Page 95 of The Shop on Hidden Lane

She broke off when a figure moved into view behind the glass blocks. She recognized him from the hologram—Deke Wells. But it wasn’t until a second person appeared that her spirits soared.

“Aunt Bea.”She rushed to the glass brick wall and flattened both hands against the surface as if she could shove it out of the way. “You’re alive.”

Fifty-One

“They can’t hear us andwe can’t hear them,” Luke said. “They’re trapped inside that room.”

On the other side of the glass wall, Deke pointed toward the steel door and mouthed a word that looked a lot likekey.

Luke studied the large, old-fashioned iron padlock that secured the door. “We’ve got a problem. It’s not a keypad or a smart lock. My jammer is designed to handle modern security systems. That lock takes a key or a set of bolt cutters.”

Sophy examined the lock. “Hmm.”

He raised his brows. “I know you can handle crystal locks. Is this where you demonstrate the Harper family talent for old-school breaking and entering?”

She shot him a severe look. “Do I insult your family?”

“On a regular basis. But I try to rise above it. Please tell me you can deal with that lock.”

“You call that a lock? It’s not a lock. It’s a toy.”

She reached up and unclamped the large clip that secured herhair. He watched, intrigued, as she opened the clip and withdrew what appeared to be an old-fashioned steel hatpin.

She went to work on the lock. On the other side of the wall, Bea smiled proudly. Deke winked and grinned.

Luke wanted to share the upbeat moment but his intuition suddenly kicked in, stomping out all positive thoughts.

Bruce had been exploring the scents in the hallway. He abruptly stiffened and growled a warning. Sophy went very still.

Deke and Bea were no longer smiling. They were focused on the hallway behind Luke. He slipped the auto-injector out from under his jacket, palmed it, and turned.

Smoking Ghost stood in the opening, a Kaleidoscope weapon in his hands.

“The Alchemist said that if you got inside the lab you’d probably show up here at the old safe room,” Smoking Ghost said. He aimed the weapon at Luke. “Looks like he was right.”

“You do realize that weapon is making you insane,” Luke said. “Every time you fire it, you get another hit of psychic recoil. It’s warping your paranormal aura.”

“That’s a fucking lie.” Smoking Ghost’s face twisted with fury. “The gun is still tuning itself to my aura. I’m the only one left who can fire it now that Hatch’s brother is gone. Grant couldn’t handle the weapon, you see. I had to put him down like you would a mad dog.”

Bruce growled but Smoking Ghost ignored him.

“Not yet,” Luke said very softly.

“You’re next, Wells,” Smoking Ghost said. “We need the Harper woman but we don’t need you.”

He tightened his grip on the weapon. His eyes flared with a sick lust.

Luke aimed the auto-injector and pressed the trigger mechanism. A dart containing a powerful sedative shot across the shortdistance, tore through the fabric of Smoking Ghost’s shirt, and embedded itself in his chest.

Smoking Ghost yelped in surprise. He dropped the gun and tried to yank out the dart but it was too late. The drug hit him hard and fast. His eyes rolled back in his head. He went limp and collapsed on the floor.

Luke rearmed the auto-injector, tucked it back into his pocket, and went forward to retrieve the Kaleidoscope weapon.

“Is he dead?” Sophy asked.

“No, but he’ll be out for a while.”

She went back to work on the lock. “So, just to be clear, youcouldhave been a CIA assassin.”