A waste of time.
Returning to the highway, Dance noticed a store across from the power plant, a shack selling souvenirs and candy. There was a CLOSED sign on the door but inside Dance believed she could see a woman's face, looking out.
Was Pell inside with her?
Dance gestured to a deputy, told him of her concern and together they stepped to the door. She rapped on it. No response.
Another knock, and slowly the door opened. A round woman with short curly hair glanced in alarm at their hands, resting on their guns, and asked breathlessly, "Yes?"
Eyes on the dim interior behind her, Dance asked, "Could you please step outside?"
"Um, sure."
"Is anyone else in there?"
"No. What--?"
The deputy pushed past her and flicked the lights on. Dance joined him. A fast search revealed that the tiny place was unoccupied.
Dance returned to the woman. "Sorry for the disturbance."
"No, that's okay. This's scary. Where did they go?"
"We've still searching. Did you see what happened?"
"No. I was inside. When I looked out there was the car burning. I kept thinking about the oil tank fire a few years ago. That was a bad one. Were you here for that?"
"I was. I could see it from Carmel."
"We knew it was empty, the tank. Or pretty much empty. But we were all freaked out. And those wires. Electricity can be pretty spooky."
"So you're closed?"
"Yeah. I was going to leave early anyway. Didn't know how long the highway would be closed. Not many tourists'd be interested in saltwater taffy with a power plant on fire across the highway."
"Imagine not. I'd like to ask why you wondered where they went."
"Oh, a dangerous man like that? I'd hope he'd get arrested as fast as possible."
"But you said 'they.' How did you know there were several people?"
A pause. "I--"
Dance gazed at her with a smile and but unwavering eyes. "You said you didn't see anything. You looked out only after you heard the siren."
"I think I talked to somebody about it. Outside."
I think . . .
A denial flag expression. Subconsciously the woman would feel she was giving an opinion, not a deceptive statement.
"Who told you?" Dance persisted.
"I didn't know them."
"A man or a woman?"
Another hesitation. "A girl, a woman. From out of state." Her head was turned away and she was rubbing her nose--an aversion/negation cluster.