The next day at the office Collin logged onto his desk top. He opened the locator icon and pulled up the data from the GPS transmitter he had dropped in the Gene Search bag. He clicked on the history button and a map of Maryland came up. He zoomed in so he could see the address where the red dot designating the position of the locator was quietly blinking. It was his townhome. The time indicator read 19:45 the day before. So far - so good. He clicked on the proceed button. The red dot started to move as did the time indicator. Collin took a sip of his coffee as he watched the dot move. He was watching it in real time. The dot continued as Collin chomped on his breakfast sandwich and drank his coffee. Fifteen minutes later the dot stopped moving. Collin was surprised at the address shown. No doubt about it at 20:15, fifteen minutes after Terrie and No name left his place, they arrived at Holt Genetics Laboratories.
Collin was surprised. But, if Gene Search was testing his samples to see if his DNA was something they wanted, they would take the samples to the kind of lab HGL was. It was just strange to have the connection from his current case to the previous. He pulled the Holt file again and called Doctor Holt’s office. Doctor Holt’s secretary, Lorraine, answered. He said hello and identified himself.
“Yes, Mister Carter, I remember you. Doctor Holt isn’t in right now, is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Perhaps you can. I’ve run across a group that is doing genetic testing. I was wondering if you can tell me a little about them.”
“You mean one of our clients?”
“Could be. I’m not sure.”
“Well I can’t be gossiping about our clients, Mister Carter. I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course not. I’m not asking for confidential information. I was just wondering if you know about them. They go by the name of Gene Search.”
Lorraine was quiet for a heartbeat. Then she said, “No. Can’t say that I do. I know all of our clients and most of the other labs doing genetic work. Gene Search isn’t any group I know.”
Collin felt sure that she was lying. He was fascinated. Why would she lie?
“Well, thank you for your time, Lorraine. It was nice talking to you.”
“Goodbye, Mister Carter.”
Collin hung up the phone. He turned back to his computer and clicked on the history summary button. A summary of where the locator had been since he activated it showed on the screen. The locator had been at HGL for twenty minutes. Then it traveled to two more stops and returned to HGL. That is where it was located at this moment. He hit the print button. He was going to check out the other two addresses where the locator had stopped.
As he was getting into his car his cell phone rang. The office phone was transferred to it. When it rang he told himself he was going to have to send the phones back to the temps then answered the call, “Carter here.”
Donnie answered, “Hey! Glad you answered.”
“Donnie. Have you guys figured out the crash scenario already?”
“Looks like murder.”
“No kidding!”
“Witnesses say a BMW was chasing the Camaro down the road. Cutting in and out then sideswiped him and sped off.”
“The witnesses get a license plate?”
“No. Most of them weren’t close enough. The guy right behind them at the time was too surprised to look at the plate.”
“Any description of the car?”
“Just silver and big. Collin, I need you to send me a report on the case you were working with the green Camaro.”
“Will do. I’m just starting a surveillance trip right now.”
“Email it to me. Don’t leave out any details.”
“Got it!”
Collin got in his car and started for the first address on his locator summary. It turned out to be a house on a small street with a few neighbors on wooded lots. Collin parked his car across the street and down a bit so he could see without being seen. Nobody was home. There were no cars in the driveway. As he watched a police car passed him and turned into the driveway. A woman answered the door and let the policeman in.
Collin got out of his car and quietly approached the house. Collin put an earplug into his ear and placed the suction cup on the other end of the wire on the window of what he hoped was the living room. He had guessed correctly. He could hear the conversation taking place inside. From what he heard the woman, Missus Keller, wanted the policeman to go looking for her daughter. The girl had apparently left the house of her own free will around ten p.m. the night before. As Collin listened the police officer was explaining that he couldn’t do much since the girl was twenty years old. Missus Keller couldn’t tell him who her daughter had left with. She told the officer that a black SUV had pulled into the driveway. When Missus Keller looked out a window she saw her daughter talk briefly with a petite woman then the woman and her daughter got into the SUV and it drove off. Missus Keller called the police the next day because her daughter had not returned and had not called. Missus Keller told the officer that her daughter had never done anything like this before. The officer asked for a picture of her daughter. Then he told her they would have to wait two more days before he could do anything. He told Missus Keller to be sure to call him if the girl returned before then. Collin pulled his listening device off of the window and returned to his car. After the policeman drove away Collin drove up to the house.
Collin knocked on Missus Keller’s door. When she opened the door Collin asked, “Missus Keller?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a private detective. Can I come in for a minute?”
Collin showed her his identification. Missus Keller opened the door and Collin entered. She walked him to her living room. It was a cozy room with comfortable furniture and family pictures.
“Please sit down. Tell me why you’re here.”
Collin sat down on the couch. Missus Keller sat on the edge of a chair.
“Missus Keller I’m investigating a complaint about a girl that has run away from home to join a group called Gene Search. Have you ever heard of them?”
“No. I don’t think so. Who are they?”
“I haven’t yet been able to find out much. I was visited by them last night. They were in a black SUV and I have evidence that after they left my place they came here.”
“A black SUV was here last night. My daughter got in it and it drove away. If you find these people can you let me know if my daughter is with them? Her name is Linda Keller. Here is a picture of her. I’ll put my phone number on it.”
“Take one of my business cards. If you hear from Linda please call me.”
“I will. Thank you so much. I am worried about her. I hope the other girl you are looking for is safe also.”
Collin left and started to the second address on his list. The GPS transmitter history showed that Terrie and No name had driven twenty-two minutes to an undeveloped area north of Rockville. All of the Rockville area had once been farmland and the address Collin was looking for was still farmland. Collin found a fence post with the address number and a locked mailbox next to a locked gate blocking a one lane drive. The one lane road on the other side of the locked gate was in good shape though it was not paved. There was no clue as to what lay on the other end of the road as it meandered up and over a hill through some trees and out of sight. Collin got out of his car and examined the gate more closely. There was an electronic device on the post to the left of the gate that had a place to slide a badge of some type for gaining entrance to the drive. Collin had a device he could use to open this type of lock but he didn’t have it with him. He had to go back to the office and work on the email report for Donnie anyway so he would come back to the locked gate later.