‘I’ll ask Hank to join us. He’s looking up a few things for me.’
‘Let me prepare refreshments.’ Uma departed.
Maya’s gaze traveled to the sliver of bluish-white sky and the distant green of a slender pear tree visible through the curtains. That glimpse, that timeless scenery cleared her mind like a deep breath of fresh air would have.
An hour later, Maya found herself settled on the sofa. Uma, Cal and Hank sat in a semicircle around her. Chai and hazelnut shortbread were spread before them on the coffee table.
‘I had quite a time this morning speaking with Doctor Palas, Ma’s astute physician in Kolkata,’ Maya began. ‘Briefly, I presented all the facts. How Anna was vaccinated against malaria using an experimental drug whose formula is still a secret, as part of the Phase One-A trial for the vaccine. How the doctor at the malaria clinic here did a series of blood tests on Anna to evaluate her immune response. Then, for reasons no one in the clinic could figure out, one of the blood sample tubes disappeared. After that, both Anna and Sylvie self-immolated.’ Maya looked around, noticed the rapt attention from her audience. ‘I asked Doctor Palas the question that’s been bugging me: why on earth would anyone want to steal a specimen? What good could it do?’
Cal rubbed his forehead with a hand. ‘Yes, why?’
Uma nodded thoughtfully, as did Hank.
‘There are two possibilities,’ Maya replied. ‘First, the specimen could be useful to a rogue scientist who wants to obtain the formula for the vaccine for personal gain, given that there’s no low-cost malaria vaccine available in the world market. The second is an altruistic scientist, someone who wants to make it a low-cost cure and spread it.’
Uma cocked her head. ‘You mean in either case they could get the vaccine without having to do a decade of research, like Sylvie did?’
‘Precisely. Before the vaccine has had a chance to break down, a scientist could analyze the blood of the vaccinated subject, do a bio-chemical analysis of the vaccine structure and reverse-engineer the formula. I asked Doctor Palas how long the vaccine stays viable in a person’s blood. He said that it varied with the disease and the vaccine.’
Cal nodded at Maya. ‘How clever. The scientist has to be highly motivated to go through all this and also have someone who acts on his behalf. Who is it?’
‘Viktor. Last night he told me that he wants, in the worst possible way, to acquire a malaria vaccine. His sister died from malaria. Being in the field, he could have the specimen analyzed and then reverse-engineer the vaccine formula. Once he had it, he’d conduct a bigger trial in Bangladesh. If all went well, he’d eventually break into the world market with that vaccine. But first, Bangladesh – a family pride sort of a thing.’
Uma held a strained expression. ‘It’s also Viktor, the bad boy, who hypnotized Anna and made her fall madly in love with him, with a barbiturate to help him. Would you agree with me on that?’
Maya nodded.
‘Oh, what a pity. I was the one to get Anna on board for the vaccine trial. For that and other mysterious reasons, she had to die. That infuriates me, devastates me. And Viktor, that psychopath – I could break his neck.’ Cal sucked in his breath audibly, folded his arms and closed his eyes. ‘Please forgive me, infinitely kind Buddha.’
‘Well, Anna had to die so no one else can analyze her blood and get the formula for the vaccine,’ Maya said. ‘It’ll be Viktor’s alone. So the woman, who had passed the vaccine test, had to be eliminated. Viktor manipulated her to commit suicide. “Anna’s blood was that precious,” Doctor Palas said.’
‘Original but crazy,’ Uma said. ‘So it was Viktor’s evil plan, with Ivan assisting him?’
‘Yes,’ Maya said. ‘Ivan came to Seattle, got employed as a junior scientist in the same lab as Sylvie and got to know of her research. His twisted mind was working. He saw the potential for a commercial malaria vaccine and profiting from it. He started seeing Sylvie. He also contacted Viktor, who was in Moscow, and asked him to join him here so together they could carry out their plan of stealing the vaccine formula. They couldn’t get it directly from Sylvie. So they got it from the blood specimen of Anna, the trial participant.’
‘How horrible.’ Cal looked bewildered. ‘And what did they do with the specimen?’
