InSight

Gallant, forgive me if I’m out of line, but you’re in the midst of a rather disturbing time. My flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow. If you would like to talk, I’m available.”
    His voice was so soothing, so compassionate. “That’s very kind of you, Doctor. Actually, I would.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine
    In the Wrong Zone

    L uke saw the strain on Abby’s face, the dark circles under glazed eyes. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the SUV. “You’re exhausted.”
    “I am. I can’t make the trip to Atlanta now, Luke. Besides, by the time we get there the bank will be closed. That safe deposit box isn’t going anywhere. It’s held Stewart’s secret for eight years. A day or two more won’t matter.”
    “Just as well. The bank said to let them know when we were coming and they’d arrange for someone to drill the lock. We’ll call tomorrow and make an appointment.”
    Luke opened the car door and helped her in. She leaned her head on the headrest, and before he got around to his side she had fallen fast asleep. He tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek.
    Two hours later, through heavy traffic in Columbia , Luke walked Abby into the house. He kissed her inside the door. “Come on, I’ll tuck you into bed.”
    “I slept all the way home. I’m not tired now. I want a glass of wine. Meyer brought a bottle a couple of weeks ago. I put it in the wine rack. Why don’t you open it?”
    Luke pulled the bottle from the wine rack. “Damn!” he said.
    “What?”
    “There was a bottle of this wine in Matt’s new cooler. Seeing the label reminded me.”
    “Oh, Luke.”
    Luke stared at the bottle of wine. “That’s it.”
    “That’s what?”
    “Call Norm.”
    “Why? What’s going on?”
    “Two temperature zones separated Matt’s cooler. One for white wine, one for red.”
    “So?”
    “This bottle of red was in the white zone.”
    Abby shook her head. “What does that mean?”
    “It means I want Norm to check it out.”
    “Why? You don’t ― Do you think Matt hid the papers in the wine bottle?”
    “Why not? Who’d think of checking there? I looked inside the cooler but not inside the bottles. Collyer, or whoever tossed Matt’s apartment didn’t notice either.”
    Abby called Norm to tell him Luke’s idea. He said he’d get back to them in the morning.
    “I forgot all about the wine,” Luke said. “I’ll open the bottle.”
    “Forget the wine.” Abby got up, grabbed Luke by the hand, and led him to the bedroom. “I want you to make love to me.”
    “Since you were walking ahead of me, I didn’t see what you said, but I like where we’re headed.”
    Abby turned and repeated what she’d said, one word at a time.
    “Um, no problemo . ” He felt the heat in his groin. “You don’t have to ask. All you have to do is touch me. That’s all you’ve ever had to do.”
    She stopped, her smiling face almost level with his. “I want you to make love to me in the dark.” Then, she put her fingertips on his eyelids, closing them.
    He moved her hands to the side. “I won’t be able to see what you’re saying.”
    “I won’t speak, and neither will you. I’ll hear what you hear, and I want you to see what I see. To feel how I feel. To smell, to taste. I want you to touch my body the way I touch yours. All over, every inch.”
    “Is this some kind of experiment?”
    “No, no experiment. You once said I got so far inside of you that you felt naked to the bone. I want us to be naked to the bone, inside and out. I don’t want you to see me. I want you to know me. I want you to love me with the rest of your senses.”
    “You’re right,” Luke said. “Screw the wine.”
    * * * * *
    “T ell Luke he was on the money,” Norm said, when he called back the next day. “An airtight tube held the rolled up papers inside the bottle.”
    “What are they?” she asked.
    “Three sheets filled with numbers. All we can tell is that they have something to do with the Gentry-Serrano Foundation. We’ve sent them to our forensic accountant. Let you know as soon as we do. Tell Luke good work.”
    Abby repeated the conversation. “Very sharp. I’m impressed.”
    “I don’t need to hear to put two and two together.”
    Abby moved into him, her arms around his back. She made sure he saw her lips. “Yes, but you need to have the smarts to add it up.”
    Luke kissed the top of her head. “When you get to work, make an appointment at the bank to