darkness?’ Kevin said. Unwittingly his mind conjured up the image of the
manager, Siegfried Spallek. Kevin shuddered. He was terrified of the
man.
‘It’s not forever,’ Raymond said. ‘You told me yourself, you’re almost
there, that the system is nearly perfect. When it is and you’ve trained
someone to take your place, you can come back here. With your money
you’ll be able to build the lab of your dreams.’
‘I’ve seen more smoke coming from the island,’ Kevin said. ‘Just like
last week.’
‘Forget the smoke!’ Raymond said. ‘You’re letting your imagination run
wild. Instead of working yourself up into a frenzy over nothing,
concentrate on your work so you can finish. If you’ve got some free
time, start fantasizing about the lab you’ll be building back here
state-side.’
Kevin nodded. Raymond had a point. Part of Kevin’s concern was that if
what he’d been involved with in Africa became common knowledge, he might
never be able to go back to academia. No one would hire him much less
give him tenure. But if he had his own lab and an independent income, he
wouldn’t have to worry.
‘Listen,’ Raymond said. ‘I’ll be coming to pick up the last patient when
he’s ready, which should be soon. We’ll talk again then. Meanwhile just
remember that we’re almost there and money is pouring into our offshore
coffers.’
‘All right,’ Kevin said reluctantly.
‘Just don’t do anything rash,’ Raymond said. ‘Promise me!’
‘All right,’ Kevin repeated with slightly more enthusiasm.
Kevin hung up the phone. Raymond was a persuasive person, and whenever
Kevin spoke to him, Kevin inevitably felt better.
Kevin pushed back from the desk and walked back to the dining room.
Following Raymond’s advice he tried to think of where he’d build his
lab. There were some strong arguments for Cambridge, Massachusetts,
because of the associations Kevin had with both Harvard and MIT. But
then again maybe it would be better to be out in the countryside like up
in New Hampshire.
Lunch was a white fish that Kevin didn’t recognize. When he inquired
about it, Esmeralda gave him only the name in Fang, which meant nothing
to Kevin. He surprised himself by eating more than he’d expected. The
conversation with Raymond had had a positive effect on his appetite. The
idea of having his own lab still held inordinate appeal.
After eating, Kevin changed his damp shirt for a clean, freshly ironed
one. He was eager to get back to work. As he was about to descend the
stairs, Esmeralda inquired when he wanted dinner. He told her seven, the
usual time.
While Kevin had been lunching a leaden group of gray lavender clouds had
rolled in from the ocean. By the time he emerged from his front door, it
was pouring, and the street in front of his house was a cascade as the
runoff raced down to the waterfront. Looking south over the Estuario del
Muni, Kevin could see a line of bright sunshine as well as the arch of a
complete rainbow. The weather in Gabon was still clear. Kevin was not
surprised. There had been times when it had rained on one side of the
street and not the other.
Guessing the rain would continue for at least the next hour, Kevin
skirted his house beneath the protection of the arcade and climbed into
his black Toyota utility vehicle. Although it was a ridiculously short
drive back to the hospital, Kevin felt it was better to ride than be wet
for the rest of the afternoon.
CHAPTER 3
———
MARCH 4, 1997
8:45 A.M.
NEW YORK CITY
‘WELL, what do you want to do?’ Franco Ponti asked while looking at his
boss, Vinnie Dominick, in the rearview mirror. They were in Vinnie’s
Lincoln Town-car. Vinnie was in the backseat, leaning forward with his
right hand holding onto the overhead strap. He was looking out at 126
East 64th Street. It was a brownstone built in a French rococo style
with high-arched, multipaned windows. The first-floor windows were
heavily barred for protection.
‘Looks like pretty posh digs,’ Vinnie said. ‘The good doctor is doing
okay for himself.’
‘Should I park?’ Franco asked. The car was in the middle of the street,