Page 114 of The Search

When she had come out to speak to him, everything seemed simple. She was filled with rage against Rudzak and determination to find and punish him for the atrocity at Apache Lake. Now an even greater atrocity was looming at Dodsworth and nothing was simple anymore.

Nothing but the fact that whatever decision she was about to make could be the wrong one.

“My biscuits and gravy are ruined,” Galen told her when she walked into the cabin an hour later. “And Logan wouldn’t eat either. But out of the kindness of my heart, I’ll make you both a new batch. You’ll have to wait though. Perfection takes time.”

“I’m not hungry.” She looked at Logan sitting in a chair at the table. “Something’s sticking in my throat.”

Logan met her gaze. “I don’t doubt it. The question is whether you’ll be able to swallow it.”

“I’m going to try. I don’t see any other solution.” She crossed her arms across her chest. “I’ll wait awhile before notifying ATF about Dodsworth. But the minute I see any danger to the facility, I’m going to blow the whistle and I won’t let you convince me otherwise.”

“I didn’t think you would.”

“And I’m not willing to sit here, twiddling my thumbs, until I hear Rudzak’s blown it to kingdom come. You said you think Rudzak’s ready to move. I want to go to Dodsworth and be there before he decides to set his explosives.”

“I told you, the target might not be Dodsworth.”

“But it’s your passion and he knows it. You don’t think he’d pass that up.”

“No.”

“And you on site would be another reason for him to zero in on it.”

“Yes.”

“And evidently he also wants to target me. Right?”

“You couldn’t be more right.” His mouth lifted in a crooked smile. “Or more terrifying.”

“Then the multiple targets should draw him.” She turned to Galen. “You’re sure the security at Dodsworth is unbreakable.”

Galen nodded. “I’d set up shop there and I value my neck more than I do any of those scientists. Science may save the world, but where would it be without charm and fine cuisine?” He glanced at Logan. “It seems plans are escalating. We were planning on waiting a bit.”

“I don’t want to wait,” Sarah said. “I want Rudzak now.”

Logan nodded. “I’d hoped to keep you out of it.”

“Rudzak doesn’t want to keep me out of it.”

“Then why give him what he wants? Stay here and be safe.”

“Makes sense to me,” Galen agreed.

“When do we go to Dodsworth?” Sarah said.

Logan sighed. “When Bassett is ready to join the team up there. I think Rudzak will want to eliminate all hope of success for the project with one roll of the dice. He can’t do that if Bassett is left alive.”

“And you said Bassett will be ready to go within a week?”

Logan nodded.

“Good. Then I have plans to make myself.” She went into the bedroom and shut the door.

“So much for keeping her out of it,” Galen said. “I’ll try to take care of her at Dodsworth, but I can’t promise you anything if she goes off on her own the way she did at Apache Lake. You can’t protect someone if they don’t want to be protected.”

“I know.”

“And I detected a coolness in her attitude that may make things more difficult.”