‘Doctor Palas said there’s a lab in Seattle that could do just what we’re discussing: take the vaccine formula apart from the blood sample and put it back,’ Maya replied. ‘I got the most important part. Doctor Palas said something like, “Using a specific chip, malaria protein microarray will be performed.” Seattle apparently has a protein chemistry research lab. Scientists from various disciplines, such as immunology, work there. I’ve written down the name of that lab.’
‘Let me have it.’ Hank rose from his chair. ‘I’ll look it up.’
Maya handed him a Post-it note. ‘Doctor Palas mentioned that this new technology could change the market.’
‘Now I see it – why both Ivan and Viktor have stayed in Seattle these many months,’ Uma said. ‘They waited for the lab to finish its work for them.’
‘You told us about Viktor’s motivation but what’s Ivan’s interest in this?’ Cal asked Maya.
‘Money. It really comes down to that. Ivan is broke, broke, broke. Viktor will pay him handsomely, or so Doctor Palas guesses.’
‘I’ll second that,’ Hank said. ‘Ivan also hinted to me at the gym that, with the association he has, meaning Viktor, he could easily get a job in Moscow if he were to move up there.’
‘But who’s the accomplice?’ Uma asked. ‘Who actually stole the specimen and gave it to Viktor? Who enabled it all?’
‘It has to be Jennifer Marlow.’ Maya turned to Cal. ‘Am I correct?’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Jennifer is the missing piece of the puzzle, the person we’ve been looking for,’ Maya said. ‘It’s still not clear to me why she did it.’
‘I’m not sure, either.’ Cal’s voice was firm. ‘But Jennifer’s history as far as our office is concerned. And now that we’re finding she’s complicit in what might prove to be a homicide—’
‘It’s urgent that we go to the police,’ Uma chimed in. ‘Ivan and Viktor are biding their time here. Now that they’ve pretty much accomplished their objectives, they’ll surely flee.’
‘Yes, Ivan told me he’s getting ready to fly to Moscow,’ Hank said. ‘He still has no idea who I am and what I do.’
‘But first we need Viktor’s confession,’ Maya said to Cal. ‘For that to happen, I’ll need his landlord’s assistance. Do you happen to have his number?’
‘I sure do. His name is Joe and as it turns out I’ve known him professionally for years.’ Cal prized his cellphone out of his pocket and recited the number to Maya. ‘I’ve already told him about you. He’s ready to offer any help you need. You might want to slip him a few dollars.’
‘No problem.’
Maya excused herself, went to the kitchen and called Joe. The man gave the impression of being middle-aged, organized and efficient. Maya could see him as part of the team.
‘Have you noticed any patterns in Viktor’s coming and going?’ she asked him.
‘Yes, ma’am, I’m keeping an eye on him. The dude’s not home much during the day. Drinks his evenings away. The maid regularly finds several empty vodka bottles in his garbage can.’ Joe revealed more: Viktor had already given him cash to cover the rent for the month and the fee for breaking the lease. He would check out this weekend.
A little tremor passed through Maya’s body. So little time left. She’d talked about working out an escape plan from Viktor’s apartment during her visit there should she not be able to slip out the front door. ‘Is there a back entrance I could use?’
‘No, but his bathroom has a big window that’s always open,’ Joe said. ‘I’ll have a coil of rope attached to the window frame outside, which you’ll be able to use to get yourself down to the deck. A fire escape ladder, a few feet away, will lead you
to the alley behind the building. Be careful of your steps on the ladder. You could fall and hurt yourself.’
‘Sounds like a good Plan B.’ Maya cut the call. Returning to the living room, she explained about her conversation with Joe, adding, ‘Now I understand the urgency, why Viktor left so many messages on my cellphone. But we have to have proof for the police. For that I have to speak with him before he leaves town.’
‘You’re not going to visit him at his place, are you?’ Uma asked.
‘Yes, Ma, I’ll have to. Hopefully this evening. Not to worry, though. I’ll be OK. With the escape plan Joe has worked out for me I’ll be able to get down to the alley behind the building.’
Cal said, ‘I’ll wait there for you in my car.’
‘I’ll come with you, of course, otherwise I’ll be in a tizzy,’ Uma said to Cal, who nodded.
