Chapter 74
The knowledge settled, slow and cool: Vilhelm was Austin’s father, and he was running things.
It all made a terrible sort of sense. She began piecing it together, remembering Vilhelm sitting in the lodge on that first day when she’d walked in—not just a local watching the comings and goings of lodge life, but watching Leif.
He’d been in the reception office, talking with Austin, his expression tense and preoccupied when he emerged.
She thought of Vilhelm warning them off Blafjell, then later, still in the woods, trying to encourage them to turn back.
“Vilhelm’s got a brother in Antwerp,” Leif said.
“He’s been running an operation there for years.
Vilhelm covers the transport into Norway, with Austin’s help.
That’s why they bought Bj?rn’s boat. They wanted an established fishing outfit so that it didn’t look suspicious—and needed Bj?rn out of the way so that the bay was theirs. ”
Erik stood mute, his thumb knuckle kneading his chin.
“I never wanted anything to do with the cocaine, I promise,” Leif said. “But they won’t let me walk.”
“If you’ve got nothing to do with the cocaine,” Liz said, “why force me to climb down after it?”
Leif turned and met her gaze. “Vilhelm radioed to say a kilo of cocaine had been taken by your group. He said I had to find it . . . before he found you.”
She saw the slow swallow of his throat and slight flare of his nostrils. Leif was afraid.
“Are Austin and Vilhelm out here, looking for us?” Liz asked.
“Not Austin—he’s still on the boat making another delivery up the coast.”
“But Vilhelm?” Liz prompted.
Slowly, Leif nodded. His gaze lifted, scanning the mountain. “He’s out there.”
“Oh God,” Helena said, hands rising to her mouth. “Maggie’s at the cabin. Alone.”