something more sinister than a scam. That’s what we’re going to find out.”
“So, where we headed now?”
“I think we should call it a day. While you were spending all that time discussing brain and gore with Sid, I booked us a place to stay for the night in Two Harbors. It’s only a couple of miles from the headquarters of NeuroDynamics. The hotel was totally booked up for some church group retreat, so they’re putting us in a two-bedroom condo on the property. You’ll like the resort. It’s right on Lake Superior and has its own restaurant.”
“Just as long as it has heat, a bed, and a hot shower, I’m all for it. Who knows, maybe we’ll get snowed in.”
“Don’t even joke about that. We’ve got a job to do. Speaking of which, when you and Sid put your brilliant heads together, did you figure out anything new?”
“Not really. By the way, you were right about Sid. He’s impressive. And thorough. I don’t think there’s anything more we can determine from the body. Unless you can figure out a way to raise the FDA agent from the dead, I think the answers are going to have to come from NeuroDynamics. Have you thought about how we are going to approach them tomorrow?”
She looked away from the snow-covered road for a moment. “I have thought about it. Haven’t stopped thinking about it, actually. I don’t think we’re going to be able to just walk right up to their front door, ring the bell and ask them to hand over all their records. We don’t have enough for a warrant right now. After all, they did manage to get FDA approval to implant the chip. We’ve just got to prove that they used devious methods to obtain the approval—”
John interrupted. “Don’t forget that the placement of the chip didn’t agree with the reports.” He rubbed his chin with the backside of his glove, thinking. “What about gaining entry to their files in a little more underhanded way? My old buddy Dr. Candleworth was desperate to get me onto his staff before. Maybe he’d still be interested in having me come aboard now. Then I could do some snooping.”
She crinkled her nose. “I think he’d see right through that. Sid put him on notice when he called to find out more about the microchip in Calhoun’s brain. And, since you’ve become a celebrity of sorts, helping solve that Cranium Killer case last year, the whole world knows that you’ve worked with the FBI in the past.”
She thought for a moment. “ I could apply for a job there and work undercover. You could tell me what to look for. I could take pictures of anything that looks promising and pass it on to you. I’d have to get a special type of warrant, but I think my boss will be able to push it through legal channels.”
“Aren’t you forgetting that you are a hometown girl? People might recognize you at NeuroDynamics.”
“No one from the area has had much contact with me in years, except for Sid. Besides, I … um … I changed my last name before I joined the FBI.”
John said, “Now that is intriguing. All right, spill it.”
Jo smirked. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, come on. Let me guess. You once robbed a bank?”
“Yeah, that’s it. The FBI loves ex-bank robbers on their payroll.”
“Okay then, how about you were married to Brad Pitt and you got tired of all the paparazzi hounding you?”
She burst out laughing, in spite of herself. “That’s definitely not it. Do you really think you can charm your way to an answer?”
He shrugged. “Worth a shot.” He smiled. “You’ll tell me one of these days, though. I have lots of faith in my powers of persuasion.”
“I just bet you do.”
They drove in silence for the rest of the way to the hotel. It was pitch dark by the time Jo slowed the car to a crawl and turned onto a long, curving driveway surrounded by tall pines and birch trees. At the end of the road, a large two-story hotel was lit up, with wings on either side of the main building spreading out into the
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