‘You two are such a formidable team,’ Cal said. ‘This is my small contribution. Anything else I can do to help, ladies?’
‘Yes, there is,’ Maya said. ‘I also need to be wired up.’
‘Wired up?’ Uma said.
‘Yes, with a wearable body camera, like the police do when recording covertly.’ Maya further explained the features of this contraption. A shirt-button-sized clip-on enclosed in a metal shell, also called ‘military tough,’ was an on-the-go, high-definition video camera used by the law enforcement. The battery lasted about an hour. ‘The body-worn camera sees more clearly than we do in dim light. It’s a digital police.’ She turned to Cal and asked, ‘Could you perhaps—?’
‘Yes, I’ll get Inez to help us with that,’ Cal said. ‘I sort of expected that you’d want to see that bastard one more time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go get the copcam.’
‘A gadget geek, I never was, but this one sounds cool,’ Hank said to Cal. ‘Maybe I should come with you and together we can get the copcam from the police? I’m curious about it.’
Cal nodded at Hank. Both rose. Uma showed them to the front door.
When Uma returned, Maya mumbled a few words of gratitude for her help.
‘Jaa.’ Uma made a dismissive gesture with her hand. No need to thank me, she indicated, like she always did, and left the room.
Maya picked up her cellphone and keyed in Viktor’s number, chewing about the challenge ahead of her. She got him on the line.
Coquettishness in her voice, she cooed to the phone: ‘Free this evening?’
He gave an enthusiastic yes and she acted jubilant.
The pretense took a bit out of her – a natural reaction, Maya guessed, to what might turn out to be a life-and-death situation. Only hours from now.
THIRTY-ONE
It was evening. The weatherman had predicted a storm later that night. Maya’s heart wouldn’t stop thumping as she shared the same couch with Viktor in his living room. She’d never feared so much for her life. Like she could be gone in a second, become a blank space in the eternity. Each moment felt interminable. Each breath carried the same question: might this be her last?
They had had dinner earlier and he’d drunk more than the last time. She’d made a point to go to the ladies’ room, ever aware that he could spike her drink with a ‘club’ drug. Once she’d reclaimed her seat, her heart thudding, she’d switched their wine goblets without him noticing. He’d finished his wine, totally unaware, and quite possibly drugged himself.
Now he half-sat, half-reclined, his heavy eyelids masking the shrewdness ever-present in those eyes. Her formidable opponent, none other than Sunglasses Man. A shock of a black curl fell over his eyebrow. She was equipped with the copcam – a hidden gadget attached to a button of her shirt to record their conversation, turned off for now.
He brought his face closer to her, so close that she caught the smell of his cologne, which somehow agitated her. Her head buzzed with a warning: she mustn’t fall for the rich timbre of his voice, soft gaze or the aura of confidence he had about him.
Clasping her hand, he kissed her lightly and murmured something about her full, luscious lips. The bottle of champagne, which he’d opened earlier with a ceremonial flourish, stood on a side table. He reached for his glass and took a long, leisurely sip. ‘Been missing you these last few days,’ he said wistfully. ‘I was on the go but you were on my mind constantly.’
An electric current passed through her, as though he’d spoken the truth for a change. He’d fallen for her, which had made him weak. She sank deeper into the couch, even managed a smile.
A smile bloomed on his lips as well. His hand gently moved up between her slightly pressed legs. She casually cupped his hand in hers, then, in one smart move, eased his T-shirt up over his head with the other hand. She was only playing a role in which she had to perform her best. Do or die sort of thing.
He laughed from the surprise of it, albeit with a hint of embarrassment, and fell back, glanced at his bare chest proudly and winked at her. ‘I like an aggressive woman who’s also gentle. Shall I take my jeans off, too?’
‘There’s no rush.’
He struggled to his feet, laughed at himself. His legs came out of his jeans; thin underwear barely concealed the bulging private parts. Although paler than the rest of his skin – lack of sun in both Moscow and Seattle – his legs were well-developed. He could outrun her, no question about that. She heard the clang of the elevator and muffled voices in the hallway. Could it be Uma, accompanied by a friend, checking up on her daughter? She could derail Maya’s plan. The voices soon faded.
