is. But with this episode with Kevin Marshall, the bridge has me
worried.’
‘Why?’ Bertram asked. ‘It’s locked.’
‘Where are the keys?’ Siegfried asked.
‘In my office,’ Bertram said.
‘I think they should be here in the main safe,’ Siegfried said. ‘Most of
your staff has access to your office, including Melanie Becket.’
‘Perhaps you have a point,’ Bertram said.
‘I’m glad you agree,’ Siegfried said. ‘So I’d like you to get them. How
many are there?’
‘I don’t recall exactly,’ Bertram said. ‘Four or five. Something like
that.’
‘I want them here,’ Siegfried said.
‘Fine,’ Bertram said agreeably. ‘I don’t have a problem with that.’
‘Good,’ Siegfried said. He let his legs drop from the desk and stood up.
‘Let’s go. I’ll come with you.’
‘You want to go now?’ Bertram asked with disbelief.
‘Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?’ Siegfried said.
‘Isn’t that an expression you Americans espouse? With the keys in the
safe, I know I’ll sleep a lot better tonight.’
‘Would you want me to come along as well?’ Cameron asked.
‘It’s not necessary,’ Siegfried said. ‘I’m sure Bertram and I can handle
it.’
Kevin looked at himself in the full-length mirror at the end of the
banks of lockers in the men’s room. The trouble with the coveralls was
that the small was too small and the medium was a little too big. He had
to roll up the sleeves and the pant legs.
‘What the hell are you doing in there?’ Melanie’s voice called out.
She’d pushed open the door from the hall.
‘I’m coming,’ Kevin said. He closed the locker where he’d stored his own
clothes and hurried out into the hall.
‘I thought women were supposed to take a long time dressing,’ Melanie
complained.
‘I couldn’t decide which size was best,’ Kevin said.
‘Did anybody come in while you were in there?’ Melanie asked.
‘Not a soul,’ Kevin said.
‘Good,’ Melanie said. ‘Same for us in the ladies’ room. Let’s go!’
Melanie motioned for the others to follow her as she started up the
stairs. ‘To get to the administration area from here, we have to pass
through part of the veterinary hospital. I think it’s best to avoid the
main floor, which has the emergency room and the acute-care unit.
There’s always a lot of activity there. So let’s go up to the second
floor and go through the fertility unit. I can even say I’m checking on
patients if someone asks.’
‘Cool,’ Candace said.
They passed the first floor and climbed to the second. Entering the main
corridor, they encountered their first animal-center employee. If the
man thought that there was anything abnormal about Kevin and Candace’s
presence in the middle of the night, he didn’t give any evidence. He
passed by with merely a nod.
‘That was easy,’ Candace whispered.
‘It’s the coveralls,’ Melanie said.
They turned left through a set of double doors and entered a brightly
lit, narrow hallway lined with a number of blank doors. Melanie cracked
one of them and stuck her head inside. Quietly, she closed the door.
‘It’s one of my patients. She’s a low-land gorilla who’s almost ready
for egg retrieval. They can get a little rambunctious with the hormone
level we have to achieve, but she’s sleeping soundly.’
‘Can I see?’ Candace asked.
‘I suppose,’ Melanie said. ‘But be quiet and don’t make any sudden
movements.’
Candace nodded. Melanie opened the door and slipped inside. Candace
followed. Kevin stayed by the door, holding it open.
‘Shouldn’t we be doing what we came here for?’ Kevin whispered.
Melanie put her finger to her lips.
There were four large cages in the room, only one of which was occupied.
A large gorilla was sleeping on a bed of straw. The illumination came
from overhead recessed lighting that was dimmed down to a point of being
almost off.
Gently touching the bars of the cage, Candace leaned forward to get a
better look. She’d never been so close to a gorilla. If she’d been
inclined, she could have touched the huge animal.
With speed that defied belief, the female gorilla awoke and then bounced
off the front of the cage. In the next instant, she was pounding the