“Yes, sir.”

“And Travis, call our electronics specialist. I want a tap put on his telephone and a microphone in his apartment.”

Travis stared at the Major, as did Clayne and Nicole.

“But sir,” Clayne blurted, “under the laws of Shalev, that’s illegal!”

“Except in a case of national emergency,” the Major said. “If Eric somehow escapes, he could threaten our whole system. Put one on Dr. Cameron’s phone and in his apartment too. If Eric is up to something, you can bet Cameron is also in on it.”

Travis took a deep breath. “Yes, sir.”

The Major looked from one to the other. “All right. Is there anything else? What are we overlooking?”

Clayne stirred as if about to speak, then shook his head. When neither Travis or Nicole said anything, the Major stood up. “Then that does it. We’ll meet at nine o’clock every morning until the status changes one way or the other. Thank you.”

As the three of them moved out into the hall and down to the elevator, Travis put his arm around Nicole and smiled at her. Then, as he pushed the button for the elevator, he turned to Clayne. “Well, what do you think?”

“I don’t know. Something still doesn’t add up.”

“Do you really think the fox can outsmart this hound?”

Clayne considered that, then shook his head. “No. We’ve got him covered. There’s no way he can pull it off.”

“The real problem,” Nicole said, “is that the fox isn’t aware of just how smart the old hound on his tail really is.”

The elevator door opened and Travis and Nicole stepped in. For a moment Clayne stood and looked at Nicole without really seeing her. Then he too lumbered in, and the elevator dropped slightly with the additional weight. As the door closed, he turned and stared at the door.

“I think you’ve just hit on it, Nicole.”

“What?”

“That’s what’s troubling me. I think the fox knows exactly how smart we are, and it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. He’s too shrewd not to know we suspect him, but it doesn’t stop him. That’s the real question. Why doesn’t it?”

CHAPTER 15

“Let’s stop here,” Cliff said, slowing their leisurely pace along the pebbled path through the park and pointing to a bench. It was a beautiful summer’s evening, with the last of twilight lingering far past its expected stay.

As they sat down, Eric picked up a small pebble from the path and flipped it into the water.