InSight

Receptormine .”
    “But you knew about Valentina Kozov and the secret lab.”
    Barnette pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbed his sweaty brow and the back of his neck. He returned to his closed mouth way of speaking.
    “I knew Dr. Kozov before she came to this country. I met her at a conference in Zurich years ago, but I didn’t know she was in the States until long after. She’s a brilliant neurochemist . I had heard rumors about a secret lab, and when I ran into Dr. Kozov , I learned the truth.”
    “Which was?”
    Barnette took his time, as if he were weighing his options. Luke was frustrated as hell. He wanted to pry the man’s mouth open, but he didn’t want to stop the conversation. After a few starts and stops, Barnette spoke at length. Luke caught experimental drugs, plant extracts, hallucinogenic effects, attack the nervous system. Distributing on the street.
    “How did she get into the country?” Luke asked, watching carefully.
    “Dr. Kozov spoke out against laboratory practices…in Russia …misusing her processes. …prison as an enemy of the state. Delicate negotiations…between Russia and United States … We didn’t want to get involved. …refused her political asylum. I surmised Crock…arranged for her to enter illegally. …mouth shut for fear of being deported.”
    Luke felt like his head would explode. He missed a good part of the conversation but got enough to understand what Barnette was saying.
    “You knew all this and kept quiet?” Norm asked.
    “I couldn’t get involved. I’ve never…Crock. …introduced Dr. Kozov to Matt Devon. …exposed Crock and the secret lab…the development and distribution of the drugs. …got him killed…what’s happened to her. …don’t want to be next.”
    Luke was furious. “What the hell happened to doing what’s ethically right? You knew they were producing illegal drugs for the streets. You’re no better than the people behind this.”
    Norm put his hand on Luke’s arm. Luke took the hint and shut up.
    “Do you know where Dr. Kozov is, Dr. Barnette ?” Norm asked.
    “No, I already told you that.”
    “Do you know where the lab is?”
    Barnette looked away.
    “Lives are at stake here, Dr. Barnette ,” Luke said, breaking his momentary silence. “At least six people are dead because of what’s going on in that lab, and three more are missing. Do you want to be responsible for their deaths?”
    Luke sensed the scientist’s internal conflict while he decided what to say.
    “It’s somewhere near the bridge in a building with an underground garage. I never knew exactly where.” He searched the faces staring at him. “I didn’t want to.” Barnette pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you think Dr. Kozov is okay?”
    Luke couldn’t focus any more. No one’s lips said anything he understood. Fear for Abby spun everything out of control. He left Barnette’s house to wait in the car.
    “Son of a bitch,” he muttered.
    * * * * *
    Collyer remained quiet throughout Mrs. Gentry’s revelations. Abby wondered if she missed his leaving the room. Then he spoke and her skin crawled.
    “We can’t do this here. The police will know we’ve moved the body. We have to make it look spontaneous. Like Stewart killed her during a psychotic episode.”
    They were planning her murder as if they were talking about going to a church supper. So technical. What kind of people were these? Stupid question. She already knew the answer to that. An occasional guttural groan came from her right. What had they done to Stewart? How much more could he endure before his brain exploded?
    “I don’t want drugs in her system,” Mrs. Gentry said. “Nothing that can be traced back to Synthetec either. She must be untouched when he kills her.”
    “I heard that,” Herbert Scanlon grunted when he entered the room.
    “ Do you understand, Herbert? I know how tempted you are, but she’s off limits.”
    Now’s the time to play my final card . “There’s another copy of Davidson’s audit.” Not a sound followed, except Stewart’s ragged breath.
    Gin!
    “You’re lying,” Mrs. Gentry said.
    Abby liked the tone of her response ― suspicion, a touch of fear. “Apparently the set of papers you got from the accountant before you killed him wasn’t his only copy. Devon found another set. He was a reporter. Reporters make copies as well as accountants.”
    “I turned that place inside out, Mrs. Gentry,” Collyer said. “There was nothing