Twelve Angry Guests

Chapter 23

"I'm surprised he agreed. Did you see the look on his face!" Jessica looked at Billy with bemused admiration. "That was brilliant, Billy."

"I guess we'll see." She looked across the table at Miller. His attention was on a hangnail, but she knew what he was thinking.

Verna touched Jessica's arm and beckoned her close to whisper.

"Gretta got Forrester's hard drive from the backup control room. She said it would have everything recorded on it."

Jess sat down, her face serious. "Where is it?"

"It was in a small pack tied around her waist."

"Why didn't she mention it on the plane?"

"We were all busy with her wound . . ."

"Wait a sec." Jess got up and sat next to Arny.

With a brief head nod, she indicated the camera in the corner of the ceiling, and covered her mouth as she softly questioned him. He shook his head and leaned over to Gordon, repeating Jess' questions. The surreptitious discussion went around the table; no one knew about the pack with the drive.

"What about Mark, the pilot?" Deborah asked aloud, covering her mouth and looking sheepish.

"Yeah, where is he?" Jeff asked.

"If they took a jet to the island, which they obviously did, Forrester, Paulson, and Mark are probably somewhere else here under restriction." Hart idly twirled his sunglasses on the table-top. "He was, after all, Forrester's employee."

"Well we have to tell them." Deborah hissed.

Arny shook his hand. "No way. we need to get hold of it ourselves. I don't trust this Westerbrooke."

"How do you propose to do that?" Gordon wispered.

"Let's just wait and see what comes of Billy's videos and photos." Jessica spoke up, and nobody objected.

****

Westerbrooke came back to the room accompanied by a man, a good six inches shorter than him, dressed in a black suit with a severe tie, and wearing tinted glasses. he took the prominent position at the table and introduced himself to the group in a scratchy voice.

"I am Field Director Orin Trout. We have perused the contents of Ms. West's camera, and it has been sent to our lab for study."

"What a crock." Gordon expressed his irritation. "You think we had the means to doctor pictures and videos on that island? This is bullshit."

"I don't abide profanity, Mr. Hardy."

"Really. Want to know what I don't abide?"

"Gordon, please." Deborah tugged on his sleeve.

Westerbrooke seemed to be uneasy, standing just back of Trout, and he shook his head at Gordon.

"You didn't answer his question," Hart said.

"There are protocols we follow – to the letter, Mr. Hart."

"So meanwhile what? We sit in this room until your protocols are all put to bed?"

"You will be moved to adequate accommodation, and yes, until we reach a conclusion."

Parker snorted and pointed at Trout. "A conclusion for you guys is when you get tired of thinking. If we were terrorists would we have radioed for help, and reported what happened?"

"Protocols, Mr. Nevens. I will have more to say later."

"You know, Mr. Trout, a wise man once said – nothing – he only listened."