Page 63 of Stalked

“You ever have problems in airports or anything?” Steve asked her.

Rosalyn shook her head. “I haven’t been in one for a few years, but no, not that I recall.”

Molly put the files she’d been carrying down and walked over to Steve and Rosalyn. “You’ve set off the metal detector every time you’ve come through?”

“Yes.” Rosalyn shrugged. “Well, the first time I was in handcuffs, so I’m pretty sure that did it. Yesterday we were assuming it was just a defective wand.”

Molly, Derek and Steve were all giving each other looks.

“What?” Rosalyn asked.

Steve tossed some keys to Derek, who put them in his pocket. Steve took the wand from the guard and scanned Derek. It beeped when it got to his pocket, signifying the presence of the keys.

Without Steve asking, Derek took the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Molly. Steve scanned Derek again, with no beeps this time.

“Scanner seems to work correctly,” Derek said. They all turned and looked at Rosalyn.

“What?” she asked again.

“I need you to come with me over to the lab,” Molly said.

“Why?” Rosalyn had no idea what was going on.

“We need to take an X-ray of your mouth. Your teeth in particular. I think we’ve just discovered how the Watcher keeps finding you.”

* * *

ONCEMOLLYMADEher announcement, everyone flurried into action. Rosalyn wasn’t quite sure what to do except go along with it.

“The X-ray equipment in the lab is not really for use on a human,” Molly stated as she walked with Steve and Rosalyn toward the lab. Derek had gone to research transmitters.

“Is it safe for the baby?” Steve asked. “I won’t risk any harm to Rosalyn or the baby just for quicker results. If we need to get her to a hospital, we can make that work safely.”

“No X-ray machine is great for any human. It’s radiation. But it’s a small amount for a very short time. And we’ll use a lead covering.” Molly turned to Rosalyn and took her hand. “Under the same circumstances, I would’ve allowed the X-ray when I was pregnant. That’s the best assurance I can give you.”

Rosalyn nodded. It was enough.

Molly’s comfort inside her lab was evident. She slipped on a white coat and began giving orders and answering questions the moment she arrived. Obviously how things occurred here every day.

Molly led them into a smaller room with an X-ray machine. “We’re fortunate. We got the X-ray as part of the new lab.”

Rosalyn looked over at Steve as Molly set up the machine so it could be used on her rather than objects.

“New lab?”

Steve nodded. “About eighteen months ago a terrorist group bombed the lab to try to hide some evidence concerning a bigger crime. We rebuilt a newer, better one.”

“I’m glad you weren’t in here when it blew, Molly.”

“Me too. We did lose one tech, though.” Rosalyn saw the glance between Molly and Steve. There was more to this story than they were saying. She was about to ask when Molly brought her over to sit on a step stool.

She arranged the X-ray machine while Rosalyn held her head in an awkward position. Like Molly had said, the machine wasn’t meant for humans. But in the end, they got what they wanted. Ten minutes later they were sitting around Molly’s computer as the X-ray image came up.

“There.” Molly pointed to one of Rosalyn’s teeth from the X-ray.

“My tooth?”

“No. It’s a crown. And beyond that, it’s a transmitting and locating device. It’s how the Watcher has been finding you.”

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