A Small Gray Dot

She raised an eyebrow and started to say something further but stopped and looked confused as I turned off Main and made for Dr. Bennett’s house. Realizing where we were going, she hung back, though she kept her grip on my fingers. She frowned.

“Why’re we coming back here, Mr. Smith? Dr. Bennett will see us and call his boss!”

“No, he won’t. He was as scared as you were, Morgan. I don’t think he knew about your abduction when his supervisor called him to say he was meeting Talbert at his house. At some point, though something raised his suspicions.” I smiled. “And, my name’s not Alvin Smith.”

“What?” She peered at me, eyes narrowed. “Who are you, then? Did my sister really send you to find me?”

We stepped up on the porch and before I could answer her or ring the bell, the door opened. Dr. Bennett stood there peering out at us. Smart man. He was watching and waiting for us. He looked relieved.

“Good. You’re as observant as I thought you were. Hurry, get in here!” he said as he hustled us in and closed and locked the door. He led us through the foyer and into his livingroom.

He indicated we should sit on the couch. As I checked out the room, I noted the surveillance monitor sitting on a stand in the corner. It had a split screen showing four different outside images. One was from the front of the house, another looked out on Main Street, another pointed toward the back yard, and the fourth showed the space between the doctor’s house and the one next door. The cameras had night vision. Very sophisticated. Only the rich could afford to have such a set up in these deteriorating times. Of course, judging by the size of his house, Dr. Bennett wasn’t poor.

“I wasn’t sure that you recognized me, sir,” I said to the doctor.

“Of course I recognized you. I have an eidetic memory,” he said as he lowered himself into a big armchair opposite us and settled back. “Do you know what that is?”

I nodded.

Morgan piped up, “I know what it is, Doctor. It means you remember things well.”

Dr. Bennett nodded. “You are nearly correct, young lady. However, it is not merely “well”. People with this type of memory remember things completely.” He smiled faintly. “It is useful but can sometimes be annoying as there are things one doesn’t always wish to recall.” He shrugged. “It is something with which I’ve learned to live. Now, Mr. Smith, I must tell you that when we noticed you on the monitor, I at first assumed that you were merely lost and remembered having made deliveries to this house, so when you started for my door, I thought you only wanted directions. Imagine my surprise when you asked about the young woman.”

Morgan sat forward. “Wait, Dr. Bennett. He says his name is not Alvin Smith. I want to know why he said it was and who he really is.” She turned to me, eyebrows raised.

I nodded. “My name is Tennessee Murray, and as Talbert said, I’m a tracker, and yes, your sister hired me to find you. I gave a false name because a number of people know my real one, and I couldn’t be sure the doctor, or whoever else might be here, hadn’t heard it.”

“Okay, I get that. So why did you bring me back here instead of taking me to Maddy?” She indicated the doctor with her head. “What if he’s in on whatever his boss wants me for? I mean, he let Ken in when we got here and all he said was this Henderson guy called and would be here to meet him as soon as he could. Then, when the man called back, the doctor told Ken that Mr. Henderson said to bring me to him. He didn’t act as if he was surprised about it and he never asked Ken what was going on, so I thought he knew and—”

“I repeat, Morgan. I don’t think he’s in on it, otherwise I would never have brought you back here. I came back because I want to talk to him to see if he can think of any reason why this man would want you.” I peered at the doctor.

The doctor cleared his throat and addressed Morgan, first. “My dear, believe me when I say that I did not have a part in your abduction. Indeed, I was not aware that you had been. That’s why when Talbert arrived with you, I left the two of you alone most of the time. I assumed that you were merely his latest conquest and that he brought you with him because he would be taking you home after his meeting with our supervisor. Indeed, I was unaware that Henderson was interested in seeing you. I was under the impression he was only to meet here with Talbert. It’s not usual for my supervisor to meet someone here but not unprecedented as he has done it twice before.