“That’s a good point,” Melanie said.

The three people stared at each other for a moment.

“What should we do?” Candace asked. “We don’t want to be followed.”

“The first thing is that we shouldn’t use my car,” Kevin said. “Where’s yours, Melanie? With this dry weather we can manage without four-wheel drive.”

“Downstairs in the parking lot,” Melanie said. “I just drove in from the animal center.”

“Was anybody following you?”

“Who knows?” Melanie said. “I wasn’t watching.”

“Hmmm,” Kevin pondered. “I still think they’ll be following me if they follow anybody. So, Melanie, go down and get in your car and head home.”

“What will you guys do?”

“There’s a tunnel in the basement that goes all the way out to the power station. Wait about five minutes at your house and pick us up at the power station. There’s a side door that opens directly onto the parking lot. You know where I mean?”

“I think so,” Melanie said.

“All right,” Kevin said. “See you there.”

They split up at the first floor, with Melanie going out into the noonday heat while Candace and Kevin descended to the basement level.

After walking for fifteen minutes, Candace commented on what a maze the hallways were.

“All the power comes from the same source,” Kevin explained. “The tunnels connect all the main buildings except for the animal center, which has its own power station.”

“One could get lost down here,” Candace said.

“I did,” Kevin admitted. “A number of times. But during the middle of the rainy season, I find these tunnels handy. They’re both dry and cool.”

As they neared the power station they could hear and feel the vibration of the turbines. A flight of metal steps took them up to the side door. As soon as they appeared, Melanie, who’d been parked under a malapa tree, cruised over and picked them up.

Kevin got in the back so Candace could climb into the front. Melanie pulled away immediately. The car’s air-conditioning felt good given the heat and hundred-percent humidity.

“See anything suspicious?” Kevin asked.

“Not a thing,” Melanie said. “And I drove around for a while pretending I was on errands. There wasn’t anyone following me. I’m ninety-nine percent sure.”

Kevin looked out the back window of Melanie’s Honda and watched the area around the power station as it fell behind, then disappeared as they rounded a corner. No people had appeared, and there were no cars in pursuit.

“I’d say it looks good,” Kevin said. He scrunched down on the backseat to be out of sight.

Melanie drove around the north rim of the town. While she did so, Candace broke out the sandwiches.

“Not bad,” Candace said, taking a bite of a tuna fish on whole wheat.

“I had them made up at the animal-center commissary,” Melanie explained. “There are drinks in the bottom of the bag.”

“You want some, Kevin?” Candace called.

“I suppose,” Kevin said. He stayed on his side. Candace passed him a sandwich and a soft drink between the front bucket seats.