“I’ve got a steel lockbox in the back of the car. We’ll put it inside.”

The tuner was stored in the lockbox and they all piled into the big SUV. Dexter got behind the wheel and drove toward town.

Squashed between North and a muscular cleaner named Ted, Sierra peered out the window, curious to see if anything had changed in Fogg Lake since her visit as a teen.

As far as she could tell, with the exception of a handful of trailers bearing the Foundation logo, the small mountain community looked exactly as she remembered it. Even the battered sign on the outskirts of town was the same.

Welcome to Fogg Lake.

Nothing to See Here.

CHAPTER 32

The door of one of the trailers flew open. An attractive brunette wearing a Foundation uniform dashed down the steps and ran toward North.

“You made it,” she said. “We’ve all been so worried.”

North hauled the lockbox out of the back of the SUV and turned to greet her.

“Hi, Larissa,” he said.

She stopped directly in front of him, eyes widening in concern. “You’re not wearing your glasses. Please tell me that means your talent has returned.”

North gave her a wry smile. “Let’s just say I’m no longer experiencing hallucinations.”

“That is such good news.” Larissa threw her arms around North and hugged him quickly before stepping back. Her eyes widened in alarm. “Or is it? Your talent?”

“Isn’t what it used to be,” North said.

She closed her eyes briefly. “Oh, North. I’m so sorry.”

“But I’m still a pretty good investigator,” North said. “How is the Fogg Lake project going?”

“Great,” Larissa said. Her eyes widened with enthusiasm. “You wouldn’t believe what we’re finding inside the ruins. It’s as if the whole place has been locked in a time warp since the night of the big explosion. A real treasure trove. But what on earth are you doing in Fogg Lake? Yesterday afternoon we got word from headquarters that you were on your way up here, but no one said why. Something to do with your father’s situation?”

“Long story,” North said. “Sierra, this is Larissa Whittier. She’s on the museum staff. Larissa, Sierra Raines, a specialist in authenticating antiques and artifacts with a paranormal provenance in the private market.”

Sierra gave Larissa a wry smile. “That’s a fancy way of saying I’m a go-between.”

Larissa chuckled. “Sounds like we’re both in the same line of work, except that your job probably involves a lot more danger than mine does. I’ve met a few private collectors in my time. They can be downright dangerous. I swear, some of them belong at Halcyon Manor.”

“I agree,” Sierra said.

Larissa started to hold out her hand. She noticed Sierra’s gloves and raised her eyebrows in a knowing manner.

“A bad burn from a very hot artifact,” Sierra said. “I’m still sensitized.”

“Been there.” Larissa grimaced in sympathy and lowered her hand. “You think your senses will warn you if an artifact is on fire but there’s always that one object that surprises the hell out of you.”