He eased the lock out of the door. “Got what?”
“The lab book.”
“But the auction was set for two days from now.”
“Not any longer,” she said. “Our preemptive bid has been accepted.”
He gripped the lock in one hand and looked around the edge of the door. “Are you sure?”
“Not until I actually see it.” Abby was aglow with triumph and excitement. “But I just got a message from Milton, who claims that he wants to unload the lab book as quickly as possible and he’s giving my client first crack. Actually, we’re getting first and last crack. He wants to know if we’re still interested.”
“Why did we get lucky?”
“In a word, me. I told you, my reputation is good. The bottom line here is that Milton is running scared and wants to unload the lab book as quickly and safely as possible.”
“He figures I’m the safe bet, because you wouldn’t be working for me if you thought I might be untrustworthy.”
“That’s pretty much what it comes down to,” she said. “He’s decided to trust you because he trusts me. But he wants to move fast. I get the impression that he is very nervous. Believe me when I tell you that it takes a lot to make someone like Milton nervous.”
Sam pulled the lock mechanism out of the wall. “Get the details. Tell him the money will be wired into whatever account he wants as soon as we have verified the authenticity of the journal.”
She sent the message. A moment later, she looked up from the screen.
“Done. Milton just sent the code for the pickup location and his bank-account information.”
Sam headed for the door. “Where is the pickup point?”
“A place where no one ever thinks twice about someone collecting a package.”
41
“I LEFT A SHOPPING BAG HERE A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO,”Abby said. She held up the claim ticket that she had found in a sidewalk planter in front of the museum.
The woman behind the coat- and package-check desk smiled. “I’ll be right back.” She took the ticket and disappeared into a back room.
Sam glanced around. “Isn’t this a risky way to conduct business?”
“Beats the old locker routine at the bus station,” Abby said.
Sam surveyed the monumental glass-walled forum in which they stood. There was art everywhere, some of it hanging from the high ceiling. “Definitely more upmarket.”
The woman reappeared. She held out the shopping bag with the familiar department-store logo on its side. “Here you are.”
“Thanks,” Abby said.
She took the bag and opened her senses a little. Currents of energy swirled in the atmosphere. The object inside was hot. She looked atSam and knew that he had picked up on the heat. Without a word, he took the shopping bag from her. They walked through the front doors onto First Avenue and turned right toward the Pike Place Market.
“This better be the right lab book,” Sam said.
“I’m sure it is.”
“Wonder where Milton is? Think he’s watching us?”
“No,” Abby said. “I think he’s on a plane out of town as we speak. I told you, he was scared.”
“Like everyone else involved in this thing.”
“Except us, of course,” she said proudly.
