Desh frowned. “So you decided to stage a break-in and steal them all.”
“Not right away,” replied Alan with an air of superiority. “I waited until a few months after my visit so my sister would never suspect I was responsible. And I didn’t just take the gellcaps. I took a sample of Kira’s hair as well, in case I ever needed it to frame her.” He looked quite pleased with himself. “I like to plan ahead.”
Desh shook his head in disgust. He had used a strand of the hair he had taken to frame her for his own murder.
“Then I waited a few days and killed Kira’s boss to throw her a head fake,” said Alan. “When you’re under the influence of her treatment, things become crystal clear. I was certain that if I killed Morgan, she would jump to the conclusion that he had stolen the pills and was double-crossed by a powerful partner.”
Desh knew this was the exact conclusion Kira had reached. “And then you hired Lusetti to watch her.”
“I thought it best to leave her alone to make other ah . . . mind-blowing . . . discoveries, and then swoop in and steal these as well. Meanwhile, I was using her pills judiciously to set up my empire.”
“Where does Putnam fit in?” asked Desh.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, with intelligence this great fortunes can be amassed in any number of ways,” he replied, swirling his drink around absently. “But if power is your drug, pulling strings at the most powerful intelligence gathering organization in the history of mankind has certain advantages.”
“But why Putnam? Did you know him?”
Alan shook his head. “While using Kira’s therapy, I broke into the personal computers of a number of mid-level NSA operatives. Putnam was one of them. We were like-minded and he was particularly savage. I was able to dig up enough dirt on him to guarantee him the death sentence several times over. So I recruited him and masterminded his climb up the ladder. We made a great team.”
“Did you give him any gellcaps?” asked Kira.
“Of course not,” he snapped disdainfully. “Do I look like an idiot. Putnam was far too ruthless and ambitious to be trusted. If he ever became transformed, I was certain he would find a way to turn the tables on me.” He paused. “The only person I ever allowed to become transformed, other than myself, was a molecular biologist Putnam was blackmailing. And this was done under extraordinarily secure conditions, and only to ensure I would have an unlimited supply of your treatment.”
“So when Putnam was boasting about his activities, he was really describing what you had done,” said Desh.
“That’s right,” he replied. “We rehearsed everything he said to you. I even instructed him to kill the man you know as Smith in front of you. Putnam had no idea why I wanted him to pretend to be me.” Alan sneered. “But he knew better than to question me,” he added icily.
Alan Miller walked a few steps to the bar and began pouring himself another drink. He turned to Desh once again. “I recruited Putnam and began building wealth and power all the while my sister was working on extended life. I always knew what she was up to. I made it a point to know, despite the precautions she thought she was taking after my break-in.” He added ice to his glass and returned to his seat. “When Lusetti reported she was closing up shop, I suspected she had made a breakthrough.”
“So you flew to San Diego to find out,” said Desh.
“When I learned the secret wasn’t in her computer and would have to be coerced from her, I figured I could kill two birds with one stone. With emphasis on kill,” he added sardonically. “I had been considering faking my own death, anyway, and starting over with a new identity that was off the grid.”
“And you knew your sister worshipped you. So you decided to pretend to be a hostage and use the threat of your own death as leverage.”
Alan nodded. “It was a brilliant plan, if I do say so myself.” He paused for a moment and his features hardened. “But I didn’t count on the memory trap she had made,” he growled through clenched teeth. “That fucked everything up.” He swirled his drink and stared at it in his hand, as if mesmerized, until he was icy calm once again.