‘ ’Cause he was working with Stikes,’ said Eddie, anger rising. ‘He was all along. All they wanted the whole time was those statues. Kit killed Mac to protect them, and tried to kill me because I figured it out.’
It was now Nina’s ears, not her eyes, that she doubted. Kit had killed Mac? The idea was impossible to believe. More than that, it was . . .
Insane? The word sent another chill through her. Could Mac’s murder – compounded by the news of his grandmother’s death – have possibly affected Eddie so badly? ‘Why?’ she asked.
‘How the fuck would I know? I wasn’t in on whatever they were doing. But I’ll tell you who else was,’ he added. ‘Sophia.’
Nina stared at him. ‘Sophia?’ she said after a pause. ‘Sophia, as in your ex-wife Sophia?’
‘Yeah. She was the one who wanted the statues.’
‘You mean Sophia Blackwood?’ said Macy, bewildered. ‘The terrorist? I thought she was dead.’
‘She is dead,’ Nina told her. ‘And Eddie should know – he threw her off a cliff!’
Eddie looked in frustration between the two women as the wail of approaching sirens reached them. ‘She was here – she took off with Stikes in that chopper. Don’t tell me you didn’t see her either!’
‘I saw Stikes – I think.’ Nina glanced at the now empty helipad. ‘But the only other people I saw were you . . . and Kit.’
‘There! Kit and Stikes were working together, like I told you! That’s why he kept the whole meeting a secret!’
‘He told me about it.’ Eddie’s face revealed his shock. ‘Stikes offered Interpol a deal – immunity in return for the statues. Kit didn’t tell you because he knew how upset you were about Mac, and thought you’d react badly if you knew he was talking to Stikes.’ Nina let out a short, bitter laugh. ‘And he was right!’
‘No, that isn’t – that’s not what happened,’ Eddie insisted, desperation entering his voice. ‘Kit wasn’t negotiating some immunity deal. He was working with Stikes and Sophia!’
‘Stikes and Sophia,’ Nina echoed. ‘Two of the people you hate most in the world – and they’re both involved in a conspiracy to cover up Mac’s murder? By Kit? Eddie, this whole thing, everything you’re saying, is just, just . . .’ She didn’t want to say the word.
He knew exactly what she meant, though. ‘I’m not fucking mad, and I didn’t fucking hallucinate this.’ He grabbed her by her upper arm. ‘Kit killed Mac! And he would have killed me too, if I hadn’t killed him first!’
Nina recoiled with a gasp of pain as his fingers dug into her. ‘Eddie, let go,’ she said. It was the first time she could remember that he had ever physically hurt her. ‘Let go of me!’
He opened his hand, and she jerked away, almost tripping as she scurried backwards. ‘Jesus Christ, Eddie! You killed a policeman – you murdered your friend!’
‘That’s not what happened!’ he shouted, starting to follow her.
‘Don’t touch me!’ Nina brought up her hands, balled almost into fists. Eddie stopped as she continued to retreat. ‘Get away from me! I don’t – I don’t even know you any more! What have you done?’
Eddie stayed still, stricken, as the first emergency vehicles reached the dirt road. Leading was a yellow van bearing the gas company’s logo, which tore past and headed for what was left of the pumping station. Behind it was a police car, which screeched to a stop at the roadside. Two cops jumped out, running to the group and drawing their guns. They shouted orders in Spanish.
‘What the fuck’s this?’ Eddie demanded, raising his hands as the men fixed their weapons on him.
Macy translated. ‘Oh, my God. Eddie, they say they’re arresting you for murder!’ She ran to the cops and asked panicked questions in their language, getting brusque responses. ‘The gas company saw you and Kit on the security cameras!’
One of the cops approached Eddie. He gestured for the Englishman to hold out his hands, ready to be cuffed. The other hung back suspiciously, unsure what to make of Nina and Macy and splitting his attention between the three.
‘I didn’t murder him,’ Eddie said – to Nina, not the cops. ‘He was trying to kill me. You’ve got to believe me.’
‘I . . . I don’t know if I can,’ she whispered.
The first cop waved his gun impatiently. Eddie gave Nina a long, saddened look, then held out his wrists. The cop fumbled one-handed for his handcuffs, glancing down as