone through her things while she was away. It wasn’t a surprise, but it confirmed Brehmer couldn’t be trusted.
Digging around, she found her toiletries bag and opened it. The compact was still there. Before using it, she opened the door and peered out. The hallway was empty. She heard voices and laughter in the distance, but there was no one close by. Perhaps that meant Brehmer and his people trusted her, at least for now.
After closing the door, Carmen opened the compact and powered it up. Seconds later, two disturbing words appeared on the screen: NO SIGNAL. She frowned. That wasn’t possible. Cell coverage might be unavailable in a rural area, but Delphi’s devices had satellite communication capability. The building must have some sort of signal blocker.
Remembering something she had seen before, she returned to the window and drew the curtains back. Just outside was the railing of a French balcony. It was meant solely for decoration, but this one had enough room to stand, albeit uncomfortably. Some signal blockers worked only within structures, which meant she might be able to communicate if she could get outside.
Opening the window, Carmen eased her legs over the sill and onto the ledge. There was only about a foot of space, which meant she had to turn her feet at an angle to fit. Two massive fir trees stood just yards away. Perfect. Their thick foliage would make it difficult for her to be seen unless someone were standing directly underneath her.