After another set of double doors and a short corridor, they came to a heavy, locked fire door. Melanie had to use her card to open it.

“Here we are!” Melanie whispered, as she let the fire door close quietly behind them. After the bustle they’d just witnessed, the silence and darkness seemed absolute. “This is the administration area. The stairwell is down the hall to the left. So hold on.”

There was groping in the dark until Candace got her hand on Melanie’s shoulder and Kevin got his on Candace’s.

“Come on!” Melanie encouraged. She began to inch her way along the corridor, while running her hand against the wall. The others allowed themselves to be pulled along. Gradually, their eyes adjusted and by the time the group neared the door to the stairwell, they could appreciate the small amount of moonlight that seeped through the cracks.

Inside the stairwell, it was comparatively bright. Large windows on each landing flooded the stairs with moonlight.

The first-floor hall was much easier to walk in than the second-floor hall because of the windows in the main-entrance doors.

Melanie led them to a position just outside Bertram’s office.

“Now comes the acid test,” Kevin said, as Melanie tried her card in the lock.

There was an immediate, reassuring click. The door opened.

“No problem,” Melanie said buoyantly.

The three stepped inside the room and were again thrust into almost complete darkness. The only light was a meager glow that filtered through the open door into the inner office.

“What now?” Kevin questioned. “We’re not going to find anything in the dark.”

“I agree,” Melanie said. She felt along the wall for the switch. As soon as her finger touched it, she switched it on.

For a moment, they blinked at each other. “Whoa, seems awfully bright,” Melanie said.

“I hope it doesn’t wake up those Moroccan guards across the street,” Kevin said.

“Don’t even joke about it,” Melanie said. She walked into the inner office and turned on the light. Kevin and Candace joined her.

“I think we should be methodical about this,” Melanie said. “I’ll take the desk. Candace, you take the file cabinet, and, Kevin, why don’t you take the outer office and, while you’re at it, keep an eye on the hall. Give a yell if anybody appears.”

“Now that’s a happy thought,” Kevin said.

Siegfreid turned left at the motor pool and accelerated his new Toyota LandCruiser toward the animal center. The vehicle had been modified for his disability so that he could shift with his left hand.

“Does Cameron have any idea why we are so concerned about the security of Isla Francesca?” Bertram asked.

“No, not at all,” Siegfried said.

“Has he asked?”

“No, he’s not that kind of person. He takes orders. He doesn’t question them.”

“What about telling him and cutting him in on a small percentage?” Bertram suggested. “He could be very helpful.”

“I’m not diluting our percentages!” Siegfried said. “Don’t even suggest it. Besides, Cameron is already helpful. He does whatever I tell him to do.”