InSight

get into the box.”
    “Do you think it’s necessary now that we have Matt’s set?”
    “Yes, I do. Matt’s are copies. The originals are in the bank. I don’t want anyone saying the papers were doctored.”
    * * * * *
    A bby felt Luke stir. She poked him. “What is it?”
    “Text. Murder on the south side.”
    She heard him text. “Who are you texting?” He didn’t answer. She nudged him and repeated the question.
    “Jeff. I’ll take you to work, but things are coming to a head, and I don’t want to leave you alone.”
    “It’s not like I’ll be alone. I’ll be in the office. Cleo will be there. People are all around.”
    “Not good enough. Shit. Jeff is giving a demonstration at one of the schools this morning. Pete will know someone.”
    “Luke, you’re making too big a deal of this.” But Luke wasn’t paying attention. She got up and went in to the bathroom to shower.
    When she came out, Luke said, “Pete’s assigning a cop to you. He’ll be there until I come and take over. Unless something extraordinary happens, I should be free by eleven. Make the bank appointment at three. Record the number.”
    “It’s ridiculous. I don’t need a babysitter.”
    “Record.”
    Abby recorded the number Luke recited. “Are you happy now?”
    “Yes.”
    She heard the bathroom door close. No point arguing. Luke wouldn’t change his mind.
    * * * * *
    A young cop named Ricky Howard was talking to Cleo when Luke walked Abby to her office. The two men exchanged a few words.
    “You’re not to go anywhere without him,” Luke said.”
    “Can I go to the bathroom without him?”
    Luke laughed. “You’re impossible.” He kissed her and left.
    Abby checked the schedule Cleo had left on her computer. She had a light day. Three clients, two this morning, both late, and one this afternoon. She called her afternoon appointment to reschedule before making any commitment to the bank in Atlanta . The client said the change suited her, so Abby called the bank. They told her to let them know the exact time she’d be arriving and they’d have someone waiting to open the box.
    Abby listened to the files of her two morning patients ― one a repeater, the other sent by a referring doctor.
    Before the first patient arrived, she heard a disturbance in the outer office. What on earth is that? “Cleo?” More scuffling and the muffled sound of a woman’s voice. Abby’s next client was a man. She got up, baffled by the noises, and walked to her office door, opened it. “Cleo?” What’s going on?” When Cleo didn’t answer, Abby said, “Are you here?” A stifled sound, then silence put Abby on alert. Her skin grew hot with alarm. She took a step toward Cleo’s desk. Another step. Her foot hit something on the floor. She bent down and touched the warm body. “Oh, my God, Cleo.” Tracing her hand over Cleo’s body, she felt a sticky residue on her fingers and gasped. Her heart pumped faster. Where was the cop? “Officer Howard? Are you here?” She listened, heard breathing. She felt for Cleo’s pulse and couldn’t find it. Bile rose in her throat. She got up and reached for the phone to call 911. A gloved hand grabbed her wrist.
    “I wouldn’t do that,” a man’s accented voice said.
    Then the smell hit her like a freight train. Cloves.

Chapter Forty
    The Art of the Game

    “S orry to interrupt your morning, Mrs. Gentry.” The South African accent was as pungent as his cloying scent.
    “She needs a doctor. Please, let me call a doctor, then you can do whatever you want with me.”
    “You don’t have any bargaining power, and it’s probably too late for a doctor. Now get up and let’s get going before someone comes. I wouldn’t want to kill one of your patients, but I will if I have to.”
    Tears filled Abby’s eyes. “What kind of monster are you?”
    “One who gets paid a lot of money to do what my bosses want.”
    “Did your bosses tell you to kill an innocent woman? What about the cop?”
    “I’ll make sure you don’t trip over him on the way out.”
    Daisy nuzzled her leg.
    “Fucking dog,” Collyer said.
    “Please don’t hurt her. I’ll tie her up. Please.”
    “Do it!”
    Abby coaxed Daisy into her office and fastened her harness. She took a lock she kept in her desk and secured the harness to a drawer handle.
    “Where’s your cane?”
    “In the coat closet.”
    “I’ll get it. I don’t want anyone to question why a blind woman is walking around without an aid.