Road Less Traveled Read Online Free Page B

simultaneously.”
    â€œOnly he’s drawing the heat from his neighbors by mistake, and turning that part of Eureka into Iceland.” Carter nodded. “Got it. So I just need to get him to shut the thing down and everyone should thaw out again.”
    He turned to Jo. “Go back to the lab while I’m dealing with this. See what you can find there. I don’t want the trail to get cold. We’ve got a burglar to catch. Oh, and stop by the infirmary to make sure you’re okay.” He gestured at the blackened patch where the Thunderbird had zapped her, and she nodded briskly. “And take Mr. Wizard there with you.” He jerked a thumb toward Fargo and watched his deputy’s eyes narrow.
    â€œWhy?” was all she asked, but the way she ground the word out between her teeth made it clear she would have some other, more choice things to say about this suggestion later.
    â€œHe knows the containment field, and the lab, and the people, and the project,” Carter pointed out. “And he’s already involved.” He glared at Fargo, deflating the little researcher’s sudden preening. “And he’s at least partially to blame for the burglar getting away, so the least he can do is help us catch him or her properly.”
    â€œOf course, I’m happy to help, Sheriff,” Fargo responded, straightening to attention and snapping off a pitiful attempt at a salute. “Come on, Jo.” It didn’t help that he had a painfully obvious crush on Jo, and had for years. The look Jo shot at Carter as she followed Fargo from the room made him wonder if Savile had left one of those heat sinks here as well. Carter was shivering, and not from his recent rain shower.
    â€œWhy don’t I come with you?” Allison suggested as Fargo and Jo headed back to the bio lab. “I know Savile, so I can help you talk to him.”
    â€œSounds good.” Carter wasn’t about to turn down Allison’s company. “Let’s go.” He tossed the towel onto her couch and headed for the door. He hoped Allison wouldn’t mind his blasting the heat on the way.

CHAPTER 3
    They drove in silence, mainly because Carter was still busy mentally running through possible suspects for the Thunderbird theft. It wasn’t doing him much good, though, because while he did know a fair number of people around Eureka by now, there were still plenty more he didn’t know. And a lot of those people worked at GD. Plus, he couldn’t limit himself to GD employees, or even to Eureka residents. What if some think tank somewhere else had gotten wind of the Thunderbird project and sent someone to steal the notes or whatever else they could find? What if it was ecoterrorists, worried that the Thunderbirds were a threat to the natural order of things? What if it was Greenpeace?
    Okay, clearly that was enough of those thoughts.
    Still, it was a companionable silence. Carter couldn’t help glancing over at Allison a few times as he drove. She was staring out the window, apparently lost in her own thoughts, and didn’t notice his quick perusal. Which was probably for the best. Carter knew he had strong feelings for her, and suspected she did for him as well. Sometimes he wanted to pursue that. But she was also one of his best friends, not to mention sort of his boss. A relationship could be awkward. And that was assuming it worked out. So for now they stayed friends, with occasional meaningful looks or comments to remind one another that more potentially lurked beneath the surface.
    â€œTurn left up here on Restin,” Allison instructed, breaking the silence when they reached the affected area. Not that Carter needed anyone to tell him they were getting close. He’d noticed a faint crunching sound a few seconds before, and a telltale sheen to the road in front of him. The entire surface was covered in a thin layer of ice. It wasn’t glass-slick like black ice,