by JL Wilson
"And if you're smart, you'll keep it that way." She glanced behind her at the men talking in quiet voices. "I can't protect you if you talk," she said softly. "The only reason I was able to protect you this long is because we needed the formula. We don't need it now. We have Meyer. "
He smiled, his craggy face suddenly mischievous. "I wouldn't count on that," he murmured. "The infected body synthesizes certain key elements of the virus. I think your scientists will have a lot of research ahead of them."
Kat's jaw clenched. Sheila remained totally still, unwilling to break the stalemate between the two.
"Leave it, Kat," he said softly. "It's not perfect, but it's a balance, of sorts. When I die..." He shrugged. "The knowledge dies with me."
"But we have to have--" Kat's glance flickered to Sheila, who didn't try to disguise her interest.
"Leave it," he repeated. He looked down at Lucinda and Nico, his face twisting with grief. "Now what? Do we just pretend none of this happened? Do we forget them? Does it all get covered up?"
Kat looked down at her aunt's body. "Of course not," she whispered. Her façade slipped briefly and Sheila saw the anguish in the woman's plain face. Then she blinked and the professional mask slammed back into place. "We'll have to handle it. It was a home break-in. Two tragic, senseless deaths. We'll handle it." She nodded thoughtfully then swung her gaze to David Delacroix. "It's time for you to come out of hiding. I can arrange that. Jeff and John will need your help running the company."
"Jeff and--" Delacroix's face twisted. "Cara?"
Kat nodded. "She died on the way to the hospital."
"Dear God." Delacroix's voice was tortured and low. "Why?"
Kat looked at Meyer's crumpled body. "Ask him. He's the one who started it all."
Sheila followed Kat's gaze. The three men were bending over the two bodies on the far side of the room. She moved to stand next to Nico's body as Joannie knelt next to the big dog, touching his body gently. "I don't understand. Why did Nico ask us to kill him?"
"I think..." Delacroix finally looked at his daughter, lying in the arms of Nico Haidess. "He finally found something that was worth dying for and he was afraid to lose it."
"But he did lose it," Joannie said, touching Nico's hand. "He lost it all."
Delacroix shook his head, his gray eyes suddenly the color of harsh, cold steel. Sheila stepped away, startled by the transformation it made in his face. Then the sharp look faded and all she saw was a father's sadness.
David Delacroix smiled. "I wouldn't count on that."
The End
About the author
J L Wilson writes mystery novels and paranormal romance novels in addition to the History Patrol series that features romance, reincarnation, and time travel. She also teaches writing in a series of workshops and blogs on a regular basis in a variety of spots online.
Want to know more? Catch up with her here:
Her web site: http://www.jayellwilson.com, where you can find out about upcoming History Patrol novels.
Twitter: follow her @JLwriter.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/jayellwilson
And Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JLWilson
