Page 58 of Lion's Share
Unfortunately, the message definitely wasn’t from Sidney.
Mr. Sanders, this is Dr. Sonya Rosenthal. I believe we need to have a conversation about your research in Silver Hollow and your relationship with Ms. Lowell. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.
Well, shit.
Ben stared at the message for a long moment, his heart beating way too hard.
So, they weren’t just watching Sidney anymore.
No, they were closing in on both of them.
He found Sidney standing by the east-facing window in the dining room, all the lights in the house ablaze. She looked up after he came in through the back door and moved through the kitchen, relief flooding the smooth oval of her lovely face.
“Thank God you’re okay,” she said, and rushed over so she could throw her arms around him and hold him close. Some sweet smell drifted up from her loose hair, and he wished he could hold her like this forever.
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem as if the universe was going to allow them that grace.
“I’ve been going crazy, wondering what was happening to you,” she went on. “The shadow stalker disappeared about an hour ago, but I could still feel it out there, watching.”
As good as it was to have her so close, Ben knew they couldn’t waste any more time on intimacies. “I’m fine,” he said briefly. “But we need to leave now. Tonight.”
Sidney blinked up at him, her expression a study in confusion. “What do you mean, ‘leave’?”
He’d been thinking about this as he made his way over to her house, taking circuitous routes down side streets and alleys so he wouldn’t run into Dr. Rosenthal’s goons. And since Sidney was staring at him as if he’d lost his mind, he pulled out his phone and showed her Dr. Rosenthal’s text message. “They want to question both of us.”
Sidney’s eyes scanned the message, and the blood drained from her cheeks. “But where are we supposed to go?” she asked, her tone almost plaintive. “If they’re federal agents, they can track us anywhere.”
“Not anywhere,” Ben said, and hoped he was right. “I have an idea. But first, pack a bag. Just essentials for a couple of days.”
She looked as if she wanted to protest, but something in his gaze must have told her this wasn’t the time for arguments. “All right,” she said. “Just give me a few minutes.”
While she gathered her things, Ben made the one call he couldn’t avoid any longer. Marjorie Tran answered on the second ring.
“Ben?” she said, sounding puzzled but thankfully not sleepy, so he guessed he hadn’t woken her up. “It’s almost midnight. What’s going on?”
Way too much, he thought, but he only said, “I need you to do me a huge favor. That paper you want to publish about the electromagnetic anomalies — I need you to delay it.”
There was a long pause. “Why would I do that? This is career-defining research.”
“Because the phenomena have stabilized,” Ben lied, and prayed she would believe him. “The readings have dropped quite a bit over the past twenty-four hours. If you publish now with incomplete data, it could undermine your credibility.”
“That’s impossible,” she said, her tone flat. “My equipment showed massive spikes just yesterday — ”
“Which is exactly why you need more time to collect additional data,” he broke in. “What if the anomalies are cyclical? What if there’s a pattern you haven’t identified yet?”
Yes, he knew all this was a long shot…but he also had to hope that Marjorie’s scientific curiosity would override her ambition.
Another pause, a shorter one this time. “How long are you asking me to wait?”
“Two weeks,” he replied at once, since he’d already fixed that number in his mind as something that would buy him and Sidney some time but wouldn’t sound completely outrageous. “Maybe three. Just until we can establish whether the situation is really stable or if we’re dealing with some kind of recurring phenomenon.”
“Fine,” Marjorie said, reluctance clear in that single syllable. “But I want regular updates. If the readings spike again, I’m submitting my paper immediately.”
“Understood. Thanks, Marjorie. You won’t regret this.”
She let out a breath. “I’m not so sure about that.
After he ended the call, Sidney appeared at the top of the stairs with a small duffel bag slung over her shoulder.
