The ferry’s hull might withstand a single plate, but not the ten that David had positioned in the U-Haul’s undercarriage,which would cut a ten-foot hole in the ship’s steel body. Another ten plates that David had built into the truck faced upward, toward the passenger deck. He had angled the ceiling plates to maximize the fan of death that would further escalate when the U-Haul disintegrated into the ferry, becoming its own lethal weapon.
David would soon have the honor and pleasure of firing the first shot in the battle waged from across the ocean by the man in Paris, sending the children of the Great Satan to hell.
He took one last look at the ignition device he had concealed in the closest disk, then worked his way down his checklist:
Turn on small cellular phone attached to fuse igniter and check that it has network capability.
Make sure second cell phone is turned off; place that phone inside waterproof bag, then put bag inside small backpack.
Slide shut truck’s roll-up door.
Walk to aft end of vehicle berth.
Signal boat waiting to make pickup.
Making sure he wasn’t seen, David slipped over the railing and onto the fantail, then ducked behind the vehicle ramp. Pulling out a flashlight with a red lens covering the bulb, he started pushing the On/Off button in a series of flashes toward the darkness.
When red flashes began to reply in kind, David breathed a sigh of relief. His pick-up boat was on time. Soon he would meet a man like him—one who believed it was Allah’s will to blessedly destroy the godless heathens.
David took one last look at the armed U-Haul and jumped into the water.
CHAPTER 35
Wilson Estate
Cliff Road, Nantucket
The Team Rhino welcome-to-Nantucket party at Alan and Constance Wilson’s house was in full swing—and a roaring success.
The hedge-fund giant had found his second lease on life and was eager to meet Tristan to discuss some “possibilities.” Si seemed impressed by the team, and relieved of whatever stressors he’d been facing at home before the sunken-Porsche episode.
Connie charmed my team as much as she had me. Wolf, as I’d predicted, was especially intrigued. Oliver made sure he stayed on his best behavior, while I hung out with Meg and JP, sipping cold beers and bullshitting about life and Rocket’s Red Glare.
JP wouldn’t let up. “Let’s talk to Tristan when we get back down there, Nat. Meg knows the deal.”
Meg smiled and agreed that if it ever reached Tristan’s desk,she would back JP’s play. Then she gave me a punch on the arm and said, “Enough about rockets and secret agencies—let’s talk about Nathan’s new girlfriend.”
I halfway stood from my seat next to her and in a split second pushed her back onto the grass, then pinned her down with my foot. She was caught off guard and laughing so hard that she dropped her beer bottle, making her laugh even louder and call for help from JP and Oliver.
“Let’snottalk about Nathan’s new girlfriend,” I said, enunciating each syllable as I stood over Meg. “Because thereisn’tone.”
“You’re gonna pay for this, Mr. Phillips,” she said.
I was formulating a smart-ass reply when Oliver broadsided me, knocking me off everybody’s favorite little sister. The wrestling game was on, right there in the Wilsons’ yard.
I tried to roll with him, but his momentum carried us another full revolution and he assumed a Brazilian jujitsu position known as themounted guard.Oliver immediately began slapping me—and not softly, either. I tried to escape, but he had me at a perfect disadvantage.
Not to be outdone, JP launched himself across the grass from about six feet away and landed on top of both Oliver and me. I was now at the bottom of almost 400 pounds of idiot and knew it was only a matter of time before the others joined in.
Our hosts looked on, incredulous, as Wolf Kerr went down in Nantucket history as the first man to perform a perfect somersault onto a pile of humans. With a thundering cry ofDogpile!Meg leaped on top, and we all burst into hysterics and rolled away on the grass.
I assumed such a spectacle had never occurred in the backyard of the Wilson palace. Whatever concern Alan and Conniemight have been feeling about their unusual guests and their behavior, their curiosity won out.
Si clapped and cheered, and his parents joined in.
That seemed the signal to leave. We helped the Wilsons clean up, then said our goodbyes and climbed into my ancient Defender for the twenty-minute ride back to my place.
CHAPTER 36
