High Noon

up.”
    “If he took them with him, he needed them. He takes pictures of places because the places have a purpose, or the potential of one. Targets. These are digital shots, aren’t they?”
    She turned back to the laptop. “We have to get in there, find the files, find the ones he took with him. That’s the target.” As it churned, she pressed a hand to her stomach. “I think he gave himself the go, the green light. Today. I think it has to be today.”
    She looked at her watch and felt the chill as she noted it was ten fifty-five. “High Noon. We’ve got an hour to find him.”
     
    Duncan shoved his hands in his pockets, jiggled loose change while the structural engineers, the architect and Jake swarmed over the warehouse. “We have to move this along, Phin.”
    “You set the meeting, the inspection.”
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that was before.”
    “If you think Ma’s going to mind poking around a jewelry store on her own awhile if you’re running late, you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with.”
    Duncan pulled his hand out of his pocket to check his watch. Eleven-ten. “Maybe I should call her, tell her to make it twelve-thirty.”
    “She’s probably on her way, especially since she’s meeting Loo.” Phin grinned at Duncan’s blank look. “If you don’t think Ma got on the horn and starting blowing the news the minute she hung up with you, you’re not thinking, boy. Then again, I guess a man about to buy an engagement ring’s not thinking.”
    “You did it.”
    “Yeah. Working out pretty well for me, too.” He gave Duncan a slap on the back. “Business, Dunc. Ma and Loo can entertain each other just fine if you’re late. Loo said she was taking a full hour lunch, and was prepared to make it two if need be. So God help you.”
     
    Phoebe paced outside the computer lab. One step ahead, she thought. He was still one step ahead. “Somewhere that means something to him, in association with her. It’s more personal than something associated with me.”
    Her family was safe, she reminded herself. Inside, guarded and safe. Hadn’t she checked twenty minutes ago? Hadn’t she talked to Carly, to her mother, even contacted the cops on duty?
    “The bank where she was killed is under heavy surveillance. If he tries to get in, we’ll have him.”
    She glanced over at Liz, nodded. “And he’d know that. Still, if that was his target, that wouldn’t stop him. He’d assume he’s far enough ahead of us to hit it before we’re in place. But it’s the obvious target, and that concerns me. I think it’s somewhere else. A restaurant where they met, a hotel, motel, even one of the parks. It needs to be a statement, Liz.”
    Pacing, she tried to find the pieces. “Blowing up a man in Bonaventure, that’s a statement. Attempting to do the same to a police captain mere blocks from the station, that’s another.”
    “Big, splashy. I get that. And this is the biggest, the splashiest.” Like Phoebe, Liz stared through the glass walls of the lab. “I get that, too.”
    “City Hall, courthouse, the station itself?”
    “All on alert. But if it’s personal, the way you’re thinking, those don’t fit.”
    “You’re right. You’re right. He can’t get to Brentine, and Brentine isn’t his issue, either. She was leaving him, Brentine’s superfluous.”
    “Security’s stepped up at his home and office in any case.”
    “How long is it going to take them to find those files? Even with him deleting them the way he did, they’re still there somewhere. That’s what they always say. Damn it, we’ve only got twenty minutes till noon.”
     
    At ten to twelve, Ma Bee and Loo strolled into Mark D’s, anticipating an afternoon of shopping and a celebration lunch. Ma had donned her shopping shoes and a breezy purple dress. She had put on her going-out-special lipstick, and had spritzed on some of her favorite French perfume.
    “I could’ve handled this expedition, you know.”
    Loo gave a snort. “You think I’m letting you have all the fun? You’ve done this before with all your boys. But it’s my first chance to have some input on an engagement ring. Don’t you love this place?” She gave Ma a little elbow bump as they stopped to look around. “All these glitters, and everything all hushed and reverent.”
    “So they can charge more.”
    “Sure, but that little black-and-silver box from Mark D’s? That says something. When Phineas gave me that bracelet from here last