“I know you have to inform the authorities. I understand. Just give it a few days? The counselors don’t know it, but the managers and Kehoe start to tabulate all their evaluations to decide which of the nine counselors are going to become Durand employees tonight, after the points are rewarded for team competition. The votes are tallied and the results are final by Wednesday. On Thursday, they start to inform each counselor who was chosen and who wasn’t in private meetings. At least give me enough time so that if push comes to shove, she could see the results and know she’d been selected as a Durand manager, fair and square.”
He sensed Jim’s continued hesitation. Frustration rose in him.
“Sometimes, I don’t think I’ll ever get her to accept her legacy if she can’t make the first step of successfully completing this damn camp,” Dylan said, slapping his hand on the desk. Jim started at his intensity. “She’s fixated on the idea. I can’t sway her. But then—” He exhaled and sagged heavily back in his chair. “Sometimes, I see her point, even if I’d rather not. She’s had a shitload of confusion and shock and disbelief dumped onto her. Completing the camp successfully feels like . . . some kind of tangible stepping stone for her, I guess.”
“Between Addie’s world and her own,” Jim said.
He met Jim’s stare and nodded once.
“I’ll give you until Thursday evening. That’s the best I can do, Dylan. I’ll let on like we just had this conversation before I contact them. And I’ll tell them that you were holding off in telling the truth because you wanted to see the results of the blood test first. The chances are that agents won’t arrive here until the following day, if I contact them after hours. Hell, I don’t even know who’s going to answer the phone for the number I have,” Jim said, shrugging dubiously. “For all I know, the agents who worked on the case are retired or moved on to other jobs.”
“Do you think I’ll be in trouble with the FBI?” Dylan asked quietly. “For withholding the truth until now?”
“I doubt it. All you did was succeed in a mission they failed at for twenty years. But there’s always the chance they won’t take to your keeping secrets kindly. I suggest we don’t let on so blatantly that we’re as convinced as we are that Addie Durand and Alice Reed are the same person. Who knows?” Jim said, shrugging. “It may turn out we’re wrong.”
“Not a chance,” Dylan said grimly. “You won’t think so, either, when I tell you about some of Alice’s returning memories.”
“I don’t need much convincing as it is.” Jim pointed toward the door. “I’m going to use the facilities first. Tell me about her memories when I come back?”
Dylan nodded. Jim didn’t shut the den door when he left. As Dylan waited, he heard a distant knocking. Hammering, actually. Someone was at the front door. He quickly checked his watch. It was going on ten o’clock. Who the hell was visiting at this hour?
As he neared the foyer, he realized the knocking was persistent and loud. He swung open the heavy front door and saw Sebastian Kehoe standing on the stoop, his face fixed and pale.
“Sebastian. Is something wrong?” Dylan asked, alarmed at his unexpected appearance and tense presentation.
“She won again tonight. The team competition,” Sebastian grated out without answering Dylan’s question. “She tied with Thad Schaefer, but it doesn’t matter. She won the team competition last week, as well. She’s managed to win the favor of every manager. They’ll all cast votes in favor of her.”
“What’s your point?” Dylan asked slowly.
“You don’t even ask whom I’m talking about,” Kehoe said bitterly. “You know I’m referring to her. Alice.”
“I figured,” Dylan said with false calmness. “Alice Reed. I’m aware that she won the team competition last week.”
“You’re aware of a hell of a lot more than that about her.”
“Careful, Sebastian,” Dylan said softly. Kehoe’s mouth snapped shut. Suddenly he shook his head.
“No. No, I’m not going to let it happen. I’m not going to let that know-it-all, trailer-trash upstart claim the position of Durand executive. She’s completely unsuitable,” Kehoe shouted.
“I suggest you calm down. As for Alice, the twelve Durand managers seem to disagree with you. And it’s what the majority vote says that counts.”
“It’s because of your constant intrusion that we’re in this situation. You brought her here. I would never have hired her as a counselor to begin with. You contrived to get that interview with her while we were in Chicago, didn’t you? You’ve been manipulating me! I will not let this happen.”
“Then you’ll be out of a job, won’t you?”
“I was working and excelling at this job before you knew how to drive. How dare you threaten me,” Kehoe bellowed.
Dylan stepped forward, anger pouring like ice through his veins. “You really think that was a threat? That was reality, plain and simple. Am I making myself clear?”
Kehoe looked apoplectic. Dylan had been in more than his fair share of fistfights as a kid and young man. He had the familiar feeling of being face-to-face with a person who had reached his limit, with whom logic’s hold was weakening. The word rabid came to mind. He tensed, fully prepared for Kehoe to physically attack him.
“What’s this all about?” a mild voice asked from behind them.
Eyeing Kehoe carefully and remaining on high alert, Dylan took a step back.