on the edge of the room with some of his colleagues. Carter’s eyes caught Wyatt’s in a warm smile. Wyatt waved his hand in a friendly salute and turned with his friends to the large pneumatic doors guarded by two men in black uniforms.
“If you leave this way, there’s no way back,” one of them said ominously.
Wyatt gulped.
“The park has exits.” Melvin walked up to one of them, his face close to the guard.
He nodded. “Yes, but once you leave these doors, you can’t return this way.”
“Let’s go,” Josh said urgently.
The guard pressed a combination of numbers into a keypad, and the doors opened, revealing a pitch black tunnel.
“It’s dark in there,” Wyatt said, peering into the blackness. “Like a vacuum.”
“It lights up automatically overhead as you walk through. Go on.” He gestured to the tunnel. “I can’t keep this open long.”
They ran into the dark, tube-like structure that lit the spot they were in as they traveled through it, their feet echoing in the empty chamber. Wyatt paused for a second, looking at where they came from, the tunnel lights extinguishing so that the way back was as dark as the sky. He shook as if chilled.
“This place is so cool!” Josh said, his voice echoing in the dimly lit corridor. “What’s wrong with you? Come on, look.” He pointed to the dark alley. “There’s no going back.”
“Yeah,” Wyatt said grimly. He looked at the lights before him and the darkness behind him. His brother was right. There was no going back.
C HAPTER 13
C onrad was in his element, he observed, as the older man walked through the groups, shaking hands, smiling his toady smile. Carter leaned forward, his hands fisted on his hip, his gun reassuringly belted to his side, another snug in his ankle holster.
His eyes began a circle of the room once again, his ears alert to the steady hum of conversation. He felt the doctor’s presence before he saw him.
“Officer White.” The doctor read his badge. He didn’t offer his hand. “Are you enjoying the park?”
“I’m here to work.” Carter dragged his gaze from a group of politicians to meet Vincent’s face. “I’m not here for enjoyment.”
“All work and no play will make you a dull boy,” Vincent said with a laugh.
Carter shrugged indifferently. “I’ve been called worse.”
“You refused our complimentary tickets for your family.”
“My sons are here.”
“I don’t remember the White family on the guest list.”
Carter shifted his weight. “My stepsons are named Baldwin. You gave Wyatt Baldwin tickets at Instaburger.”
“Ah!” Vincent threw back his head. “A delightful young man. He did you proud that day. He is somewhat familiar to me.” He studied Carter’s face with a calm smile. Carter felt those black orbs search him so intently, he felt like his own eyes were being sucked from their sockets. Carter looked away.
He asked sharply, “Do you know everybody who enters your park?”
“I make it my business to know everything and everybody that touches my business. That’s the secret to my success.” He placed a heavy hand on Carter’s shoulder. Carter couldn’t help but wince at the contact. “Suppose you lead the way into these rooms, so I can begin my tour, Officer White. Maybe I can change your mind about my venture.”
Carter turned. “How do you know how I feel about your… venture?”
He felt the hard scrutiny of the older man’s gaze. The black eyes studied him intently, and, for a minute, the silence was so thick it felt tangible. Carter felt the urge to shift but refused to be the first to give in. He returned Vincent’s stare, his cheek taut with the effort. Vincent broke the hold first, laughing. “I told you, Officer White. I make it my business to know. Please lead the guests to the control center.”
They followed the older man through the halls, the sounds of the excited guests filling the canned interior. Vincent approached a double door with a
“If you leave this way, there’s no way back,” one of them said ominously.
Wyatt gulped.
“The park has exits.” Melvin walked up to one of them, his face close to the guard.
He nodded. “Yes, but once you leave these doors, you can’t return this way.”
“Let’s go,” Josh said urgently.
The guard pressed a combination of numbers into a keypad, and the doors opened, revealing a pitch black tunnel.
“It’s dark in there,” Wyatt said, peering into the blackness. “Like a vacuum.”
“It lights up automatically overhead as you walk through. Go on.” He gestured to the tunnel. “I can’t keep this open long.”
They ran into the dark, tube-like structure that lit the spot they were in as they traveled through it, their feet echoing in the empty chamber. Wyatt paused for a second, looking at where they came from, the tunnel lights extinguishing so that the way back was as dark as the sky. He shook as if chilled.
“This place is so cool!” Josh said, his voice echoing in the dimly lit corridor. “What’s wrong with you? Come on, look.” He pointed to the dark alley. “There’s no going back.”
“Yeah,” Wyatt said grimly. He looked at the lights before him and the darkness behind him. His brother was right. There was no going back.
C HAPTER 13
C onrad was in his element, he observed, as the older man walked through the groups, shaking hands, smiling his toady smile. Carter leaned forward, his hands fisted on his hip, his gun reassuringly belted to his side, another snug in his ankle holster.
His eyes began a circle of the room once again, his ears alert to the steady hum of conversation. He felt the doctor’s presence before he saw him.
“Officer White.” The doctor read his badge. He didn’t offer his hand. “Are you enjoying the park?”
“I’m here to work.” Carter dragged his gaze from a group of politicians to meet Vincent’s face. “I’m not here for enjoyment.”
“All work and no play will make you a dull boy,” Vincent said with a laugh.
Carter shrugged indifferently. “I’ve been called worse.”
“You refused our complimentary tickets for your family.”
“My sons are here.”
“I don’t remember the White family on the guest list.”
Carter shifted his weight. “My stepsons are named Baldwin. You gave Wyatt Baldwin tickets at Instaburger.”
“Ah!” Vincent threw back his head. “A delightful young man. He did you proud that day. He is somewhat familiar to me.” He studied Carter’s face with a calm smile. Carter felt those black orbs search him so intently, he felt like his own eyes were being sucked from their sockets. Carter looked away.
He asked sharply, “Do you know everybody who enters your park?”
“I make it my business to know everything and everybody that touches my business. That’s the secret to my success.” He placed a heavy hand on Carter’s shoulder. Carter couldn’t help but wince at the contact. “Suppose you lead the way into these rooms, so I can begin my tour, Officer White. Maybe I can change your mind about my venture.”
Carter turned. “How do you know how I feel about your… venture?”
He felt the hard scrutiny of the older man’s gaze. The black eyes studied him intently, and, for a minute, the silence was so thick it felt tangible. Carter felt the urge to shift but refused to be the first to give in. He returned Vincent’s stare, his cheek taut with the effort. Vincent broke the hold first, laughing. “I told you, Officer White. I make it my business to know. Please lead the guests to the control center.”
They followed the older man through the halls, the sounds of the excited guests filling the canned interior. Vincent approached a double door with a
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