The Green Trap Read Online Free PDF Page B

global air pollution. But in the back of his mind he remembered the poster tacked up on Mike’s office door. Melvin Calvin, he thought. Who the hell is Melvin Calvin? The name was faintly familiar, but he couldn’t place it. Then it hit him. Calvin Research Center. Of course.
    By the time they’d finished dinner, Cochrane had told her every bit of information he knew about cyanobacteria and the earth’s atmosphere. She insisted on paying the check and then drove the Infiniti back to their hotel. Cochrane felt slightly uncomfortable, as if he were a kept man. He wasn’t accustomed to having a fine-looking woman pay for his dinner.
    They got into the elevator together. Cochrane punched the button for the second floor; she hit three. When the elevator doors slid open, she gave him a peck on the cheek and whispered, “See you tomorrow, Paul.”
    He found himself standing in the empty hotel hallway, wondering what would happen if he went up to the next floor and tapped on her door. Nothing, he told himself. Nothing but disappointment. Shrugging, he went instead to his own room.
    The lights were on and a stranger was sitting on the sofa, hunched over Cochrane’s open laptop. He looked up as Cochrane entered, then swiftly got to his feet.
    â€œAh, Mr. Cochrane.” He bowed slightly.
    â€œWho the hell are you? What are you doing with my computer?”
    The man was Asian, youthful-looking, with broad cheekbones, hooded dark eyes, and a wisp of a mustache. He was barely as tall as Cochrane’s chin, but chunky, solidly built. He wore a thin royal blue windbreaker over a T-shirt and faded jeans. There was a motto of some sort on the T-shirt, but Cochrane couldn’t make out the words.
    â€œMy name’s Arashi,” he said, with a cocky grin. “Sorry to intrude on your privacy—”
    â€œGet the hell out of here before I call security,” Cochrane snapped.
    Arashi raised both hands. “Whoa, hold on. Let me explain myself.”
    Pushing past him to where his laptop lay open on the coffee table, Cochrane saw that the display screen listed his incoming e-mail messages.
    Arashi said, “I represent some people who have a vital interest in your late brother’s work. My condolences, by the way, on your loss.”
    Cochrane felt like punching the guy’s lights out.
    â€œI didn’t know your brother personally, but I hear he was a top-flight research scientist.”
    â€œWho’s interested in my brother’s work?”
    â€œThe people I represent are willing to pay some heavy bread for any information you might give me about his research.”
    â€œI just went over that with Sandoval.”
    â€œSandoval?” Arashi’s brows rose. “Elena Sandoval?”
    â€œYou know her?”
    â€œWe’ve… eh, met.”
    â€œShe’s here in this hotel. I could call her. She’s a federal agent and you’re a goddamned burglar.”
    Arashi broke into a soft chuckle. “Hey, man, I’m no burglar. And Elena Sandoval is sure not a federal agent.”
    Cochrane heard himself gasp. “She’s not?”
    â€œNo way. I suppose she’s been asking you about the research your brother was doing.”
    Sagging into the sofa, Cochrane murmured, “Yeah, that’s right.”
    Arashi perched himself on the arm of the easy chair at the end of the coffee table. “Like I said, I’m authorized to pay you for the information my people are looking for.”
    â€œI don’t know anything about my brother’s research.”
    â€œBut you could find out, couldn’t you? You’re a scientist. You understand this stuff.”
    Impulsively, Cochrane reached for the phone on the end table. He asked the operator for Elena Sandoval’s room. Arashi sat on the front two inches of the chair’s arm, watching him with slightly amused eyes.
    As soon as she picked up he said, “Elena, it’s