‘What a switch.’ He laughed again, falling back onto the couch next to her, and nuzzled her neck. ‘A man showing off his body. Now, it’s your turn.’
She drew back slightly. His gaze tracing her body, she wiggled out of her jeans. Her limbs were stiff. Don’t be afraid, Maya. You’re only setting a trap.
His feverish eyes flashed at her bare legs. ‘Beauty and smarts and a healthy libido. Do you know I’ve been waiting for you all my life?’
‘I’m actually quite—’
‘Shy?’ His voice turned silky, intimate. ‘Shall we go to the bedroom, darling?’
Here was a man engaged to be married.
‘Well, not yet …’
‘We can lie on the bed and talk.’
‘I want to know all about you before we become more intimate,’ she said. ‘Will you be my Scheherazade this evening?’
‘Oh, the male version? If that’s what it takes, darling. Come. I’ll be your Scheherazade in the next room.’
It was the perfect opportunity to execute her plan. She followed him to the bedroom, to a king-sized bed covered with luxurious white cotton sheets. He curled on the left side of it. Her breath ragged, she plumped a pillow behind her and sat beside him. He reached for her, obviously intending to stroke her face. His clumsy hand banged against her chin.
He smiled sleepily, the insomniac. ‘Shorey,’ he said.
Sorry? She didn’t look at him strangely, just smiled. His fatigue and the effect of the spiked drink – she was almost sure he’d spiked it – would be a real help. Playing to his vanity might also get him to open up to her. Then she heard drunken voices outside and became aware of the passage of time. She needed to do what she’d come here to accomplish and get out before he succumbed to sleep. She started to give him a hand massage by placing his hand in hers and using her thumb to apply gentle pressure all over.
‘You’re beautiful,’ he mumbled and winked at her.
‘As pretty as Anna?’ she cooed into his ear.
‘Anna? Oh, no, no comparison. You’re a knock-out and you know how to please me. She wasn’t wife material and I was so tired of her neediness.’ He paused. ‘I feel so relaxed. It’s your wonderful touch, sweetheart. Don’t stop.’
The light had changed outside, the train of time rushing away from her. She almost laughed when this confident man, a lady-magnet, an accomplice in a double murder, gave her a grin in return. He doesn’t realize what he’s in for, this braggart. It’s copcam time, Maya.
She pressed
a knob to turn on the wearable camera clipped to the button of her blouse, aware that the conversation from this point on would show up on the video footage, covering him from the waist up. He glanced up and gave her a leery look.
‘But first,’ she said, ‘I want to hear Anna’s story.’
‘Why her?’
‘Because of her death. You must have been good in bed, so good that she would rather die if she couldn’t have more of you?’
He chuckled.
She caressed his manhood, felt herself blushing in embarrassment, but this was the only way to get him to confide.
‘Ah, keep doing that, darling. You don’t know how good it makes me feel.’ He paused. ‘Anna also had a little help.’
She fought a little nausea. ‘What secret power you must have.’ Not to mention narcotics and a friend like Ivan?
His chest puffed up. ‘My secret skill, or whatever you call it, was handed down to me by my grandfather, who got it from his father.’
She made her voice clear and words distinct; she kept her fingers working. ‘A form of hypnotism?’
‘Yeah, although I hate that word – it’s cheap. Did I use it to put that stupid sweet-maker under my thumb? You better believe it. I’d only been seeing her for a few weeks when she started hinting that we should get serious. At first I thought she was kidding.’ A pause. ‘Feel so good. It’s your wonderful touch.’
Maya thought of Anna; a wave of sadness washed over her. It was as though he was saying: How do you get rid of a woman who falls for you so quickly, except by persuading her to kill herself? He was, indeed, a psychopath, as Cal had suggested. She became aware of the insinuation that he’d try to do the same with her if she demonstrated any more interest in him.
A thrill of terror ran over Maya’s body; her breath caught in her chest. Even though a gut-level instinct told her to flee right now, she wouldn’t budge, not until she got him to confess the rest.
‘Come on, my Scheherazade,’ she said. ‘There’s more. Anna passed the trial for malaria. Her blood specimen, I suppose, will be useful to you in recreating the vaccine?’
Season of Sacrifice Page 23