Next would be Dr. Marcus’s flat. That should be easy enough. The Plimsoll Building had a rooftop conservatory where an event was held several times a week. She would dress appropriately for what would most likely be a fund-raiser. Her challenge would be finding an outfit that would work double duty. Chic enough for cocktails yet flexible enough for snooping. This was London. Almost anything would be fine. Probably the funkier the better. She thought of Emma Peel, the superspy from The Avengers. Maybe not quite a catsuit, but something definitely leather.

* * *

Avery returned the utility truck to the same parking lot he had left it in before, walked to the rental, and headed back to his motel. He had a lot of work ahead of him. First was to listen to the recordings from the office. Who came and who went and what was said. Second, he had to figure out how to disarm the cameras that faced the mysterious garage.

He flipped open one of his laptops and opened the audio files from the office. He had been able to plant a camera the size of a pinhead on the inside door of the closet that housed the vault. The hope was to be able to see what was inside the vault when it was opened.

Avery listened. “Good morning, Mrs. Kaplan.” The receptionist’s voice came across the recording loud and clear. “How are we feeling today?” Why do medical people always use the word we? Shouldn’t they know how they’re feeling? Avery had little patience with people these days.

“I’m feeling a bit sluggish, to be honest,” Mrs. Kaplan confessed.

“Well, Dr. Steinwood will have you fixed up in a jiffy. He’ll be right with you. Please take a seat,” the woman instructed. Avery could hear clicking. Probably her typing something into a computer.

A few minutes later, “The doctor will see you now.” A soft buzz could be heard, presumably opening the glass doors that led to the patient examination rooms.

Avery switched to the hallway microphone. “Good morning, Elizabeth. Feeling a bit peaked? Let’s see how we can make that better. Please, step inside.”

A quick switch to the microphone planted in the patient suite. Dr. Steinwood continued, “Tell me. How long have you felt this way?”

Mrs. Kaplan’s voice was just as clear as his. “A couple of days. I seem to have good days and bad ones. One day I’m fit as a fiddle, and the next, I’m just a wet noodle.”

“As I explained, it takes our bodies time to adjust to the synapses and integration of the protocol.” Steinwood was using some doctor babble on her. “Let’s check your blood pressure.” Steinwood buzzed for the nurse. “Sylvia, could you please come in here and check Mrs. Kaplan’s blood pressure?”

“Certainly, Doctor,” was the response.