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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
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  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“I don’t think so. Well, yes, of course somebody said that. But Stephen Penderghast’s goals aren’t sexual. If his passions were linked to a heart-rate monitor, it wouldn’t beep. The line would be flat.” She hoisted herself up into the cab and waited until he came around to the driver’s seat. “I need to know what the scientists have been told about me and about Penderghast. I tried to contact the ones who I believe are honorable.”

“Honorable?”

“Not likely to notify Penderghast’s people that I’m alive. I’ve received no answers. I hesitate to contact the captain or crew. I’m guessing there’s some firewall set up to block emails to the ship, and I don’t want to alert the people who get their paychecks from Penderghast that I’m alive and asking questions.”

“Aren’t they all getting their paychecks or funding from him?”

“We’re talking grants as opposed to paychecks, actually. It’s like the difference between being a subcontractor and being employed.”

“Are you using the email they assigned you? Because—”

“No, no, no. I created a new email with a pseudonym. That got me nowhere.”

“The timing of this blockage is suspicious.”

“I know. What is it the Stephen Penderghast Scientific Foundation doesn’t want them to know?”

“At a guess, what’s really happened to Stephen Penderghast and where his favorite scientist has gone.”

65

ON FRIDAY, BEFORE THE sun rose, Elle went right from sleeping to sitting straight up in bed.

Naked and half-awake, Adam leaped out from under the covers, prepared to defend her against all foes.

She paid no attention to him. “I’ve got it!” She leaped with equal excitement, although for a different reason. “I know how to get in contact with someone on the ship.”

Adam sank back onto the mattress. “Elle, I thought we were being attacked.”

“Sorry.” She grabbed her bathrobe and her phone and checked the time. “She’ll be awake.”

“Who’ll be awake?”

Elle thrust her arms into the sleeves and hurried out into the living room, tying the sash on the way.

Adam pulled on his shorts and a T-shirt and followed. “Elle, who’ll be awake?”

She started his computer. “Daniel—not that he’s friendly, but he’s an okay guy. Right before he left for the Arcturus, his wife found out she was pregnant. She emailed me, asked me to call her and gave me her phone number. She had learned the baby’s gender and wanted the cook to make a pink cake to be presented to Daniel at dinner.” Elle seated herself in the office chair and opened her email inbox. “Apparently he’d told her I knew how to keep a secret, so she trusted me to handle the presentation and to make sure I FaceTimed her in. Which I did. And there’s the number.” She picked up her phone.