Part 65 (1/2)
Purviance tapped her bag. I heard the hollow thunk of a plastic container.
”Gutsy. You already capped the boss. Why not Blotnik?”
”Blotnik was a thief.”
”Saved you all that nuisance of breaking and entering.”
A smile crawled Purviance's face. ”I hadn't a clue about these bones until Blotnik blabbed. Old fool hadn't had them two hours.”
”How did he know about them?”
”Some old bat found fragments while scoping the shroud they'd been in. What the h.e.l.l.” Purviance again tapped the bag. ”This could be c.r.a.p. Or it could be the Holy Grail. This time I'm taking no chances.”
”What did you offer Blotnik? Did he think you had the Masada skeleton?”
Again the cold smile. ”Just conning the con man.”
She'd killed Blotnik, s.n.a.t.c.hed the shroud bones, and gotten away. What was she doing back here?
”You were moving under the radar. Why double back?”
”We both know a relic's worth zip without paper.”
We heard it at the same instant. The soft squeak of a rubber sole.
Purviance's trigger finger twitched. She hesitated, undecided.
”Move!” she hissed.
I stepped back into the closet, eyes focused on Purviance's gun.
The closet door slammed. A bolt clicked.
Hurried footsteps, then silence.
I put my ear to the wood.
A sound like surf, overridden by the drone of a radio commentator.
Stay quiet? Draw attention?
What the h.e.l.l.
I pounded.
I called out.
Seconds later the office door slammed inward against a wall.
Heart plowing, I shrank deeper back toward the ell.
A strip of light under the closet door.
Rubber soles.
The bolt clicked open.
The door swung in.
39.
I'D NEVER BEEN SO GLAD TO SEE ANYONE IN MY LIFE.
”What the h.e.l.l are you doing here?” Jake's tone was all shock.
”Did you see her?”
”Who?”
”Purviance.”
”Who's Purviance?”
”Never mind.” I pushed past him and grabbed an arm. ”We've got to stop her.”
I tugged. We both ran.
”She's got no more than a three-minute lead.”
Out the office. Down the hall.
”Who's Purviance?”
”The lady with your shroud bones.”
Gripping the rail, I took three stairs at a time. Jake stayed with me.
”You drove?” I threw over my shoulder.
”I've got the crew truck. Tempe-”
”Where?” I was breathing hard.
”In the drive.”
As we flew out the door, a car blew past, driver's head barely clearing the wheel.