Chapter Twenty
Her house was trashed. She sat on the floor by the door, not wanting to go in any farther. But she had to eventually. So Melinda climbed to her feet and stretched her back. The jaguar was gone, and it was dark.
Dembe was right when she said Melinda should take a vacation. She needed it. But right now, her home was a war zone. A groan bubbled up her throat. She hated cleaning big messes. That’s why she tidied up as she went when cooking or doing anything.
Still in her work clothes, she made her way to the bedroom, showered away the stress, and changed into stretchy pants and a T-shirt. She started cleaning the food and dishes from the floor. After a while her logic returned from overpowering fear.
Why would someone come after her personally? Perhaps it wasn’t personal and they were just looking for the serum. That thought made her feel better. Whoever it was had done their homework. They knew where her laptop was locked away, knew a serum was made, knew which lab was hers. Did she know this person?
This all started two days ago, the same day Hamel fell into her lap. Good god, it seemed like weeks, not days. Was it too coincidental that Hamel arrived the same day as the first break-in? He had to have been vetted by Kintu. He was from the— She gasped. He wasn’t from the CDC. In all that had happened after the phone call, she’d forgotten about that. He was a fraud. Holy frackin’ shit. He had to be the bad guy.
It all made sense. His uncharacteristic Oversight temperament, the non-technical medical terminology. He was late this morning, but not from going to the bar. He was searching her house for the serum while she was at the lab. Perfect timing. He had as long as he wanted. When she had called him, he was probably at her place. That’s exactly why he told her not to leave her lab. He couldn’t take the chance she would leave and come home.
Should she call the authorities? This wasn’t Atlanta, where the cops came in to bust the bad boys. The “cops” here walked around with machine guns strapped around their shoulders and grenades in their pockets. She understood why Mr. Kintu wanted to keep this whole thing under wraps. The advice was good and she’d follow it. She’d have to tell him first thing in the morning. That would work. Hamel thought she was taking the day off.
Wait. She’d told him where she hid the serum with the other department. He wouldn’t wait until tomorrow when the guys were working. He’d take it tonight while everyone was gone. Five minutes had passed since she checked her watch last. If she left now, she could get to the lab well before then. She had to try, at least.
She slipped on her running shoes, grabbed her keys, and flew out the door. The food and destroyed house would have to wait. Nothing was more important than keeping the serum out of the wrong hands. What he would do with the virus, she had no clue. But he wanted it bad enough that the reason couldn’t be good.
Traffic was light this late at night. Most traveled by moped or motor bike. The roads in town were paved, but narrow. The main road went from Entebbe airport at the southern tip of the peninsula, north to Kampala, the closest big city. Plus everything around the Uganda Virus Research Laboratory was much nicer than the rest of the town. Money went into the lab’s surrounding area, housing scientists and visiting bigwigs.
She slowed when approaching the guard shack at the entrance gate. Rousing suspicions wouldn’t be good. She handed her badge to the guard. He took several minutes, making two calls inside his hut. Security was probably extremely tight because of the break-ins. That made her feel safer, but right now, it just annoyed her.
The guard opened his door and handed back her badge. “Here a little late, Miss Caster?”
“I am, but I’m off for a few days starting tomorrow, so it all works out.” The single-arm gate levered up. “Oh, has Dr. Hamel come through recently?”
“No, ma’am. I’ve been here several hours and I have not seen him.”
That relieved her. She’d beaten him there, if he was truly coming back to steal her work. Should she say something about not letting him in? If she did then it would cause a big stir, and she didn’t have time to answer a million questions from the security captain.
“Thank you.” She waved and drove under the lifted gate arm, aiming for her building’s parking area. Another guard stood at the entrance. He looked at her badge and radioed the gate guard. They confirmed with each other, then the guard let her into the building.
The interior felt strange at night with most of the lights off and nobody around. When she passed the lunchroom, through the windows, she saw Hamel coming from the side. Shit. He was already there. He was the one.
Wait. The guard said he hadn’t seen Hamel come in. That solidified in her mind that he was the bad guy.
She had to hurry.