Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen

tried to contact two of them whose records he managed to locate. One of them had been killed in an automobile accident, the other had gone on an extended vacation and wasn’t expected back anytime soon.”
    “More murders?”
    “Probably. As I said, a total cleanup. I imagine we’ll find—What’s wrong?”
    She moistened her lips. “My friend Cindy, who gave me the information about Garwood.”
    “Have you heard from her lately?”
    She shook her head. “She resigned from Sanborne’s over a year ago. But she was involved in the early experiments.”
    “She might be safe. Call her.” He paused. “And you would have been very close to the top of the list to be eliminated.”
    “Sanborne hasn’t made a move on me since right after I got out of the hospital. He called me just once and offered me big money to come back to work for him. I told him to go to hell. But I’ve been very vocal to the FBI and several congressmen. It didn’t do me any good, but Sanborne wouldn’t want me to die suspiciously.”
    “He made a move last night.”
    It was true. “I was seen at the facility. He might have decided he had to get rid of me in self-defense.”
    “You’ll pardon me if I doubt that he’d be intimidated enough by you to spur him to move this quickly. I believe he’d probably set you up already and just moved the action up a little.”
    “Why is he getting rid of all these people now?”
    “I can make a guess. He’s going international.”
    “What?”
    “He thinks he’s got REM-4 down to the point that they can start taking on foreign customers. But they need a base that’s not on U.S. soil where they can operate freely and their customers won’t come under scrutiny.”
    “He’s going overseas?”
    “Kelly says that’s his take on it. Overseas or an island close to the mainland. The foreign market is where the real money would be.” He grimaced. “And that’s why he wants to make sure his boat isn’t rocked. He wants any story you told the FBI to fade away into the sunset, and you with it.”
    “A noose isn’t likely to make me fade away.” Of course it would, she realized. If everyone thought it was suicide. “Where overseas?”
    Royd shook his head. “Kelly wasn’t able to find out. He does know that the trucks leaving the facility are going to a dock outside Baltimore.”
    Her hand clenched on the sheet. “We have to find out.”
    “I have every intention of finding out. That’s why I’m here.”
    “You thought I might know.”
    “I was hoping. But it’s not a wasted trip. I can still use you.”
    “I beg your pardon.”
    “Isn’t that what you want? It’s clear you’re eaten up with guilt and looking for some way to make things right. Well, if I can use you, then you’ll have what you want.”
    “I don’t like that word.”
    “I’m calling it what it is. I’ll use you however I can. In ways that Jock would probably disapprove of.”
    “What ways?”
    “Sanborne turned his dogs loose on you for a reason.”
    “You told me that he wanted to make sure that no one in the FBI paid attention to me.”
    “He also didn’t want his foreign customers paying attention to you. You’re the only one who knows the basic formula for REM-4. He wouldn’t have an exclusive product if you were around.”
    Her eyes widened. “He couldn’t believe I’d actually sell it. I’ve been fighting him for years.”
    “Sanborne and Boch believe in the ultimate power of corruption. Garwood was based on that premise. They’d assume there was a chance you’d succumb in the end. You’re too big a threat to assume anything else. Also, you said you were working on an enhancement that could make REM-4 more effective. They’d love to get their hands on it. That means you’re going to be a prime target from now on.”
    “So?”
    “That’s good for me,” he said simply. “If they want you bad enough, then they’ll go after you. They could make mistakes. They might send someone who has