Are You Afraid of the Dark?

* * *

VlNCE CARBALLO’s MEN were spread all over town, checking every hotel, boardinghouse, and flophouse. One of his men showed pictures of Diane and Kelly to the clerk at the Esplanade Hotel.

"Have you seen either of these ladies? There’s a five-million-dollar reward for them." The clerk shook his head. "I wish I knew where they were." At the Renaissance Westchester Hotel, another man was holding up pictures of Diane and Kelly.

"Five million? I wish I could collect that." At the Crowne Plaza, the clerk was saying, "If I see them, I’ll sure let you know, mister." Vince Carballo himself knocked at the door of Grace Seidel’s boardinghouse.

"Good morning." "Good morning. My name is Vince Carballo." He held up a picture of the two women. "Have you seen these women? There’s a five-million-dollar reward for them." Grace Seidel’s face lit up. "Kelly!"

* * *

IN TANNER’S OFFICE, Kathy Ordonez was overwhelmed. Faxes were coming in faster than she could handle them, and her e-mail in-box was inundated. She picked up a pile of the papers and walked into Tanner’s office. Tanner and Pauline Van Luven were seated on a couch, talking.

Tanner looked up as his secretary came in. "What is it?" She smiled. "Good news. You’re going to have a very successful dinner party." He frowned. "What are you talking about?" She held up the papers. "These are all acceptances. Everyone’s coming." Tanner got up. "Coming where? Let me see those." Kathy handed him the papers and went out to her desk.

Tanner read the first e-mail aloud. " ‘We would be delighted to come to dinner at KIG Headquarters on Friday to see the unveiling of Prima, your weather control machine.’ From the editor of Time magazine." His face turned white. He looked at the next one. " ‘Thank you for your invitation to see Prima, your weather control computer, at KIG Headquarters. We look forward to being there.’ It’s signed by the editor of Newsweek." He skimmed the rest of them. "CBS, NBC, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and the London Times, all eager to see the unveiling of Prima." Pauline sat there, speechless.

Tanner was so furious, he could hardly speak. "What the hell is going on-?" He stopped.

"Those bitches!"

* * *

AT IRMA’S INTERNET Cafe, Diane was busily operating a computer. She looked up at Kelly.

"Have we left anyone out?" Kelly said, "Elle, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, Mademoiselle, Readers Digest? Diane laughed. "I think this does it. I hope Kingsley has a good caterer. He’s going to have a big party."

* * *

Vince carballo was looking at Grace Seidel excitedly. "You know Kelly?" "Oh, yes," Grace said. "She’s one of the most famous models in the world." Vince Carballo’s face lit up. "Where is she?" Grace looked at him in surprise. "I don’t know. I’ve never met her." His face reddened. "You said you knew her." "I mean-everybody knows her. She’s very famous. Isn’t she beautiful?" "You have no idea where she is?" Grace said thoughtfully, "I do have kind of an idea." "Where?" "I saw a woman who looked like her get on a bus this morning. She was traveling with someone-" "What bus was it?" "It was the bus to Vermont." "Thanks." Vince Carballo hurried away.

* * *

TANNER THREW THE pile of faxes and e-mails to the floor and turned to Pauline.

"Do you know what those bitches have done? We can’t let anyone see Prima." He was thoughtful for a long moment.

"I think Prima will have an accident the day before the party and blow up." Pauline looked at him a moment and then smiled. "Prima II." Tanner nodded. "That’s right. We can travel around the world, and anytime we’re ready, we’ll go to Tamoa and start operating Prima II." Kathy Ordonez’s voice came over the intercom. She sounded frantic. She buzzed into Tanner’s office. "Mr. Kingsley, the phones are going crazy. I have the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Larry King, all holding for you." "Tell them I’m in a meeting." Tanner turned to Pauline. "We have to get out of here." He patted Andrew on the shoulder. "Andrew, come with us." "Yes, Tanner." The three of them walked over to the redbrick building. "I have something very important for you to do, Andrew." "Anything you want," Andrew said.

* * *

TANNER LED THE way into the redbrick building and walked over to Prima. Tanner turned to Andrew. "Here’s what I want you to do. Princess and I have to leave now, but at six o’clock, I want you to turn this computer off. It’s very simple." He pointed. "You see this big red button?" Andrew nodded. "I see it." "All you have to do is press it three times, at six o’clock. Three times. Can you remember that?" Andrew said, "Yes, Tanner. Six o’clock. Three times." "Right. See you later." Tanner and Pauline started to walk out.

Andrew looked after them. "You’re not taking me with you?" "No. You stay here. Just remember: six o’clock, three times." "I’ll remember." As they walked outside, Pauline said, "What if he doesn’t remember?" Tanner laughed. "It doesn’t matter. It’s set to explode automatically at six o’clock. I just wanted to make sure he’s there when it happens."

Chapter Forty-Five

AT WAS A perfect day for flying. KIG’s 757 was speeding over the Pacific Ocean under an azure blue sky. Pauline and Tanner were snuggled together on a couch in the main cabin.

Pauline said, "Darling, do you know it’s a shame that people will never know how brilliant you are?" "If they ever found out, I’d be in big trouble." She looked at him and said, "No problem. We could buy a country and proclaim ourselves the rulers. Then they can’t touch us." Tanner laughed.