The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious #2)(78)

“For reasons of which we are all well aware,” Catalina said, using her most polite voice, “no one in Fogg Lake wants to wind up in the Foundation’s files.”

Slater cleared his throat. “Let’s save that discussion for another time and place.”

Olivia’s eyes sparked with amusement. “Sure. Take all the fun out of the evening. Personally, I rather enjoy watching Catalina take on the director of the Foundation.”

Slater nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll admit that there is some entertainment value.”

Victor glared at him. Lucas intervened swiftly.

“The good news about our current situation,” he said, “is that once we’re finished questioning Trevelyan and the triplets—”

“Sounds like a rock band,” Olivia said.

Lucas ignored her. “Once we are done with them, we can turn them over to regular law enforcement. We’ve got more than enough evidence of kidnapping, drug dealing, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder to put them away for a while. Unfortunately, I doubt we’ll be able to prove that they murdered Royston and Ingram.”

“I suppose Olivia and I will have to testify,” Catalina said. “Just what I need—more media coverage of my fake psychic powers.”

“Not this time,” Victor said. “It’s safe to say there won’t be a trial. Trevelyan and those clones will confess, trust me.”

“Uh-huh.” Catalina took a sip of her wine. “What makes you so sure of that?”

Victor smiled a wolfish smile. “Because it will be made clear to them that if they don’t, they will be declared insane. They will end up at Halcyon Manor.”

Olivia looked thoughtful. “Maybe they will prefer to take their chances in an asylum.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it,” Lucas said. “At Halcyon Manor they will be guarded by people who know exactly what they are and how to deal with them. I think they’d rather risk the regular criminal justice system. Besides, the manor has enough problems dealing with people with some very dangerous parapsych disorders. We don’t want to fill up our limited facilities with a bunch of run-of-the-mill bad guys. But the Foundation will create detailed files and track them.”

“I know the discovery of the Fogg Lake lab is a big deal,” Slater said, “but I’m surprised you both accompanied the team this afternoon.”

“Professional courtesy,” Lucas explained. “We wanted to show some respect to the community. Let them know we appreciate the cooperation.”

“Not sure our cunning plan is working,” Victor muttered. He looked around the sparsely filled restaurant. “Not a real friendly bunch, are they?”

Catalina smiled. “Don’t worry, Victor. I’m sure that once they get to know you, they’ll warm up to you and realize what a swell person you really are.”





CHAPTER 37


Catalina waited until she was sure Olivia had finally fallen asleep before she got out of bed. The two of them were sharing the big bed in the master bedroom. Olivia had looked amused when Catalina had insisted on changing the sheets, but she had not made any comments about the rather obvious implications. Slater had been relegated to the narrow bed in Catalina’s old room.

Most of the members of the Foundation team had brought sleeping bags and had been provided temporary quarters in the library. Euclid had announced that in the morning the town council would open up some of the old cabins that were rarely used.

For one extremely disconcerting moment Catalina had been afraid she would be left with no option but to allow Victor and Lucas to unroll their sleeping bags in her parents’ house. Luckily Euclid had made it clear that protocol dictated that the director of the Foundation and his husband should be guests of the mayor and his wife.

Catalina pulled on her robe, slid her bare feet into slippers and paused to adjust the covers over Olivia.

“I’m asleep,” Olivia mumbled. “You can go now. He’s in the front room.”

“Are you psychic or something?”

“Something.”

“Get some sleep, pal.”

Olivia squeezed Catalina’s hand. “I will.”

Catalina went out the door and down the short hall. Slater was standing at the window looking out into the glowing fog.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked softly.

“Not yet,” she said. She walked across the room and stopped at his side, close but not quite touching. “Think you’ll be able to get some sleep tonight?”

“Maybe. Eventually.”

He reached for her hand. She gave it to him. They stood quietly.

“Do you think it’s over?” she asked after a while.

“Almost. We still don’t know who committed the murder that you and Olivia witnessed fifteen years ago.”

“It wasn’t one of the triplets, we can be sure of that much. They look nothing like the man who killed Morrissey. In any event, they would have been too young. The murderer was in his twenties at the time.”

“We’ve got a lot to go on now,” Slater said. “Sooner or later we’ll identify him. Victor and Lucas are right. Trevelyan and the clones will talk. Just a matter of time.”

“It will be good to get back to normal.”