“We felt it was too dangerous to take you to Edie’s. Dominique’s there, and—”

“Dominique?” Mick struggles to sit up, the dizziness forcing him down again like a heavy, unseen hand.

“Just take it easy, fella. You’ll see Dominique soon enough. Right now, the police are watching her, waiting for you to show up.” She removes the IV tube and places a Band-Aid on his arm.

“Are you a doctor?”

“I was my husband’s dental nurse for thirty-eight years.” Methodically, she wraps up the IV bag and tube.

Mick notices the red-rimmed eyes.

“What was in the IV?”

“Vitamins mostly. You were in pretty bad shape when you arrived two nights ago. Mostly just malnourished, although your left arm was butchered pretty good. You’ve slept for almost two days. Last night, you had a nasty nightmare, screaming in your sleep. I had to secure your wrists so you wouldn’t pull out the IV.”

“Thank you. And thanks for getting me out of that asylum.”

“Thank Dominique.” Sue reaches into the pocket of her housecoat.

Mick is startled to see her remove a .44 Magnum. She points the gun at his groin.

“Whoa, hey, wait a second—”

“My husband drowned several days ago aboard Isadore’s boat. Three men died while investigating that location in the Gulf you told Dominique about. What’s down there?”

“I don’t know.” He stares at the gun, shaking within the elderly woman’s hands. “Do you think you could aim that gun at a less vital organ?”

“Dominique’s told us all about you, about why you were locked up, and about your screwball father and his doomsday stories. Personally, I couldn’t give a goddam about whatever psychotic apocalyptic mumbo jumbo you believe in, the only thing I care about is finding out what happened to my Carl. In my book, you’re a dangerous escaped felon. You so much as look at me the wrong way, and I’ll put a bullet in you.”

“I understand.”

“No you don’t. Dominique took a big risk in freeing you. So far, everything having to do with your escape points back to the orderly screwing up and not to her, but the police are still suspicious. They’re watching her closely, which means all of us are at risk. Later tonight, we’re going to smuggle you aboard Rex’s boat. There’s a minisub on board—”

“A minisub?”

“That’s right. Rex used it to search sunken ships. You’re going to use it to find out what’s buried beneath the seafloor. Between now and then, you’re going to stay in this bedroom and rest. If you try to escape, I’ll shoot you and turn your body over to the cops to collect the reward money.”

She lifts the sheet by his feet. His left ankle is shackled to the bedframe.

“Now you understand.”

NASA: Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland.