Read Until Twilight for Free Online Page B

consisted of three tiny perfume vials filled with the dangerous
    liquid. They lay atop an innocuous gel mask that had been previously chilled and was
    still warming. Items a woman might carry in her purse. And lying next to them a simple
    lady’s alarm watch, set to go off at a certain time and detonate the explosive.

    Lane tried not to show the relief he felt that the immediate danger was past and
    Bella was away from the explosives. He knew she was the best of the best, but the
    thought of that supple body blown to bits made him shudder.
    36
    Until Twilight
    Finally, done with the vials, Bella punched the button on the machine and played
    the message back again. The male voice speaking English in a British accent filled the
    room.
    You display art that celebrates liberation of the oppressed, yet millions are impoverished by the three-headed hydra. Yet you do nothing. We will make you. Freeze the assets of Kopf or the next bomb will be immediate and devastating. Octo.
    Lane and Isabella exchanged glances.
    “We must have voice analysis,” she told Cappi.
    “Interesting they did not bother to use a disguise mechanism,” Cappi noted.
    “Leaving a recorded message is something new, right?” Lane asked her.
    She nodded. “Today is the first time the bombs have appeared anywhere, in the art
    world or otherwise. The recorded message, too. Yet, this demand to freeze the assets of the Kopf is astounding.”
    “The Kopf,” he said with a sour taste in his mouth. “Kopf Industries owned by
    three men known for their art holdings and their obscurity.”
    “And their greed. One Russian, one Italian and one German joined together to
    package subprime mortgages and sell them as securities, defrauding millions and
    bankrupting entire countries.” Bella felt her blood pressure tick up. “This is no art thief setting these bombs. Could it be that some of those who have been defrauded by Kopf
    have set them?”
    Lane stared at her. “Why not? They talk of being oppressed and impoverished by
    the three-headed hydra? Makes sense to me.”
    “But who are they?” demanded Silvestri. “How can we save my museum if we do
    not know who is doing this?”
    Lane nodded. “Signore Silvestri has a point. I have never heard of Octo. Who is this
    unknown group that’s suddenly doing this? Definitely strange that no one wants to
    claim credit for it.”
    37
    Desiree Holt & Cerise DeLand
    “What should I do?” Silvestri asked, nervously clasping and unclasping his hands.
    “If they ask for a ransom to end the planting of bombs, do you have the cash
    available?” Lane wanted to know of the director.
    Silvestri shrugged. “From the insurance company. And it would have to be
    approved by the board.”
    Bella paced. “Signore, you can do nothing at the moment. These would-be bombers
    have not asked for money. They have not set the bombs in so intricate a manner that
    they could not be dismantled.” She cocked her head and raised a finger in the air.
    “They’re warning us. Of Kopf, certainly. We must learn more about this three-man
    group, Lane. Quickly. We need to find out if there are other museums or galleries in
    Europe that are having the same problem. If they have recorded or written messages
    attached that speak of Kopf or a three-headed hydra.”
    Lane pulled out his cell phone. “Let me get onto Nemesis and see what background
    Maddie and Dan can dig up. And I’ll try to reach Adam and Nic. See if they’ve arrived
    here in Florence yet.”
    Adam Molloy, former Mossad agent now married to agency CEO Nicki Welles, still
    had many contacts all over Europe and the Middle East and often was the Nemesis
    point man for international cases. Terrorism was Adam’s specialty.
    Lane opened the door to the office and walked out into the hall, finding a quiet
    corner where he could carry on the conversation. He didn’t need either the museum
    staff or the polizia listening in as he called headquarters.
    But as he opened his phone, he