Whatever you do, please do not call my cell phone. I fear it may be monitored, but I have no proof of that. For now, I don’t want you brought into this mess. I know how driven you can be when you sense something needs to be done, Amanda, so if you find you can’t resist the urge to reach out, then please contact Rupert Sterling. I’ll write his number on the back of this page.
My darling, I realize I haven’t been a good father. I’ve been wanting to say that for a very long time, and I want to do so without making any excuses. But I also want to say this… When I return to the States, I promise you things will be different. This situation has changed me, and I’m going to let it in turn change my life for the better. Item one on my agenda will be a visit to the great state of Texas to find out more about my lovely daughter and her work. And please tell James that I’ll look forward to sharing a pipe and cigar on his back porch again!
Please know that I love you more than life itself, and am so proud of you and all you’ve come to be.
Love,
Dad
P.S. Your mother would be so proud of you as well. I remember the cute little gift she gave you as a child. It turned out to be the key to your career and the key to the future! If only she could see you now!
Zane frowned as he read over both pages two or three times. Then he removed his cell phone, quickly took pictures of each sheet, and typed in Sterling’s number.
“Have you contacted Rupert Sterling?” he asked without looking up.
“No. I’ve told your people that two or three times. I know you guys may find this hard to believe, but I’m actually someone who can be trusted. You’re the only ones I’ve talked to about this letter and the circumstances surrounding my father’s death.”
“Of course. And you may find this hard to believe, Amanda, but I do trust you. It’s part of my job to know who to trust and who not to trust. You’ve passed with flying colors.” Amanda blushed and Zane continued, “I know you told Dr. Ross you hadn’t been in touch with anyone, but I think that was a day or two ago. I was simply trying to make sure you hadn’t reached out to Sterling since then. And by the way, I think you were wise to come to us first.”
“Thank you. I’m not sure what it was. Call it premonition or a gut feeling or whatever you’d like, but I just felt like from day one I shouldn’t go to the London police.”
Zane nodded in agreement. “Do you have the keys your father referred to?”
“Yes, would you like to see them?”
“Please.”
As Amanda dug through her purse, Zane glanced back into the pub once again. He thought for a brief moment that he saw the bald man leaning against the bar and, for an instant, turning in their direction. Just as Zane had tried to make confirmation, an older man in a business suit walked up to a table near the window and began to flirt with the women seated there, his heavy frame completely blocking the view of the bald man.
Zane’s jaw clenched in frustration. If it was the same man, that would make it the second time he had been looking in their direction. Once was probably happenstance. Two was worthy of attention. A third time would mean they had a problem. He thought of standing up for a better look but then realized that would draw undue attention. He might need to take a trip to the restroom later, although he was reluctant to leave Amanda sitting by herself.
“Here they are,” she said, fishing the keys out of the purse and handing them to him.
Zane studied each one carefully, flipping them over and reading both sides. “I noticed your dad didn’t say anything about the smaller key.”
“Exactly. I’m not sure why. I’m thinking it must be the key to one of the interior rooms, perhaps a storage room of some sort.”
“I don’t think so,” Zane replied. “It doesn’t look like that kind of key. It looks like one of those little ones you’d use for a safe deposit box or a mailbox. Just strange that he wouldn’t mention it in the letter. We’ll try to find out what type of key it is.”
Zane lifted his cell phone, took a picture of the smaller key, and then saved it into his photos.
“Do you guys have access to a database of keys?”
“We do. Unfortunately, we’re only going to be able to tell what type of key it is and perhaps where it was manufactured. We’ll have no way of knowing where the key was being used, but maybe we can find a clue in your father’s apartment.”
“So you’re going there to look around?”
“Of course. I’m going to look into a couple more things while I’m in London, but searching your father’s apartment in Vienna is next on our agenda. He gave you the keys and stated in no uncertain terms you’d find something helpful there.”
“Mr.—”
“Zane.”
Amanda blushed again. “Zane, I really want to go with you to look at Dad’s apartment. That letter was sent to me. I might be the only one who—”
“I’m very sorry, but that’s not possible. For one, there are liability issues — for us and potentially for the US government — if we were to allow you to become involved. Two, this is dangerous work. You read your father’s letter. He was scared to death of these people, so much so that he was reluctant to even go to the authorities. That should tell you a lot about who we’re dealing with.”
Amanda looked disappointed, but Zane also noted an air of confidence written on her face. “I realize you don’t know me very well,” she said, “but I’m not your average twenty-something.”
“I know you aren’t—”
“No, please let me finish. I told you what happened in the years following my mother’s death. There aren’t many things in life I fear. I almost feel as though finding my father’s killer is a calling that I can't refuse.”
Zane paused for a moment, measuring his words carefully. “My years in this business have given me this ability to size people up. Some have said it was my training, and others say I was born with the gift. And I will say this: within moments of meeting you, I knew that you were someone I could trust — truthful and reliable.
“All that said, the work we do goes beyond simply having a partner we can trust. We’re involved in dangerous work.” He lowered his voice. “Right now, I’m carrying a weapon in my front pocket. It’s the type of weapon that I’ve had to use a number of times in my career. The people we run up against are like the person or people who killed your father. They’re professionals, and they won’t hesitate to end your life if you stand in their way or if they feel you have information that could expose them.”
“I guess you just don’t understand. You telling me that my life could be in danger doesn’t faze me one bit. I—”
“I believe you. I truly do. But there is no reason to unnecessarily put you in harm’s way. In the end, you need to trust us to do our job. We know what we’re doing, and if there are clues in Vienna, we can find them. It’s what we do.” Zane stopped speaking for a moment in order to let those words sink in. “Besides, I have your number. I can always call if I think you can help.”
“I just feel like I’m going to be out of the loop. It’s going to drive me crazy not knowing where things stand. I mean, I don’t even truly know who you are or which part of the government you work for. Heck, I don’t even know if you work for the government. All I know is that the government told me I was to meet with you and tell you everything I know.”