The Speed of Sound (Speed of Sound Thrillers #1)(61)

Victoria stared at him, dumbfounded. “Henry wasn’t a very nice person.”

Skylar was curious. “Did he tell you where the little girl was?”

The detective lieutenant nodded. “He did.” She turned to Butler, motioning toward the echo box. “This thing is for real?”

Butler nodded slowly. He understood that it was a lot to process.

“No wonder there’s a federal warrant out for your arrest.”

Eddie looked confused. “Why is it no wonder that there is a federal warrant out for his arrest?”

Skylar quickly jumped in. “Ms. Daniels wasn’t talking to you, Eddie.”

Eddie kept his head down. “You mean it’s none of my business?”

“That’s correct.”

“Just like the mystery man?”

“Yes.”

Butler turned to Eddie. “Play the first thing you played for me in the bar.”

Eddie looked at Skylar, who nodded her approval. He clicked open the file containing the restored sound waves from inside Dr. Fenton’s office, and hit “Play.”

Victoria reached inside her pocket and clicked the “Record” button on the pocket recorder Deputy Inspector Nataro had given her.

Whatever she was about to hear, he would hear, too.





CHAPTER 50

Dr. Marcus Fenton’s House, Pine Hill, New Jersey, May 27, 4:11 p.m.

Inside the home office of his ramshackle farmhouse, Dr. Marcus Fenton clenched the phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He had just gotten the most disturbing news from Michael Barnes, which was confirmed by an immediate call to the Department of Homeland Security. Their agents were interfering with a Harmony House security matter, and Fenton wanted an explanation. He’d been sitting on hold for over five minutes, waiting for Senator Corbin Davis to pick up the phone and explain why he’d issued the order to Homeland Security Director Arthur Merrell. How dare this midwestern pretty boy treat me with such disrespect?

The senator finally came on the line, trying to sound more like he’d just stepped out of a meeting than off a putting green. “I’ve only got a minute, Doctor. What can I do for you?”

“Call off your dogs.”

“Excuse me?” The senator was clearly amused.

“Homeland is interfering with an internal security matter, and I want it stopped.”

Davis actually struggled not to laugh out loud. “Federal warrants were issued for the arrest of one of your employees and one of your patients. How is that an internal security matter?”

Fenton knew Barnes had made a mistake the moment warrants were issued. It was uncharacteristic of him to invite outside attention. How could he have been so dumb? Fenton decided to cut to the chase. “What is this really about, Senator?”

It was so rare that anyone asked the politician a direct question. Perhaps because he simply held all the cards, Davis decided to give an equally direct answer. “I want to hear it for myself. The box.”

Fenton was dumbfounded. “Why didn’t you just ask me for a demonstration?”

“Because I don’t trust you.” A long pause followed.

The senior doctor scrambled, summoning every bit of charm at his disposal. “What reason have I ever given you not to trust me, Senator?”

“Doctor, I’m not going to get into this. Homeland is going to take possession of the device, and then I am going to listen to it. If it works, it will be given the protection it deserves. You and your patient will have continuing access, but under their auspices, not yours. If, however, the device does not work, it will be returned to your facility for further development.”

Fenton slumped in his chair, defeated. “You can’t just take the echo box away from me.”

“It was never yours to begin with. Good day, Doctor.”

The moment the call ended, Marcus Fenton phoned his head of security. The doctor would have threatened him if he wasn’t truly afraid of Michael Barnes. “Senator Davis said Homeland Security is going to take possession of the echo box. The senator wants to hear it for himself.”

“I’d like to know how he found out so fast.” The head of Harmony House security sounded curious.

Fenton exploded, “Because you issued goddamn federal warrants!”

Barnes remained dangerously calm. “The warrant never specified what kind of technology was stolen.”

“It named Edward Parks, didn’t it?”

“The senator was calling Homeland Security to intervene less than two hours after the warrant had been issued. Unless he was sitting there, monitoring New York Police Department chatter, it should have taken him days, if not weeks, for this to come on his radar.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Someone is feeding him information.”

“Who?”

“We have a mole.”

Fenton fell silent. He could feel his blood pressure skyrocketing. He closed his eyes, struggling to continue the conversation. “My God.”

“I found out earlier today.”

“Who?” Fenton tried to mentally run through his list of employees, but his mind was racing. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to know.

“Your head nurse, Gloria Pruitt.”

Fenton shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”