Coral Sears' apartment, one week later

"Have a Spalding Spud. They're crispy-licious, Jim." Blair took the bowl of potato chips from Woodrow Fleener and held it out to his partner, looking at him with clear blue eyes. After a scary night at the emergency room, it had been determined that Luker's weapon had been a temporarily blinding laser, and Blair's sight had begun to return.

The two detectives had accepted Coral's invitation to a wake in honor of Milo Spalding, under the condition that for tonight they were not there as cops. There were to be no pleas for immediate police action against the CIA.

"So Belinda Spalding and Kurt Luker had plotted together to drive Milo to kill himself?" Eldon Owsley asked.

"Yes," Blair said. "Luker set up the acoustic device to harass him. He'd stolen the machine, and a number of other soft-kill weapons. There was a large arsenal in his basement. He was dealing in prototype and illegal non-lethal weapons, making a fair amount of money, but he wanted more. He wanted Belinda Spalding, and Belinda wanted him, or at least what he could do for her. He was also angry at Zigler Technologies because he'd been fired, and wanted to get back at them."

"But he was killed by his own weapons," Owsley said. "Serves him right."

"Unfortunately for him," Jim added, "he slipped on the superlubricant he sprayed on the floor to stop us, and was suffocated by a wall of sticky foam. It's meant to be shot at people's legs to immobilize them, but there are a few weaknesses that haven't been worked out yet. Not only can it take off your skin when you try to remove it, but it can suffocate you if you inhale it, as he found out."

He didn't tell them that the police department had been extremely interested in the weapons that were found in Luker's house, and had begun talking to Zigler Technologies about how soon they might be able to legally buy the superlubricant, the sticky foam, and even the acoustic machine. Zigler's possible development plans for weapons using electromagnetic waves, ultrasonic waves, and microwaves were being eagerly discussed by the department. The threat of legal and public relations problems using soft-kill weapons which might in fact kill was ignored, at least for now. No, he thought they would be better off not knowing that some of their fears might actually become reality.

Coral Sears appeared in front of Blair. "I've been thinking about the project you were talking to us about, interviewing us and recording what we've discovered. Are you sure you want to? It might be dangerous if the CIA finds out what you're doing."

"I'm willing to take that chance, Coral," Blair said.

"All right," she said. "I'll do it, and there are some others here that have agreed, too." There were murmurs of assent.

A familiar voice spoke up. "Can I tell you now about how my neighbor was cloned?"

There was a chorus of shouts. "No, Mr. Fleener, not now!"

Eldon Owsley raised his glass of wine. "To Milo," he said solemnly.

"To Milo," they all replied, raising their glasses to his memory.

"I have an announcement," Coral said rather shyly. "I had a phone call today from Milo's lawyer. He made a new will just before he committed suicide. He left nothing to his wife. He left everything to me."

Jim and Blair looked at each other as the rest of the room erupted in congratulations. Blair held out the bowl of potato chips. "Spalding Spud, Jim?

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Stay tuned next week when Blair's Uncle Obie comes to town and Jim discovers just how much trouble two Sandburgs can attract in "Sandburg Squared" an all new The Sentinel.

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