“Your assessment?” he asked.
He valued his men’s opinions. Good advisers made for good decisions. That was something all of the prophets had in common, counting on smart and obedient men to provide wisdom and guidance. He and his Danites served that function for Elder Rowan.
“Brother Kirk briefed me before he left for Sweden. He said the Americans’ interest piqued when he mentioned the death. They seem intent on finding whatever negatives they can.”
They’d used the possibility of a murder relative to the Rushton journal as a way to excite their enemy into making a mistake. And though the owner of the journal, which still lay on his desk, was indeed dead, nothing linked that to him—other than a wild assertion.
“Do you think they have Barry?” he asked.
Kirk’s task had been to learn what he could from the inside, then divert his saviors here. But something had gone wrong.
“It’s unlikely. How would they have known to plant the phone on the bus? Brother Kirk never would have told them anything voluntarily. In the square, just before Malone diverted the police our way, Brother Kirk signaled to me to stand ready. We were to follow using the phone tracker. I was the one who reported the killings on the water to the police. I gave them Malone’s location. It was meant to flush them out, keep things moving. But it backfired.”
That it had.
He recalled his conversation earlier with Elder Rowan. Things were happening across the Atlantic and he would soon be needed there. In the meantime Rowan had told him to learn what he could on this end.
And that was what he planned to do.
He reached for a remote control and pointed the device at a flat screen mounted on the far wall. The image that appeared was of the study, from last night, two men rummaging through the desk and examining the map on the easel, which had been left on display for a reason.
“Barry seems to have told them to come here, though, as we planned,” he said.
He and Kirk had agreed to lead the Americans so that, before killing them, they could see what might be learned when their enemy thought no one was listening. They would first find the body then, enraged, head for the main house. After saying what they might not otherwise say, they were to join their compatriot in eternity.
But that had not happened.
And from the time indicators on the video, he realized that the enemy had been inside the house as he and Cassiopeia had left. Which was never part of the plan.
Of course, as things unfolded last night he’d been unaware of any problems. From the text received at dinner, he’d believed all was proceeding smoothly.
“The younger man is the one who stole the plane and was in Copenhagen last night,” his man said. “That’s Malone studying the map.”
“Why are those states colored?” Malone asked. “And don’t tell me you don’t know. That call from Stephanie, in the car, was a briefing. I used to get them, too.”
“Those states are the problem.”
He watched as Malone pointed to Utah.
“And this?”
The answer to that question surprised him.
“It’s a complicated thing. Hard to believe, actually. But there’s a connection between Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, James Madison, and Abraham Lincoln. One that stretches straight back to the Founding Fathers.”
“Involving?”
“The U.S. Constitution.”
They watched as the two Americans found the auction brochure on the desk, the marked reference to the Book of Mormon being offered for sale. He clicked off the video, pleased that the microcamera installed in the ceiling had worked perfectly. They had, indeed, learned from their enemy.
“I’m leaving for Salzburg in a few minutes.”
“Will you be alone?”
“No. Miss Vitt will be joining me.”
“Is that wise?”
He recognized that this man’s job was to look after him, especially considering what had happened over the past twenty-four hours.
“She is a trusted old friend.”
“I didn’t meant to offend. It’s just that it might be better if this was handled by us alone.”
“I want her there.”
He wasn’t going to listen to any negativity toward Cassiopeia. He could still feel her lips on his skin and the exhilarating electricity that had swept through him. She’d given him no reason to doubt her in any way.
“It’s not a matter for debate.”
His man nodded.
“We owe Malone for our dead brothers,” he said, shifting the subject.
“I watched from shore as he killed them, powerless to do anything.”
“We must stand by one another and defend one another in all things,” the angel said in his head. “If our enemies swear against us, we can swear also. In this way we will consecrate much unto the Lord and build up His kingdom. Who can stand against us?”