Page 70 of Mountain Impact

Isolde.

He had to get to her. Drake leaped to his feet. The movement caused something in his leg to tweak painfully― probably one of the multiple screws and plates holding his bones together. He ignored the pain, knowing the leg would hold.

Before he had a chance to take a single step, a figure appeared, standing between him and the exit. A large, bald man. Sweat glistened on top of his head.

Then the man looked up, and Drake recognized Alain Blanchard, the brother of the two victims.

His mind reeled.

What is he doing here?

“Blanchard?”

“Ah, you remember me, Jacobs.” His gaze grew stony. “I certainly remember you.”

“What’s going on, Blanchard? Is this Jean Lepont?”

“It is. The bastard was trying to blackmail me, if you can believe that. He threatened to tell you everything he knew.” Blanchard looked at the corpse behind them. “I thought we could reach an agreement, but when I got here, I heard him speaking with you. It sounds like his conscience got the best of him. Now he won’t say anything.”

“What is it you didn’t want him to say?”

“My involvement in my brothers’ accident, of course.”

Fuck.

Drake looked down at his watch. He’d been inside for three minutes now.

Twelve minutes left until Isolde drives off and calls Damien.

He had to keep Blanchard engaged and talking for as long as possible.

Blanchard circled, moving closer, and Drake stepped around him. He didn’t need to look back to know he was being herded towards the cable car gangway―there was no exit that way, but as long as they were moving away from the main road, where Isolde was waiting, Drake would comply. They were also moving closer to the large panoramic windows, so it was easier to see Blanchard now.

“I guess I have to kill you too,” Blanchard said, bringing out a gun from inside his waistband.

Stupid way to carry a weapon.

Too bad he didn’t blow off his balls.

Drake recognized the pistol. It was a PAMAS G1, one of the most common weapons in the country, used by the French Air Force, the Army and the Navy since the late nineties. He wondered how Blanchard had come across it.

And whether he knows how to use it.

“You deserve it, anyway, for meddling with my plans.”

Drake backed another step. “You caused the accident on purpose? Why would you want to kill your brothers?”

“It’s a long story―but I don’t mind sharing it with you.”

Chapter 23

Isolde

Isolde had every intention of keeping her promise. She fiddled with the phone in her hands, confirming―for the fifth time in as many minutes―that cell phone reception was strong.

Ten minutes left.

Discomfort grew in the back of her mind. She struggled against it, telling herself Drake knew what he was doing. He was a member of the PGHM―he knew a lot more about this kind of situation than she did, and he’d asked her to stay put. If she went out now, she’d only be distracting him from his job.