The director pasted on a smile. “Mr. Daniels, I appreciate your concern since you’re a friend of his granddaughter’s. You can rest assured, Dr. Caldwell is in good hands. We received Mr. Nichols’s request for the release, and I personally tapped Mr. Nichols back to confirm it. I can’t say more due to privacy concerns, of course.”

“So he’s been released?”

“Yes, just a few moments ago.”

He had confirmed the release with Nichols? How could that be?

I ended the transmission. My next VR meeting with Ray was for eight that night. All I could do was wait.

Abby raised her head from a book she’d taken from the bedroom shelf. Someone was coming down the hall. She closed it and fixed her eyes on the doorknob. It turned, and the door opened. Her heart leaped. “Ben!”

“Shh!” He closed the door quietly behind him and walked over to the bed. “We have to get you out of here. Right now.”

“Ben, I can’t go. Nichols said he would release my grandfather if we’d keep quiet. If I leave, Nichols won’t let him go.”

Ben shook his head. “If we get you out of here, Nichols won’t dare keep Ray locked up. You’ll be able to implicate him. The safest thing for your grandfather is for you to be in a secure location.” He walked across the room and pulled the curtain back to look at the front of the estate.

“Have you talked to Creighton?” she asked.

“I haven’t been able to reach him. If he had the transplant, he may have a new Grid address.”

“Yes, he does. Nichols said he was going to get it for me this evening.”

“Too late for that.” He stepped toward her. “Abby, we have to leave.” He took her by the hand, opened the door, and slipped out.

“I apologize for interrupting you, sir. Ms. Caldwell just—”

“Yes, I’ve just been informed, Rosalie.”

Bryson Nichols walked across his expansive personal study to a window that overlooked the front lawn of the estate. In the distance he could see two people near the end of the drive. Abigail Caldwell was limping. The other was most likely the former FBI agent, come to rescue her. He watched them reach the main road and turn to the right. Surely they had transportation along the road.

Nichols shook his head. So unnecessary. “Rosalie, have Drummond report to me here.”

One of Nichols’s many assistants, Edward Drummond, appeared in the doorway.

“Edward, our guest, Ms. Caldwell, has left without due consideration of her actions. Please overtake her on the road and persuade her to return to our graces once again. Her companion can come as well.”

“And if she refuses, sir?”

“She won’t. Tell her that her grandfather is due to join us.”