My tone was matter of fact. Yet they knew that I was not joking. Beth was staring at me, a growing fear and horror in her eyes. Her father seemed dazed by the revelation. I took the del gun from my pocket and showed it to them.
"This is a weapon strange to you. But it is effective at this range. Please don't make me use it."
"But what do you want?" Copperd asked.
"I want you to take a ride with me. In your car."
I let them put on their coats and then we walked out onto the porch and down the stairs. Across the street the security agent barely glanced at us. Then we got into Copperd's car, Beth and he in the front seat and I in the back. I told him in which direction to go.
At the outskirts of town we lost the car that was following us. I had planned this part of it perfectly. We pulled into a side road and turned off our lights. The agent went right past us.
"What is it you want of me?" Copperd said as we started up again.
"We want to have a long discussion with you about some matters on which you are an authority."
"And that's what this whole affair with me was for? So that you could get to my father!" Beth said accusingly. I saw her shoulders shake.