Tonight, though, he didn’t know if the fact that he’d awakened was because of his personal circumstances or some external influence.
He lay still on the narrow bed, listening to the movements common to all houses. And he’d almost convinced himself that nothing was amiss when he heard a noise coming from beyond his door. A moment later the door opened, a form silhouetted in the doorframe.
Before Jack could cry out, he heard the distinctive click of a gun made ready. The form advanced into the room, closing the door. Even in the darkness he knew who it was.
“Why?” was all he said.
The room had no window and so, try as he might, he couldn’t put features to Templeton’s outline.
“Because I have a feeling that things are coming to an end,” the man said. “I have no idea what that end will be, but I know it will rob me of what I want.”
Jack didn’t move. He had no idea what Templeton could see but guessed that the Englishman’s vision was as limited as his own and he didn’t want any sudden move on his part to make Templeton discharge his weapon.
“If it’s a choice between me being dead or you taking the staff, believe me, you can have the staff,” Jack said.
“You don’t understand. It’s never been about the Nehushtan.” He paused, then added, “Don’t get me wrong. I do want to walk out of here with it, but I think you know that’s not what I’m talking about.”
And in that moment, Jack did. Since the ordeal began, he’d questioned why Templeton had thought it necessary to kidnap him. Logistically it had made no sense. If Jack’s silence was what the man wanted, a bullet would have ensured that.
“Then tell me what it is you want, Martin.”
“Answers,” he replied.
The response brought a frown to Jack’s face. “What are you talking about? What answers?”
“I had a brother,” Templeton said. “A younger brother named Thomas. The sort of person who was never happy in one place. Always wanted to travel. So when he turned eighteen, he left home to see the world. Do you know where he went, Jack?”
“No. I have no idea where he went.”
“He went to Australia. About five years ago.”
When Jack heard that, he felt a shiver run down his spine. Although he couldn’t know exactly what Templeton was about to say, he had an idea.
“For a long time Thomas couldn’t find work. Finally he signed on with a company near Melbourne, working in security. . . .”
He paused for a moment. By now Jack was getting used to the dark and was able to make out the sour expression on the other man’s face.
Templeton continued, “I never would have realized that corporate security was such a dangerous occupation.”
“What happened to him?” Jack asked, despite himself.
“That’s just the thing,” Templeton said. “The Australian authorities couldn’t really tell us. Just that he died in a house fire.”
The more Templeton talked, the sicker Jack felt.
“What’s interesting, Jack, is how you know a few of the other casualties of that fire.”
And just like that, everything fell into place—the reason Templeton hadn’t let him go. Of course, there was no telling the Englishman that his brother had broken into Jack’s mentor’s house and killed the older man and his wife, and that he would have killed Jack had he not defended himself. Hearing that would have no effect on Templeton. The answers the man wanted would not heal anything.
“What was in Australia that Thomas had to die for, Dr. Hawthorne?”
Even though Templeton couldn’t see the gesture, Jack responded with a slight shake of his head. “Nothing, Martin. There was nothing in Australia—not worth dying for.”
He knew that answer wouldn’t suffice; and he knew that eventually Templeton would kill him for it.
But in that moment the door opened, light streaming in. After blinking a few times to clear his vision, Jack saw Marwen, who was pressing a gun against the back of Templeton’s head.
Templeton’s gun was still pointed at Jack, however, and given what he now knew about the man’s motivation and seeing the fevered look in his eyes, Jack wondered if Templeton just might be foolish enough to pull the trigger. But then Templeton’s face fell and he lowered the hand that held the gun. Marwen reached around and took the gun and then stepped to the side, motioning for Templeton to take a chair against the wall opposite the bed. Once Templeton was seated, Marwen turned to Jack.
“I think you need to