Page 181 of The Bone Code
“Take another step, and Iwillshoot you.” Vowels as honeyed as pecan pie. Male. Familiar.
“How did you get into this house?” Sounding light-years more confident than I felt.
“You really must fix that back door.”
“You were here earlier.”
“I’d be foolish not to acquaint myself with the lay of the land. Don’t you agree, Dr. Brennan?”
“You hurt my cat!”
“I don’t hate cats. But yours definitely needs to acquire some manners.”
“What do you want?” Seething inside.
“Right now, I want you to lace your fingers on top of your head and turn around slowly.”
I did as instructed.
Sullie Huger had me in the crosshairs of a Glock 19.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said.
“I’m not.” I was terrified. When a gun is pointed at you, it’s all you see. “How did you find me?”
“You’re a very intelligent woman. You should know better than to share personal details with the clerical staff.”
Abilene Monger. I said nothing.
“It’s such a shame this has to happen.” Huger’s tone was reptilian cold.
Advice from a long-ago self-defense course managed to penetrate my fear.Stay calm. Be cooperative. Keep your assailant talking.
“Your scheme was brilliant,” I said, eyes glued to the cold steel cylinder aimed at my chest. “I know everything.”
“So I just overheard.”
“Do I have it right?”
“Mostly.” Huger’s eyes had the glow of too much booze. Of too much something.
Keep him talking.
“Melanie’s job would have been to spike designated batches of vaccine, right?”
“Poor, weak Melanie. Such an error in judgment.”
“When she threatened to blow the whistle, who killed her? You or Murray?”
“Arlo was another unfortunate error.”
“But Murray was your wingman.”
“Mywingman”—sarcastic—“grew reckless. And greedy.”
“No choice but to take him out.”
Huger said nothing.
