Hello again. Sorry I have taken a long time between chapters, but I work in a retail store and there is perhaps no busier place than a retail store at Christmas. I've had extra hours that last few months and now that I have time again I hope to write a few chapters now.

Also, I would like to direct your attention to my profile where you will see a description of my e-book 'Miss Candace' and the additional places where you can now buy it from as well as a website. Also you will find a coupon there to receive a discount. I see from my ebook Dashboard that a lot of you have downloaded free samples (thanks) but have not purchased. Hopefully this coupon entices some of you to buy my book. Okay, let's get to it…

Chapter 10

Claude Lacombe's Hospital Room, Washington DC

David Laughlin knocked on Claude Lacombe's door.

"Come in, please," he answered. Laughlin opened the door; his old friend looked bad, he was gaunt, pale, and very weak. Lacombe's breakfast tray was still beside him and he could see that it had hardly been touched. But that didn't keep the grin off Laughlin's face.

"You won't believe it, M. Lacombe! Neary's going back to Wyoming – back to the 'dark side of the moon,' as we used to call it."

"Devil's Tower? Why? Please tell me," Lacombe said excitedly. Some colour came to his cheeks now with the excitement. He tried to sit up but couldn't. Laughlin helped him.

"He wants a press conference. He has something to say. I don't know what it's about. I got the feeling that he hopes our friends will arrive."

Lacombe grasped Laughlin's hand. "You must take me," he whispered. "We must be zere to see zis."

David shook his head. "That's impossible. They won't let me and the trip would likely kill you." He could see life coming back into Claude's eyes, but it wasn't enough. The man was so frail.

"Please, my friend. I am going to die anyway. I should like to do it my way. I must see Neary again – I must hear what happened. For years I have dreamed of his return and the stories he would tell. Get me some clothes and find a wheelchair."

Laughlin could see that he wasn't going to win this. He looked around the room. He found a slim metal locker against a wall. It was locked with a key lock. Lacombe gave him the key and Laughlin put it into the lock and turned it. The lock popped open. Inside he found pants and a shirt and a jacket that hadn't been worn in months. He shook out each article of clothing.

"Quickly now, help me dress." There was one problem with this: Lacombe had wires connected to his body. There was the IV solution, wires going to his heart and chest, and one for blood pressure. If Laughlin pulled those, alarms would sound. The pants he could put on now, but the shirt would have to wait until last. He went out to the hallway. Just a few feet down the hall was the nurses' station. There was one nurse on duty, sitting behind a computer. She was surrounded by a chest high counter, apart from one swing-door opening. Around the corner from her was an unused wheelchair. Laughlin grabbed it; he walked slowly by the nurse and into Lacombe's room.

Laughlin pulled out the IV needle first. He put Lacombe's shirt on and now all he had to do was unattach the wires and button him up and they were free. Laughlin held his breath as he pulled them. Beeping echoed all around the room.

"Go, my friend, Go!" Lacombe commanded. Laughlin was momentarily surprised by the strength in his voice. He walked out of the room as if he owned the place. The nurse he'd seen earlier at the station rushed in.

"What do think you're doing?" she demanded.

"I am taking my friend outside for some fresh air."

"But you can't –" she started.

"Watch me," said Laughlin and he strode down the hall, pushing Lacombe in the chair.

Indiana –Ohio Border Crossing

Barry Guiler searched frantically for his mother. She had to be up ahead somewhere. He saw another road sign showing the way to the airport. The sign told them to get off at the next exit. Barry put on his turning light as if he was going to turn off. He edged over to the right just enough to throw off his pursuers. At the last minute he veered and kept going straight. His pursuers took the exit before they had a chance to realize what Barry had done.

He smiled to himself. He would take the next exit, go back the way he came and re-enter the interstate before the James M. Cox International Airport exit, and when he came to it, he would turn off for real this time. But where was his mother?

Gillian had taken the exit. She went up the exit ramp and joined the flow of traffic on the interstate leading to the airport. State Trooper cars and unmarked cars followed behind her. Conneaut started to worry.

"We must lose them!" he said.

"I'm working on it." Truth was, she really didn't have a clue. She was just a middle class working woman from Muncie, Indiana. She didn't know about car chases down interstates. She managed to pass a few cars and to change lines while she thought about it. As she was thinking she noticed a billboard advertising a Howard Johnson's hotel in Dayton, which happened to have an airport shuttle service. Now that gave her an idea. She got off the interstate and headed for the hotel. It would mean losing the pick-up, but that was okay.

Next to the hotel was a parking garage. She pulled a quick turn into the entrance. She had to stop at a ticket booth to receive the timed ticket to place on her dashboard. She had cars in front of in line in front of her; she mentally willed them to go faster. She finally got to the front and took her ticket from the automatic ticket dispenser and sped up the ramp in front of her. She drove up two levels and found a spot near some doors. Seeing no one behind them, the group exited the car and made for the double glass doors. Directly inside on their left was a dull-silver elevator which had seen better days. They piled in. Jillian read the elevator's display panel. It seemed that there was a walkway directly into the hotel on the fifth level. Gillian pressed "5".

The elevator's doors opened up to reveal a faux marble floor. The walkway was a bridge-like structure and glassed-in on both sides. They did not run, but walked with purpose into the hotel. They stopped when they reached the lobby. The floors were faux marble. In the middle of the floor was a blue carpeted area where there were couches and chairs for guests who were perhaps waiting to check in or check out. The concierge desk looked like real wood, but it likely wasn't. Jillian asked an available desk clerk about the shuttle. The female clerk informed her that it left every hour on the hour. The next one was arriving back at the hotel in fifteen minutes. The cost was twenty dollars a person. Jillian paid with cash. She had her hands on her debit card only to realize it could leave a trail for the government people to follow. In this case, cash was better.

Conneaut paced the floor as they waited. He didn't like waiting. Roy kept his eye on the walkway from which they'd come. Jillian didn't take her eyes off the front window where the shuttle would be.

"Come on, Come on, Come on," Conneaut whispered. He heard the wonderful sound of an engine and the whine of brakes. The shuttle had arrived. The group bee-lined it out the front double doors and presented their tickets to the driver who then ushered them into the shuttle. Gillian saw out of the corner of her eye a familiar dark coloured car idling out front of the parking garage. At precisely four o'clock, the shuttle pulled away. The car remained behind.

The shuttle lumbered into the departures area of the airport. The place was bustling with activity. Business-types talked into their cell phones on the way to their gates. A family was saying goodbye to their teenage daughter, who was loaded with suitcases. She was probably off to college. Many had the bored looks of people who had been waiting too long in their lines. Bags were weighed and tagged and sent off down conveyer belts.

Jillian looked for Barry and Jane. Conneaut and Neary scanned the crowds. "There!" Neary cried excitedly.

He found the twosome standing by a post under a sign with directions to "Gates D – H". Barry waved when he caught sight of his mother.

Jillian hugged Barry, then Jane. "Thank God you two are all right! Have you found any flights to Wyoming?"

"Yeah, we have, but we're not leaving from here." Barry decided to throw one last curveball to the people that were following them. "We're going to fly out of Cincinnati instead."

To be continued…