On my way out of town, I dropped Peppy off at Free State Dogs and drove east, passing the Kanwaka Missile Silo. On an impulse I turned south to look at Sea-2-Sea’s local offices. Since there were two rings of security fences, an outer one of eight-foot-high cyclone fencing with an inner ring of more attractive ironwork, it was hard to make out the details, but the complex seemed to comprise a series of Quonset huts, with a central drab brick office building in front of them. Whatever they did there must be mighty secret.

I hadn’t seen either the sheriff or the colonel since we’d parted at the court on Saturday morning, but a Douglas County sheriff’s squad car was parked across from the barricaded front gate. When I stopped to look at the compound, a deputy got out and started toward me. He seemed to be photographing my license plate, which is always annoying.

“Can I help you, miss?” His tone wasn’t inviting.

“I don’t think so.” I flashed a smile. “I’m wondering if I can help you, since you wanted my license-plate number.”

“Routine precaution,” he said, but he shifted uneasily, embarrassed at having been caught in the act. “I want to see—”

“Yes,” I said sympathetically, stopping him before he could demand my license and insurance card. “I understand that Mr. Roswell is worried about hippies. I’m wondering if these mythical hippies should worry about anthrax.”

“Anthrax?” He forgot about my license.

“I’ve been told Sea-2-Sea may be producing it here. Since it’s a Category A bioweapon, I would expect a bigger protection detail than just one squad car. But I expect they’re giving you antibiotics and a vaccine just in case.”

I made a U-turn, spitting up gravel on his car, and left him in the road, staring after me.

45
Here for the Duration

I drove on toward Kansas City, across the Wakarusa, past the place where I’d found Doris McKinnon in her truck on Friday, then followed Aanya’s directions to the medical center. She met me at the entrance, so that I didn’t need to go through security, and said if my swabs were good, she should have some results within the next day or two. I had wanted to see the bones she and Roque’s secretary had uncovered, but she told me that the place where she’d secured them would take a good half hour or forty-five minutes to reach.

“Just as well that they’re off-site,” I said. “I don’t know if that’s what the vermin who invaded Dr. Roque’s house were looking for, but better not to leave them where those creeps can get at them.”