InSight

for.”
    “How much money does Mrs. Gentry pay you to sell your soul?”
    “Actually, I’m contracted by Mrs. Gentry’s father, Mr. Serrano. I’m on loan down here. I must say, though, I like the old girl. She’s quite a piece of work. A clone of her daddy, if you know what I mean. She’s getting on, but still razor sharp. Figures. Mr. Serrano is well into his eighties, and he’s sharper still. But to answer your question ― it’s not the money, although as I mentioned I am well paid. It’s the art of the game that draws me.”
    “You call what you do art? A euphemism, Mr. Collyer. I hate euphemisms.”
    “Call it whatever you want. Not everyone can do what I do.”
    “And sleep at night afterward, you mean.”
    * * * * *
    L uke checked in at the station after working the crime scene. Pete tapped his shoulder.
    “I just got wind of a 911 call from Abby’s office, Luke. I’m on my way.”
    “What? Is Abby hurt? Tell me.” Pete faced him. “I don’t know. She wasn’t there, and Daisy was locked to her desk drawer. Officer Howard is dead, and it sounds like Cleo is hurt bad. Paramedics took her to the hospital. They don’t know if she’s going to make it.”
    Luke’s blood ran cold. “No, no,” was all he could manage. He forced himself to clear his head. “Collyer took her. They’re on their way to Atlanta .” He checked his watch. Twelve thirty. “What time did the patient call?”
    “An hour ago, I think.”
    “Call the bank. First Atlanta. Call now. Tell them to stall opening the safe deposit box.”
    Pete called the switchboard. “Miles, get me the number of First Atlanta Bank ― ”
    “ Buckhead branch.”
    “In Buckhead ,” Pete said. “Connect me when you get through.”
    Luke pulled out his phone and texted Jeff to catch him up to what was happening and tell him to cancel whatever he was doing and that he was on his way to the dojo. When Luke looked up, Pete was shaking his head.
    “They’ve come and gone,” Pete said.
    Luke back-walked toward the parking lot door, his eyes still on Pete. “I’m going to Jeff Conti’s. Text me what’s happening. They have to be heading to Charleston .”
    Pete waved Luke toward the door. “Go. Hurry.”
    Luke had experienced panic a few times in his life. He remembered the childhood fear when he learned his mother wouldn’t be coming home and the anxiety he suffered when he heard his brother had disappeared. He shuddered thinking about the last painful confrontation with his father. But always floating on the surface was that moment after the explosion, learning that his life would forever be silent. But nothing, nothing , compared to the terror he felt in his heart that he wouldn’t reach Abby in time.
    He pulled in front of Jeff’s studio. Someone else was teaching the class. Jeff stuck his head out and motioned Luke into his office.
    “How could they have known, Jeff? We weren’t followed. You made sure of that.”
    “Come with me.”
    Luke followed Jeff’s hulking form into a back room, where he took a key from his ring and opened the heavy-duty lock on a standing cabinet. The inside contained an arsenal of weapons more suitable to a commando unit, plus a myriad of high tech equipment straight out of a James Bond movie.
    Luke scanned the cabinet. “Jesus, I’m not seeing this.”
    “That’s right, you’re not.”
    Jeff took a wand-like contraption from the shelf and ran it over and around Luke until he zeroed in on the beeping noise in Luke’s back pocket.
    “Empty your pocket.”
    “It’s just my wallet.”
    “Give it here.” It took Jeff a few seconds to pull the tiny device from inside the flap of an unused credit card slot. “Here’s how they knew every move you made, courtesy of the time you were their guest. I’m sure Abby’s place is riddled with bugs, too. Hell, she wouldn’t know if the Loch Ness Monster put the damn thing in her purse right in front of her. This means they know Stewart is at Dayton . Damn, I should have swept your houses.” Jeff put the tracking device in the cabinet. “With Gentry-Serrano money, Collyer probably has the latest sound and tracking technology.”
    Luke’s concentration was shot. “Whatever you said doesn’t matter now, does it? He has Abby.”
    “How long ago?”
    “I’m not sure. Cleo’s in the hospital and the cop Pete put on Abby is dead. They’ve been and gone from the bank and have to be heading to Charleston with the papers.”
    “Are you