The Planck Factor

Finally, she got her bearings. Half convinced she was seeing a ghost, she uttered his name.

“Daniel?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Jessica

I stopped reading, leaned back in my chair, and sighed. If I couldn’t sleep, I was going to put all my nervous energy to good use.

Unfortunately, this exercise had provided no ready answers to my situation. I rose and checked the drawers of a nightstand, where I found a pen and a hotel pad. Scribbling a note, I tore the page off, folded it, and tucked it in my jeans pocket. Doodling did nothing to relieve the stress. My obligations threatened to overwhelm me.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to tune out my thoughts. Focus on something else. Exhausted, I slouched in the chair, elbows perched on the armrests. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind.

I must have drifted off because I was transported back to the university campus in Boulder. Fred and I were walking toward a large brick building, fronted with a line of trees. We were speaking of inconsequential things. Fred was smiling. As we approached the big brick building, a man emerged and moved toward us. As he grew closer, I recognized Selby. He waved and came up to talk to Fred. The building. What was it? It had a name. It was . . . .

I jerked awake. Early morning light leaked through the blinds. I blinked several times, trying to think.

“Ah . . . .” It was all I could manage to get out. Right on the tip of my tongue. Damn! What was the name?

A rap at the door, then Liz’s voice. “Are you up, Jess?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I assured her. “Give me just a minute.”

I snapped my fingers, as if the action could conjure up memories. “I know it. I know the place. What the hell is it?”

A big brick building. And Selby was a scientist. It started with a P. No, no, not a P.

Feeling frustrated, I tried not to think about it. It was the kind of information that would have to come to me in its own good time.

I took a quick shower, pulled on my clothes, and stumbled downstairs, drawn by the rich, intoxicating aroma of coffee and the unmistakable sizzle of bacon on a grill. Imagine my dismay when I saw I’d be sharing my breakfast with George Clooney and his twin sister.

I wandered into the breakfast nook where the twins sat at a table. George had just shoveled a forkful of eggs in his mouth when he saw me. His eyes lit up briefly in recognition, but quickly faded when I didn’t return the enthusiasm.

“Good morning,” he ventured.

“Yeah, hi.” I nodded to George and his twin (whose name remained a mystery). Pulling out a chair, I sank into it and went into what was becoming a most familiar posture—holding my head in my hands.

“Are you okay?” I heard Liz ask from the kitchen, where I caught a glimpse of her working the pans on the stove with the speed of the Iron Chef.

“I couldn’t sleep a wink.” I yawned and rubbed my face to accentuate the foggy mental conditions I was working under.

“I’ll have eggs and bacon ready in a second.”

“Coffee.” I dredged the word up and it hung in the air, like an unanswered question. I started to push myself up to retrieve a cup, only to feel a hand on my shoulder.

George was by my side with a steaming mug of the brew. He set it on the table before me. “Voila.”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words, looking into those gentle brown eyes. Finally, foggy mind and all, I remembered my manners and said, “Thank you.” Who would have thought I’d be thanking this man for anything?

As we ate, George went over the plan. They’d take me back to Liz’s. After that, it was a simple matter of having their operative “drop the dime” on me, so to speak. By doing this, the operative should gain more of the group’s respect and trust. And my capture could be made “swift and painless,” as George had mentioned before.

After that, I needed to dig for whatever information I could. “Focus on Selby’s role. Obviously, it was important. We need to know exactly what he was doing for them.”

“If Selby was so important, then why did they kill Fred?” I asked. I was so fatigued, I thought I might be missing something.

“We think Fred might have stumbled across something bigger.” George said. “He may have been doing research for your book but could have found out about other, bigger things.”

I nodded and exhaled a shuddering sigh. “Great. I’m responsible for Fred’s death. That’s just what I need first thing in the morning.”