InSight

brain like this, Abby.”
    “You have to know him. His name is Herbert Scanlon.”
    Don hesitated. “Yes, I know him.”
    “You aren’t surprised, are you? I hear no outrage that someone of his stature could or would play God.”
    “Herbert Scanlon is a very controversial character in the mental health field. He’s a psychiatrist and a neurosurgeon. That means he can play with the brain two different ways. In spite of the taboo that doctors shouldn’t criticize other doctors, I’ll go on record to say that I think Scanlon is a nut. Despite all the research and new drugs, he’s still an avid proponent of psychosurgery.”
    “What’s that?” Luke asked.
    “Lobotomies. Doctors performed psychosurgery for decades, before the advent of chlorpromazine, or as you know it, Thorazine . The drug’s been called a chemical lobotomy. With the present pharmacological catalogue of anti-psychotic drugs, very few doctors perform that surgery now, and then only on a small percentage of patients.”
    “Do you think Scanlon lobotomized Stewart?”
    “I don’t see any outward signs. Lobotomies destroy partial or all functions of the frontal lobes. The patient becomes zombie-like. Stewart’s too emotional. I’ll check him out, though.”
    “I thought no one could be made to do something under mind control that he wouldn’t do otherwise.” Luke said.
    “If someone changed Stewart’s point of view,” Weston said, “reprogrammed him, in effect, he’d do whatever they wanted. That’s mind control.”
    “Jeez,” Luke said.
    “Please, Don,” Abby said. “All I’m asking is a little time. They’ll kill him.”
    After weighing the alternative, Don agreed. If anything came up later, Abby vowed to take full responsibility for the deception.
    Stewart docilely complied with whatever Abby suggested. She told Don to keep Stewart’s location secret, even from her, but asked for regular updates on his condition.
    “I’ll run tests to see the extent of damage to Stewart’s brain,” Don said. “If this is a systematic abuse of psychotropic medication or experimental surgery, someone will pay.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine
    Bruce Lee Light

    “I got Norm’s email this morning,” Luke said. “He confirmed everything I thought. Tire skid marks near the scene of the accident indicated someone forced Matt off the road. They’ve gone over his car with a jeweler’s loupe, but they can’t find any exterior evidence to implicate another vehicle. Collyer, or whoever did this, is a pro.
    Luke took Abby’s hand. “Norm wants to meet with me to hear the whole story before he gets involved.”
    “That means you’re going to Charleston ?”
    “For a day or two. A guy by the name of Jeff Conti will be here with you. He’ll take you to and from work and stay with you at night. Don’t worry, he’s safe.”
    “Safe? What does that mean?”
    “I’ll put it this way—he’d be more apt to come on to me.”
    Abby raised an eyebrow. “Um, how do you know one another?”
    “He’s my martial arts instructor.”
    “Great! I’m bunking with Bruce Lee in drag.”
    “Not quite. If you saw him, you’d never know. Straight-looking as they come.”
    “Did he make a pass at you?”
    “Sure did. Straightened him right out, though. I’d been propositioned before.”
    “Okay, that’s it. What is there about you that makes men come on to you? Some chemical pheromone? Something you’re not telling me, Luke?”
    “Yup.” He pulled her close. “You’re the first woman I’ve been with who doesn’t complain about my lipstick and eye shadow.”
    Abby threw back her head and laughed. She hadn’t laughed like that in months. “So that’s why you like me. That’s taking unfair advantage. I want to hear all about the guys who’ve hit on you.”
    “ Naw , I don’t think so.”
    She was still laughing when he said, “God, you’re beautiful when you laugh. I wish I could hear it.”
    Putting his face between her hands, she mouthed. “I guess there are some things we’ll never know about each other, no matter how deep we dig .”
    Luke stiffened. “Might be best.” He backed away. “You’ll like Jeff. He’s a stand-up guy, and he’ll take good care of you.”
    Abby felt his body language, noticed the change of subject. What did she say to make him pull away? Not now, Abigael. “Aren’t you overreacting? Do you think my intruder is still after me? He’s been quiet for a while. Maybe he knows I don’t have what he