The Forgotten Room

“Isn’t it obvious? You’re looking into Will’s death. You’re also looking into the West Wing. If Roger is somehow involved with what’s happened, even your presence here is a threat to him.”

“I see.”

Benedict hesitated. “Three days ago, I saw him coming out of your set of rooms.”

“Really?”

“He seemed surprised to see me. Almost nervous — completely out of character. But then he said that he’d recalled something you should know, and, since you weren’t at home, would look for you elsewhere.” Benedict looked curiously at Logan. “Did he find you?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Well, don’t you see? It’s clearly not safe for you here.”

“It’s not exactly safe for me out there, either.”

“The hurricane? You can go stay in one of those block of rooms Lux reserved at the Pawtucket Hilton. I mean, anything could happen here now, with the place deserted like it is. If your life is at risk, don’t you think the best thing would be to leave — leave immediately?”

Logan nodded, but absently, almost to himself. He hesitated. And then slowly he reached across the table and took Laura Benedict’s hand in his. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she made no attempt to pull it away. He held it for perhaps ten seconds, and as he did so he became aware of several emotions: fear, of course; uncertainty; doubt…and something else.

He released her hand. “You haven’t been at Lux very long, have you, Dr. Benedict?”

“Just over two years.”

“Yes. And I recall you saying that Will Strachey was your mentor when you first came here.”

“He was friendly, kind to a newcomer. It made all the difference in the world.”

“Lux provided me with a brief dossier on you — on all the people I’ve interviewed, in fact. As I recall, before coming to Lux, you taught at the Providence Technical University.”

“Yes, that’s right. For about four years.”

“Quantum mechanics, correct?”

Benedict nodded.

“Not quantum computing — the discipline you’re pursuing now.”

Benedict frowned, clearly confused as to where this was going. “They’re closely related fields.”

“Are they? I wasn’t aware of that. In any case, I understand your doctorate was in mechanical engineering. Pardon my ignorance. Is that related, as well?”

Benedict nodded again.

Logan leaned back in his chair. “Providence was your childhood home, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Just east of College Hill.”

“Ah. That would be near the large research lab…the name escapes me…”

“Ironhand.”

“Ironhand. That’s right. As I recall, they have a rather shady reputation for operating in the gray areas of science, sometimes doing weapons research for the highest bidder.”

“Dr. Logan, why are you asking all these questions? Don’t you think it’s more important that you—”

“Why did you suggest that I go to the Pawtucket Hilton just now?”

“Why…” Her confusion deepened. “That’s where Lux reserved all the rooms when the category of the hurricane was upgraded. It’s the safest place for you to go.”

“But over the phone, you told me that block of rooms had filled up hours ago.”

“Did I?” Benedict hesitated. “Well, given your affiliation with Lux, I’m sure the hotel could make some accommodation—”

But Logan interrupted again. “Dr. Benedict, I’m going to ask what might seem like a strange question. I hope you don’t mind. Is your maiden name Watkins?”

Laura Benedict went very still. “Excuse me?”

“Is your maiden name Watkins, by any chance?”

Another curious mixture of emotions — shock, incomprehension, perhaps a

Logan spread his hands. “Just a hunch.”

“Well, your hunch was wrong.” And then Benedict stood up very slowly. “My maiden name is Ramsey.”

46

For a long moment, the two simply looked at each other. The overhead lights flickered, dimmed, then brightened again.

“Of course,” Logan said. “Sorrel told me that Dr. Ramsey pioneered a great deal of the technology that made Project Sin possible.”

Laura Benedict did not answer. The anxiety had obviously not left her, but now her chin was thrust forward defensively.

“Why would you lure me down here with these dark rumors about Carbon — about wanting me to leave Lux for my own safety?”

“Because it’s true…you must leave Lux, immediately. If you don’t, they’ll kill you. I don’t want that.”

“Just like you didn’t want Strachey to die.”

Benedict’s eyes reddened, and she turned away.

“Then you really did care for him. I’m sorry. What you told me about being beside yourself with grief — you weren’t making that up.”

She shook her head without looking at him.

“Who, exactly, is going to kill me?”

It took her a moment to answer. “I think you know.”

“Ironhand,” Logan replied. It was a statement rather than a question.

Benedict said nothing.

“How did you learn about Project Sin?” Logan asked gently.

Still Benedict did not answer. Then, with a sigh, she turned toward him. “From my grandfather.”

“Dr. Ramsey?” he asked in surprise.

“A month before he died. Almost four years ago. My parents were already dead. He’d kept the secret his entire life. But it had eaten away at him, almost like the cancer that killed him.” As she spoke, Benedict’s voice grew stronger, more assured. “It was his research. He’d decided it was vital that his lone heir knew the truth. Dr. Martin’s discovery was an accident. My grandfather was the prime mover behind the project. He’d told nobody. But he’d left behind certain…private papers.”

Logan nodded for her to continue.

“The papers weren’t comprehensive. But they explained the project, its potential, my grandfather’s disbelief and chagrin that Lux had so abruptly halted it. I also learned the location of the lab where they had performed the work. It was a remarkable story, a maddening story. But it was all in the past, of course. It had nothing to do with me — I had my own life to live. And then…my husband died.”

She sighed again — a deep, shuddering sigh. As she did so, Logan reached casually into his satchel and, hand hidden from view, quietly switched on his digital recorder.

“I was a scientist myself; it wasn’t hard to secure a position at Lux. Nobody made the co

“And found all the paperwork, research journals, studies, laboratory notes.”

“Yes. It was all very thorough.”

“And I assume that made it easy for you to restart the work that had been mothballed.”

For a moment, Benedict looked at him before answering. “The equations were complex. Certain aspects of the machinery were too obsolete to use and had to be replaced with modern equipment. That wasn’t exactly cheap.”

“In other words, you needed a backer. And that’s where Ironhand came in.”

“How do you know about them, anyway?”

“They approached the late Pamela Flood, descendant of Lux’s original architect. She recalled the name as ‘Iron Fist.’ I know the area of Providence you come from quite well. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.” He paused. “What did they want with the blueprints?”

“They wanted to know if there was another way into the secret room. They didn’t want my work to be interrupted by any unexpected intrusions.” She paused briefly. “At first, their role was small. They fund lots of start-ups, hoping to strike gold one time out of twenty. My relationship with them was no different. They well understood the need for secrecy.”