InSight

carrying?”
    “Standard issue.”
    Jeff pulled four guns from the cabinet and half dozen boxes of ammunition.
    “This isn’t Iraq , Jeff. What the hell are you doing?”
    “Playing it safe.” He hooked the lock in place and was halfway out the door before turning around. “You coming?” Luke gathered his wallet, the extra gun, and followed.
    Luke’s phone vibrated almost as soon as they got onto I-85 south. He read the text. “It’s from Don Weston. He needs to speak to me ASAP. He said it’s too long a message to text. Call him for me, will you?”
    Driving at eighty-five miles an hour, and with perfect coordination, Jeff punched in the number Luke gave him. He listened, then broke the connection. Luke focused on Jeff’s lips.
    “Well, good thing we’re packing heavy,” Jeff said. “Collyer has help, because he can’t be in two places at once. Stewart Gentry has disappeared from Dayton .”
    A million thoughts cycled through Luke’s mind. Collyer had Abby and now Stewart. Carlotta Gentry will have the papers. She wants to make everything go away. Everything and everybody. He caught Jeff’s sideways glance. Saw the speedometer jump along with his racing heart.
    Hold on, Abby. We’re coming.

Chapter Forty-One
    The Tortoise and the Hare

    A bby had hoped that her next client called someone to save Cleo, if she was still alive. Then she hoped Luke found out about Collyer kidnapping her in enough time to send the police to the Atlanta bank. No one waited when they arrived. There was still time.
    Collyer whispered that he’d kill anyone who got in his way, so Abby did what he told her. He turned on his continental charm to the bank manager, and because Abby was blind, no one questioned him at her side. The box contained one envelope, which Collyer plucked from her hand as soon as they got outside. Still no cops.
    She was at Collyer’s mercy. Remain calm. Don’t give the bastard the satisfaction of falling apart.
    “Where are we going?” she asked.
    “You’re having a family reunion.”
    “Whose family?”
    “There you go with the questions again. Now I’ve told you all you wanted to know. Sit back and enjoy the ride.”
    Only a monster like Collyer could conceive of enjoying the ride to her death. No matter how she tried to take on the world by herself, she’d been fooling herself. She couldn’t beat a man like Collyer. Not alone in her dark world.
    * * * * *
    Luke watched Jeff’s lips as he relayed his phone conversation with Norm Archer and told him that he and Luke were on their way.
    “Norm said no judge will give him a warrant for Synthetec without probable cause. He has no witnesses to either abduction, and until he gets word, his hands are tied. He’s going to fax a picture of Collyer to the Atlanta bank manager. If he IDs Collyer, Norm’s good to go forward.”
    “What the fuck does he need? A signed letter of intent?”
    “Norm heard that. He said to tell you when it comes to Carlotta Gentry, that’s exactly what he needs.”
    “We’re on our way to Scanlon’s clinic,” Jeff said, “unless you come up with something better.”
    Jeff listened, then made a face. “The phone’s breaking up, Norm. Can’t hear you. Talk to you later.”
    “What was that all about?” Luke asked.
    “He wanted you to understand that you have no jurisdiction in Charleston , but I didn’t think we’d want to be reminded of that.”
    Luke smirked. “You’d have made a great cop.”
    “We have one thing in our favor. It takes between four and five hours from Atlanta to Charleston . We can make it in three, barring no traffic jams.”
    “I had a thought.”
    “What?”
    “You read Matt Devon’s letter. Did either the chemist from Synthetec or Dr. Kozov ever mention the location of the secret lab?”
    “Not in Matt’s copy.”
    “We’re assuming the lab is inside Synthetec. What if it isn’t?”
    “Good point. It might be so secret no one knows where it is, except someone who’s worked there.”
    “Exactly.”
    * * * * *
    Abby tuned her senses into high gear, paying attention to every sound, every smell. When the car slowed to a stop, Collyer pressed a button and a gate rose. Street sounds disappeared as they descended in a circular pattern. An underground garage. Her spirits sank further. How would anyone know where she was?
    “Wait there.” He got the cane out of the back seat and came around to the passenger side, handing it to her.
    Where does he think I’m going? His