The back door opened and shut again.

            “You morons can’t do anything right.” Soudo’s voice rose. “I told you at the church what we needed. We only have two hours. I have a plane to catch at four- thirty. If he screws this up...”

            “Who died and made you god? You think you’re a big fish, but it’s a really small pond. And there are sharks, Soudo. Remember that. But you’ll make your plane. Sorkin will be here by midnight. After, you’ll have three hours to get to Denver International and clear security.”

            “And you can take care of things on your end, Michael.”

            “No one can connect me with this. You’re right. It’ll just look like another clinic bombing. I’m on the other side: a friend of the deceased.”

            “Be sure your sins will find you out.” Soudo was quoting again.

            “Is that from the Bible?”

            “I don’t think so. Just something my mee—something someone I knew used to say. But you be sure to cover your tracks. And let me know as soon as you get those experiments reconstructed. Our friends will want to know how things are going.”

***

            In the parking lot at Hope Tabernacle, Phil Stone put the keys in the ignition as Ron pulled the passenger door shut.

            “I don’t know where to go. I don’t know what to do. It’s hopeless.”

            “No. I won’t believe that. We’ve just got to think. We could trail Soudo. Maybe he went home to pick up his things. We could go back in...ask where he lives.”

            There was a rap at the driver’s window and Phil jumped. The rap came again. Margie Cranwell, Hope Tabernacle’s secretary. He opened the door and stepped out to meet her.

            “Excuse me. Are you gentlemen from the police?” The woman glanced nervously over her shoulder, back at the church.

            “No. Why would you think that?”

            “Well, then why were you searching the basement?” The men exchanged glances . Mrs. Cranwell looked back again and then continued. “ I saw you. I came to find you but you got out of the building before I could get your attention.”

            Ron McKenzie glanced at Phil before responding. The other man nodded slowly “Your pastor, Brother Soudo? We think he’s involved in a kidnapping.”

            The woman gasped and moved closer to the car, turning at an angle to he able to see the church door.

            “Do you know Paige McKenzie?” Ron asked.

            “You mean that cute little blond? Such a sweet girl. Yes, I know her.”

            “She’s my wife. And she’s missing, along with Mr. Stone’s wife, Macie. We think they were being held here.”

            Margie Cranwell took a deep breath. “So that’s why you were looking all over the basement. Well. if you want to talk to Brother Soudo, you’ll have to hurry.”

            The men looked at each other and then back to Mrs. Cranwell.

            “That’s what I was running out here to tell you. That stuff about Brother Soudo’s sister being sick and him rushing off? That’s just not true. He’s had a plane ticket to Miami sitting on his desk for several days. When that announcement was made, I looked for the ticket. It’s gone.”

            “Do you remember what airline it was?” Phil felt Macie slipping away.

            “Western? No that’s not right. Um, maybe…United? That sounds right, but….I’m sorry, I guess I’m not much help.”

            “It’s okay. Thank you.” Ron took her hand and squeezed it . She smiled and ran back into the building.

            “Well, we know his destination. I guess we go out to D.I. A. and check all the flights leaving for Miami in the next several hours.” Ron got back in the car.

            “ It’s a start,” Phil answered.

             The drive to the airport took an hour. When they finally cleared the toll booths and turned into the underground parking area, Phil looked at his watch.

            “It’s eight o’clock. I wonder what time Super-Pastor’s plane leaves?”

            Ron released his seat belt and opened his door. “Let’s get going. He’s our best chance to find the girls.”

            They crossed to the elevator, and rode it to the shuttle train level. The recorded voice announced ,over and over, to stay behind the lines, the train would be arriving soon. It didn’t. The men waited, searching the crowd for the face of Hope Tabernacle’s pastor. But Brother

Soudo wasn’t at the shuttle train stop. They boarded, finally, scanning the crowd until the doors shut and they had to grab a handhold to stay on their feet as the train sped off.

            It took them to the main terminal, where they caught a moving sidewalk to the food court. Phil and Ron scanned the nearest monitor for notices of flights to Miami. There were ten.

            “We’ll split it up. You take the three United flights, I’ll...”

            “Security.” Ron hammered his fist on the wall. “We forgot security.”

            Phil looked at him blankly.

            “Nine-eleven. Remember? The new security procedures? The only way we’ll get to the gates is to go to the police.

            It took several seconds for it to sink in. When it did, Phil looked up at the clock over the monitor. “Eight-thirty. We’d better get moving.”

            Sitting in the tiny office, across from the uniformed security guard, the men waited while he talked on the phone.

            “Leonard Soudo is booked on flight 357, a red-eye, leaving at four-thirty. He’s probably not in the airport yet, but we’ll alert security to be on the lookout for him. You can be sure, if he tries to take his flight, we’ll stop him. The Adams County police want to talk to you. We’ll take care of things here. You need to see a Detective Parker.”

            That was that. Dead end. Phil felt completely helpless. Parker was waiting for them in a tiny cubicle in the back of the security offices.

            “When did your wives go missing?”

            “Friday night.” Phil sighed, thinking about the bassinette, the half-finished baby afghan lying over it. He wondered if Macie would get a chance to finish it.

            “Paige told me Friday afternoon she was going to a church women’s retreat. Only, there isn’t any retreat. I haven’t talked to her since.”

            “Have you guys considered,” the detective began “that your wives may just be on a ‘girl’s night out’? It’s happened before. They’ll come home tomorrow, none the worse for wear. Maybe they went up to Central City to spend some of your hard-earned cash.”

            Phil’s hands clenched and he pushed away from the chair. Ron held him back. They told the story, the cop writing sporadically in a spiral notebook. When they were finished, he said he would check it out .They should go home. They should wait by the phone. Let the professionals do their jobs.

            “Now it’s my turn.” Phil’s voice was hard. “You didn’t call us here because our wives are missing. I want to know what you think is going on.”

            “Believe me, Mr. Stone. I don’t know a lot. But your Reverend Mr. Soudo has some pretty nice friends. Real salt of the earth, if you know what I mean. We’ve been watching him for a while in connection with another investigation. We had the airport staked. When you came in asking for him, we just thought we’d see what you had to say. That’s all I can tell you.”

            “Are our wives lives in danger?” Ron sat on the edge of his chair looking intently at the policeman.

            “I’d be concerned if they were involved with Soudo.” The man stood to usher them out. “But we’re on the trail. Just go home and wait to hear from us.”

            “Like h...” Phil whispered , his words swallowed in the confusion of the terminal. He ran to catch Ron as he left the building.

            “What now?” Ron stood, his hand poised on the door handle of Phil’s car.

            “I don’t know. Maybe call Sorkin’s again. See if they’ve heard anything.”

***