The lights on the map started to move and began to slowly focus on Manhattan streets, panning across hotels, shops, and banks. Finally, the moving lights stopped at a building with a sign that read NELSON GALLERY.
"Diane Stevens is in a gallery." Tanner pressed another button. "Let's see where Kelly Harris is." Tanner began to repeat the same procedure. The lights started moving again, this time focusing on a different part of the city.
The men watched as the lighted area narrowed down to a street with a clothing store, a restaurant, a drugstore, and a bus station. The lights scanned the area and suddenly stopped in front of a large, open building.
"Kelly Harris is at a bus station." Tanner's voice was grim. "We've got to catch them both, fast." "How?" Carballo asked. "They're at opposite ends of town. By the time we got there, they'd be gone." Tanner turned. "Come with me." He headed for an adjoining room, Flint and Carballo close behind him. The room they entered had an array of monitors, computers, and electronic keyboards with color-coded keys. On a shelf was a small squat machine, with dozens of compact discs and DVDs. Tanner looked through them and slipped one labeled diane stevens inside the machine.
He explained to the men: "This is a voice synthesizer. The voices of Diane Stevens and Kelly Harris were digitized earlier.
The patterns of their speech have been recorded and analyzed. With the press of a button, every word I say is calibrated to duplicate their voices." Tanner picked up a cell phone and pressed some numbers.
There was a cautious "Hello?" It was Kelly Harris's voice.
"Kelly! I'm so glad I found you." It was Tanner speaking, but it was Diane Stevens's voice that they heard.
"Diane! You caught me just in time. I'm on my way out of here." Flint and Carballo were listening in wonder.
"Where are you going, Kelly?" "To Chicago. I'm taking a plane home, out of O'Hare." "Kelly, you can't leave now." There was a moment of silence. "Why?" "Because I found out what's really happening. I know who killed our husbands and why." "Oh, my God! How did?Are you sure?" "Positive. I have all the proof we need." "Diane, that's-that's wonderful." "I have the proof with me. I'm at the Delmont Hotel, in penthouse A. From here I'm going to the FBI.
I wanted you to go with me, but if you have to go home, I understand." "No, no! I-I want to help finish what Mark was trying to do." Flint and Carballo were listening to every word, riveted. In the background, they could hear the station announcement for the bus to Chicago.
"I'll go with you, Diane. You said the Delmont Hotel?" "Yes, on Eighty-sixth Street. Penthouse A." "I'm on my way. See you in a little while." The connection was broken.
Tanner turned to Flint and Carballo. "Half the problem is solved. Now we'll take care of the other half." Flint and Carballo watched as Tanner inserted another compact disc labeled kelly Harris into the synthesizer. Tanner moved a switch on the phone and pressed some numbers.
Diane's voice came on almost immediately. "Hello? Tanner spoke into the phone, but it was Kelly's voice they heard.
"Diane-"
"Kelly! Are you all right?" "I'm wonderful. I have some exciting news. I found out who killed our husbands and why." "What? Who-who-?" "We can't discuss this on the phone, Diane. I'm at the Delmont Hotel, on Eighty-sixth Street, penthouse A. Can you meet me here?" "Of course. I'll come right over." "Wonderful, Diane. I'll be waiting." Tanner clicked off the set and turned to Flint. "You'll be waiting." He handed Flint a key. "This is the key to penthouse A. It's our company suite. Get there right away and wait for them. I want you to kill them as soon as they walk in the door. I'll see to it that the bodies are taken care of." Carballo and Tanner watched Flint turn and hurry out the door.
Carballo said, "What would you like me to do, Mr. Kingsley?" "Take care of Saida Hernandez."
* * *
WAITING INSIDE PENTHOUSE A, Flint was determined that this time nothing would go wrong.
He had heard of bunglers that Tanner had disposed of. Not me, Flint thought. He took out his gun, checked the barrel, and screwed on the silencer. All he had to do now was wait.
In a taxi six blocks from the Delmont Hotel, Kelly Harris's mind was racing with excitement over what Diane had told her. I know who killed our husbands and why. ?I have all the proof we need. Mark, I'm going to make them pay for what they did to you.
* * *
DIANE WAS IN a fever of impatience. The nightmare was at an end. Somehow Kelly had discovered who was behind the plot to kill them and she had proof. I'm going to make you proud of me, Richard.
I feel you near me, andDiane's thoughts were interrupted by the taxi driver. "We're here, lady. Delmont Hotel."
Chapter Thirty
AS DIANE WALKED through the Delmont Hotel lobby, toward the elevators, her heart began to beat faster. She could not wait to hear what Kelly had learned.
An elevator door opened and the passengers moved out.
"Going up?" "Yes." Diane stepped inside. "The penthouse, please." Her mind was racing. What project could our husbands have been working on that was so secret that they were murdered? And how had Kelly found the answer?
People began to crowd in. The elevator door closed and it started to rise. Diane had seen Kelly only a few hours ago, and to her surprise, she found that she missed her.
Finally, after half a dozen stops, the elevator operator opened the door and said, "Penthouse floor."
* * *