Barbara grunted. “Huh! What do you plan on doing? Knocking at the gate?”
“No, but I have an idea,” Wil said. “Don’t worry. I’ll be in there before the day is over.”
He looked at his watch. “Let me make a phone call. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Samantha watched him leave, wondering what he had in mind.
“That’s some fella you got there,” Barbara commented.
“What?” Samantha asked distantly.
“Your new boyfriend!” Barbara cried. “Why didn’t you tell me? He’s absolutely gorgeous!”
Samantha faced her now.
“You didn’t seem very happy about my calling a private detective,” she said.
“That’s just because I was worried for you,” Barbara said. “But now that I’ve met Wil Sherer, I think you’re going to be okay. You’re lucky to have found a man like that, Samantha.”
“I really wasn’t looking, Barbara,” Samantha said. “And I think Wil is just a naturally warm person.”
Barbara tapped her arm. “Here he comes.”
“It’s all set,” Wil said. “I’ll go in tomorrow morning.”
“How did you manage that?” Samantha asked in wonder.
“About two years ago,” Wil replied, “the wife of the CEO of a big insurance company disappeared. Kidnapping—you might have read it in the papers?”
Both women shook their heads.
“I missed that story,” Barbara said.
“I found her,” Wil went on. “Her husband was so grateful that not only did he pay me double my fee but also swore he would help me in any way he could. I just called in that favor. He’s going to fax some paperwork to the motel, and tomorrow I enter Shoaling Aerospace as William Sherer, safety consultant.”
“I don’t understand,” Samantha said.
“All big factories have insurance,” Wil reported. “Most of them have several carriers. In order to keep premiums at a minimum, they have to abide by certain safety rules. Luckily, it’s been two years since my CEO’s company sent an inspector over there. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see all of the building. And I’ll be escorted every step of the way. But if I play my cards right, I might be able to learn if anything unusual is happening there.”
Samantha looked worried.
“Do you have to go in alone?”
“No,” Wil said. “I’m getting two sets of papers. You’ll be going in with me as a trainee.”
He looked at Barbara. “Sorry, but bringing one person with me is pushing it. I can’t risk both of you.”
Barbara smiled. “I’ll wait in the getaway car.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Wil said.
48
JULIE WAS THE first to awaken. She was lying on a cot in a small room with concrete walls. Shakily she swung herself around and put her feet down on the floor. The feel of cold tiles made her realize she wasn’t wearing shoes, and jolted her into complete wakefulness. She looked around herself. The room’s only window was a hand-size rectangle cut into the large gray door. She knew at once she was in a prison cell. Terrified, she went to the door and began banging her fists against the metal.
“Let me out! Let me out! Let me oooouuuut!”
Her cries awakened her friends, locked in individual cells across the hallway.
“Julie! Are you okay?”
No, Lorraine. Use your thoughts! Steven’s voice came through as clearly as if he were actually speaking aloud.
In her own cell, Lorraine bit her Up. She closed her eyes, sat down on her cot again, and began to communicate with her friends.
Where are we? Julie asked.
I don’t know, Lorraine replied. But Marty is very nearby. Can you feel him?
The other two children concentrated on their mysterious acquaintance. They could sense him, but though they tried in unison to call him, he did not answer.
Maybe he’s right here, Steven thought. We have to make him aware of us!
We have to get out of here, Lorraine answered. Steven, maybe we can—
The sound of steel rubbing on steel silenced them at once, although they were pretty certain no one could read their minds. Footsteps came down the hall, and Julie and Steven each heard another door open. Someone spoke softly, a voice easily picked up by the children’s sensitive ears. It was a woman’s voice, and she said:
“Come on, Lorraine. Don’t be afraid, honey. We’ll get this all straightened out.”
Julie breathed in deeply. If the woman was calling her “honey,” maybe she wasn’t a bad person. Maybe Lorraine wasn’t in danger.
At least not now, she heard Steven say. He’d read her thoughts.