Dark Light

Chapter 39

IT WAS LATE MORNING. THE WEATHER REPORT HAD called for a slight lifting of the fog by noon, but Fontana had seen no signs of any lightening in the permanent twilight outside the windows of his office. He looked at the notes on his desk. There was a timeline and a rough sketch of the catacombs beneath what was left of his house. Ray sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

"Patterson obviously knew about the hole-in-the-wall in the basement," Fontana said. "He must have also known that the closest exit was beneath the warehouse."

"In which case, it didn't take a genius to figure out that if you and Sierra went into the tunnels to escape the fire, you would head for the warehouse," Ray said. "What I find really interesting is that the Riders set their trap in the one short section of the tunnels where there was a blind curve and no intersecting corridors that you could use to evade them."

"That means that they had an accurate map of that sector of the catacombs." Fontana raised his brows. "But according to the former owner's journal, the chart he made was the only one in existence."

"Either he was wrong—"

Fontana leaned back in his chair. "Or somehow Patterson got hold of the journal and used the information in it to set up his ambush."

Ray's expression was grim. "You told me that you discovered the journal in a hidden wall safe in the art gallery. You said you never showed it to anyone else. How the hell would Patterson have known about it, let alone have a chance to study it?"

"Good question." The intercom buzzed. Fontana leaned forward and rezzed it. "What is it, Harlan?"

"I have the Foundation files that you requested, sir. Shall I bring them in now, or would you prefer to deal with them at another time?"

"Bring them in now. I want to look them over before I talk to Bonner."

"Yes, sir."

Ray's brows rose. "Why the sudden interest in the Foundation?"

The door opened. Harlan came into the room.

"I'm going to get rid of Bonner," Fontana said.

"You're going to put someone else in charge of the Foundation?" Ray asked.

"Yes. My wife."

Harlan set the files on the desk. "Here you are, sir."

"Thanks, Harlan."

Ray grinned. "Interesting choice. Sierra will clean things up in about twenty-four hours. You won't have to worry about where the money is going with her in charge."

Fontana set the file aside. "I figure my main problem will be explaining to her that I don't intend to increase her budget every time she decides to take on a new philanthropic project."