The ventilation shaft remained at the center of the screen, although the depth seemed to have increased—perhaps three feet now, maybe even a bit more. Lou followed the shadow until it came to an abrupt end at the south-facing side of the building. At that point, the depth of the serpentine ventilation tunnel increased sharply, and moments later, the radar display screen turned totally gray.

Lou checked his machine, which seemed to be functioning all right. The shaft appeared to have disappeared into something much larger—a subterranean chamber of some sort.

Lou sensed there might be something underneath him. He flipped through the instruction manual, but it was quite technical, and there was no explanation for something like the phenomenon he was observing. The one thing he felt fairly certain of was that the fearsome bellicosus termites in the forest and subsequently in Joey’s Lucite terrarium were originating here.

Scanning the surroundings for cameras, he walked the radar around the building. There was a slight crack in the foundation, and he wondered if farther down, the bugs had escaped that way. There was a green metal door by the east corner. Lou carefully tried to open it, but it was locked. He backed away and wheeled the radar machine into the woods.

Given his experience with the gunmen, the deserted Mercedes was unnerving.

Still, Lou felt desperate to get inside the blockhouselike building. A possible solution, he decided, was among the contacts in his cell phone—Chief Gilbert Stone.

Three rings and Stone answered. “Stone here.”

“Chief Stone, it’s Lou Welcome.”

“Welcome. Everything okay? What can I do for you?”

“Do you know anything about a windowless brick building in a clearing not too far from where we got attacked?”

“Allegedly got attacked,” Stone corrected. “Sounds like the old power and water transfer station. Why? What’s up?”

“I’m in the woods outside of it right now. Do you think you could get over here? I may have found the source of the Kings Ridge problem.”

“You stay put, Welcome, and keep out of sight,” Stone said. “I’ll be right there.”

“The door’s locked.”

“No problem,” Stone replied. “I have a key.”

Soon, Lou thought excitedly. Soon it’s going to be over.

Starting to chill from the evaporation of his own sweat, he slid down to the base of a white ash, clasped his arms around his knees, and waited.

Soon …

Chapter 43

CHAPTER 43

The crunch of Gilbert Stone’s cruiser on gravel startled Lou from an exhausted, dreamless sleep. He wiped salt and perspiration from his eyes, rose blearily to his feet, and reentered the clearing, wheeling the ground radar system ahead of him. Stone parked near the Mercedes, emerged from the cruiser, hoisted his heavy utility belt above his ample belly, and then settled a campaign hat over his mop of graying hair. Lou met him at the blockhouse, outside the green door.