The senator nodded.
"He runs the highschool T-V station. Knows a lot about radio, I understand. Oh, yes. There was also the lad who drew up the plans for the gadget. Pretty sharp at engineering design, they say—"
Duran peered numbly across the desk at the grim faced official. This was what he had been fearing all along. But despite his apprehension, he was not entirely ready for it.
"That, I suppose," he said quietly, "was my son Roger."
Loeffler nodded slowly. "That was your boy, Vance. Sorry I had to be the one to break it to you."
"But where is he?" Duran asked. "And does Molly know about it?"
"She knows he's been detained, but not how serious the charges are."
"Just how serious are the charges?"
"I don't know yet," said Loeffler. "That's not really my province, of course," said Loeffler. "But the problem is complicated by the fact that Lake Wakataoga is state property, with the island merely leased to Skinner."
Duran fumbled through his pockets for his cigarettes. He found them and lit one.