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Eileen broke the news to Maggie. “We need to be on foot. You’re going to have to trim down your snack bag. And we’ll be in the woods, more or less.”
“Bugs? Please, not bugs.”
“I have that part covered. It’s the other creatures we’ll have to deal with.”
“Say it isn’t so.”
“I would, but I would be lying.”
“Dang!” Maggie shuffled through her bag. “I have pepper spray!”
“That might come in handy. As far as I know the snakes are only in the jungle areas so we should be okay.”
“That’s a relief. On to the important decision—popcorn, protein bars, or cookies? Take your pick.”
“Protein bar, please.”
Maggie had a small, nylon backpack folded inside one of the pockets of her snack bag. She filled it with a few essentials and some small electronic devices. “Ready?” she asked Eileen.
“Ready!”
They looked both ways as they crossed the street. The road was dark and deserted now except for the lights on the building several yards away. Eileen told Maggie about the cameras and the security guard in the small shack at the front of the gate. They began picking their way through the trees and vines until they were at the back of the gated property. They positioned themselves so they would have a good sight line to the loading docks. But there was no activity. Not a soul was about. They cleared a few branches so they could sit. And wait. And wait. And wait.
Chapter Eleven
Thursday
Outside REBAR
The sun was creeping over the horizon when Maggie and Eileen decided that they should hightail it out of there before the morning crew arrived. The night had proven fruitless and they decided to go back to the apartment, shower, and get some rest. If anything unseemly was going to happen, it was going to be at night. Unfortunately, it hadn’t been that particular night. When they got back to their rooms, Maggie phoned Alexis and reported, “Nothing. Nada.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Me too,” Maggie said. “The place is like Fort Knox. We had to sit in the bushes.”
“Interesting. Why would they have such high security for a cement manufacturer?”
“Exactly.”
“The security is top of the line and very recent,” Eileen called out from across the room. “The cameras they’re using have only been made available within the past year.”
“Interesting. That’s about as long as Malcolm’s been there,” Alexis noted.
“I repeat—exactly,” said Maggie.
“My interview is this morning. I’ll check out as much as I can and let you know when I get back.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Maggie said. “Good luck with your interview.”
“Thanks. Talk later.”
London
Mason Chapman hobbled to the door of his flat. It was late morning and he was nervously anticipating a grilling. When he opened his door, a nondescript man in a suit was standing on the other side.
“Mr. Chapman? Inspector Crenshaw of the building authority. May I come in?”
Mason hopped to one side and let him in. “Tea? Coffee?”
