The Colossus by Ranjini Iyer Page B

met you,” she said flatly. “Talking about Lars and Papa upset him. I didn’t even mention the attack on us. He is old and unwell and he is all I have.” She was getting flustered. “If something happens to him because I involved him in this, I’ll never forgive myself. So yes, I suppose I have no one to tell.” She added with an air of defiance, “Unless you count my assistant, Kim!”
    Max cleared the table and began noisily stacking the dishes by the dishwasher. Julian gently pushed her away and loaded the dishwasher while she wiped the counter and put away the leftovers. She covered Julian’s unfinished slice of flan with plastic wrap and put it in a box for him to take home.
    When the kitchen was clean, Julian re-filled their wine glasses and led Max to the couch. They sipped their wine in silence.
    Max stared into her glass, wanting to drown in its intense burgundy. “I’m sorry I got angry earlier,” she said.
    “No worries,” Julian said. He turned to her. “Max, I’m not a criminal expert and I know nothing about chemistry. But I want to help. So tell me, how can I?”
    Before she could answer, the phone started to ring.
    Max answered. It was Lars.
    “I’m calling from a neighbor’s phone,” he said. “Best if you call me back from a different phone.”
    Max asked Julian if she could borrow his cell phone, and seconds later she had Lars on the phone again.
    He spoke in choppy sentences. “I wanted to tell you something before you decide what to do.”
    “Is it that yellow-haired beast again?” Max felt an icicle of fear run down her back.
    Julian stepped closer and put a hand on her shoulder.
    “Maybe,” Lars said. “My computer hard drive has been wiped clean. My place torn apart, my safe broken into. It has begun, Max. They probably know I gave them the wrong key. Have you found out anything? Are you coming to London?” It sounded like Lars was pacing, out of breath.
    Max put a hand over her mouth.
    “What is it?” Julian asked. Max held up a palm asking him to wait.
    “I’m ready to leave town, Maxine.” Lars sounded close to tears.
    Max tried hard to stay calm. “I have learned a few things from Opa’s diary entries. But I don’t know if they’re relevant.”
    “Perhaps we should just let things be,” Lars said. “It’s safer that way.”
    Max felt like she could die with relief. Yes, that was the way to do it.
    A thought nudged at her. What if Lars’s disease progressed, and he was not around to help if she decided to do something? Then she’d have no one, absolutely no one to talk to who’d have any idea about her father’s work.
    “I agree. That’s what we should do,” Max said, but not as forcefully as she had wanted to. “This is getting way too dangerous.”
    She heard Lars exhale sharply. “If you change your mind and want to see me while I’m still healthy and useful, come. You’ll have to decide in the next two days.” With that, Lars hung up.
    Max tried to smile at Julian. “Thanks for coming,” she said in an unnatural voice and handed Julian his phone. “Hope that call doesn’t cost you too much.” That was all she was going to be able to say without breaking down and becoming completely incoherent. “I really appreciate it.” She was starting to sound like a robot.
    Julian took both her hands. “ What is going on? Who was that?”
    Max looked at the floor, pools of tears dangerously forming in her eyes.
    Julian knew a lot already. What difference would it make telling him this, too? He would just be walking away after she told him, never to be seen again. She told him what Lars had said.
    Julian’s face turned bright pink. His voice took on a lower timbre. “I cannot believe this man. I understand he was shot at. That is enough to frighten anyone. But he was the one that got you involved. He ought to at least—” Julian shook his head.
    Max felt grateful for Julian’s support, but she couldn’t blame Lars. She too wanted to leave the