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"Sean!" Despite her solemnity, Benita said his name armth "It’s wonderful to see you I’m just sorry about the circuood to see you You’re doing well?"
"Yes, very, thank you I’ve been wanting to see Eddie, and we got our chance today We were at lunch I wanted hi support"
Eddie watched the exchange in silence "Sean, you have so?" he asked
Sean nodded "Eddie, I’d like to take the elevator down to the base, Eddie shook his head "No one’s been down there in at least a decade I’erous down here"
"Where does the basement lead?"
"What do you mean, where does it lead?" Eddie repeated "It’s a basement Basements don’t lead anywhere"
"I think this one does," Sean said
"Leave it to the limmer of a ser This is what I do now, and o with you Ie’re down there," Eddie said
"The scene hasn’t been cleared yet," Sean reminded him
"The Black Box Cinema and the tunnel museum haven’t been cleared yet," Eddie corrected "The studio--we’re opening it for work tomorrow"
Sean looked across the lot, where Duffy and other officers were still on duty He didn’t want to take a chance on soht taint evidence
"I knohat you’re thinking," Eddie said "But everyone figures we’ve got a conflict of interest here to begin with, rather than realizing you’re going to understand the cineo with you to the studio and down to the base after that, I’ll keep ave in
"Benita, do you ?" he asked
"Well, of course Ianywhere around this place," she said
"Benita, there are a pack of cops out here I’d say you were safe And I’d rather not have to worry about your prints being so do they stay on a surface? Because my prints are already all over this place I used to be married to Eddie, remember? And I came to the studio frequently back then"
"Yeah, but they won’t be in the baseain
"Please," Eddie echoed "Do as Sean asks"
She let out a deep sigh, and then stroked Eddie’s cheek "All right" She turned to Sean "I expect you to get this wholeback at Eddie, she said, "I know you’ll want to head ho around for a bit, anyway"
"That’s kind of you, Benita," Eddie murmured
Benita walked toward Eddie’s car and slipped into the passenger seat She had a way of walking that Sean could only describe as stylized So did Helena, but hers was different
"I told you, Sean I’ you need--anytime," Eddie said
"Thanks You can et to the studio and the elevator I want to go to that baseo there anymore I can’t remember the last tio at least Lord, I don’t know if there’s any light down there"
"You have the elevator inspected, right?"
"Yes, of course It’s just that we never use the base we tried to store down there deteriorated too quickly The place was too dauess We didn’t really need the space so didn’t bother with it"
"Then the elevator should work, and I’ll get a flashlight from Bailey I know he’ll have a bunch--he’s prepared for the earthquake that’ll rip out our electrics," Sean said He winced at the word our He hadn’t worked here in years He’d always have a soft spot for the studio, though, and would probably always feel a part of it He’d been an adult--but young, just out of college--when he worked here, so the place was an influential part of his past The people, too…
Colin Bailey was at the security station, as Sean had expected He snapped to attention when he saw Eddie Although Eddie was distracted, he seemed aware of Colin’s attempts to reassure hie lantern-size flashlight from Bailey and steered Eddie into the office side of the studio and toward the elevator It was fairly large, a necessity when taking large props or costue areas
Eddie’s fingers seemed to tremble as he fit the key into the lock that would allow the elevator to go down to the base…" he whispered as they stepped inside
The elevator didn’t squeak or protest Ahalt The door opened
A black hole seeian was the word that came to Sean’s mind The basement was pitch-dark and sht and let it blaze around hi other than the concrete support beams that stood here and there