Page 9 of Broken Wheels

I think I’m running out of time.

Josh hadn’t slept much after that.

He opened his email and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw he’d received a reply.

Thank God for that.

Then he saw the time it had been sent. 8 a.m.?

He clicked on it.

Dr. Malone,

I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you right away when you emailed me. Unfortunately I was correct in my assumptions, and now I’m really scared.

We have to meet.

I’ll be coming to Roswell today. Could you meet me at the Roswell Mall on North Main Street at 3 p.m.? There are four benches in the mall near the entrance to J.C. Penney’s. You can’t miss them. They’re by the fountain. We can go someplace more private after that, but I think it’s best if we meet somewhere public at first.

If you need to reach me for any reason, use this email address.

I must stress the urgency of the situation. Please be there. I know it’s short notice, but you’re the only one who can help me now.

Cliff Tanner

Josh’s stomach roiled. What on earth is going on? The desperation in those few lines was unmissable. He glanced at the time on the screen. Damn. It was already 2:15 p.m. He’d have to move it if he was going to get there in time.

And Cliff said he’s running out of time.

Josh grabbed his car keys and headed for the door.

This had better be life or death, Cliff.

The way Josh drove when he was flustered, death was the more likely outcome.

Josh kept both hands on the wheel, focusing on the road. He really wished the whole self-driving car thing had worked out. His mind drifted too much for him to drive safely, and he knew it. And the light pole, mailbox, and Buick LeSabre he’d taken out that one night proved that. Maybe he should hire a driver.

That way I won’t accidentally kill someone.

Yeah, he could see Michael having a field day trying to help him out of that mess.

Michael….

“Damn!” Josh slammed his hands onto the steering wheel. He’d meant to call Michael to let him know what was going on. I should have left a note on my pad. But he’d been in such an almighty hurry to get to the mall by three o’clock.

Call him now. There’s still time.

He pressed a button on his steering wheel. The tone played, then waited expectantly. “Call Michael.”

“Calling Michael,” a voice intoned.

A few moments later, Michael answered. “Josh, where are you?”

Shit. He knew that tone. “Don’t be mad.”

“Mad? I’m not mad. No, mad was twenty minutes ago when I went to your lab and found you weren’t there. Mad was eighteen minutes ago when I had Dixon check the cameras and found you’d left the building. Mad was twelve minutes ago when I sent him to check your pad for any idea where you might have gone. Mad was eight minutes ago when he found your mail about meeting someone at the mall. Mad was five minutes ago when he rushed out of the building saying he’d go after you. Those were mad, but I’m way past that. Now I’ve moved into furious mode.”

So they knew his destination. That made it easier. “I know I should have told you where I was going, but there was no time. This guy was someone who worked in the same place I did. He’s afraid and reached out to me for help. I have to go see him.”