Greg Iles - 24 Hours

“Very scary,” Karen replied, wondering if Will was already in the bank in Biloxi, waiting to collect what she’d sent. “I now own a two-hundred-thousand-dollar chunk of wood.”

“You look like you’re going to faint,” Davidson said with genuine concern. “Why don’t you come into my office and sit down?”

“No. I’ve got to run.”

“May I get you some coffee?”

“No, thanks, Gray. Really.”

“Green tea? Espresso?”

Somehow Karen conjured a smile, a feat of magic under the circumstances. “It’s just a summer cold. I’ll be fine.”

The broker didn’t look convinced. She touched his arm above the elbow and squeezed with an intimate pressure. “I’m fine, Gray. Thanks for worrying.”

Davidson’s critical faculties melted. Men were so easy to manipulate. She gave the receptionist a wave and hurried toward the door.

“Go straight home and get some rest,” Davidson called after her.

She held up a hand in acknowledgment but did not turn, and she barely slowed when she went through the varnished rosewood door and down the steps to the parking lot.

The parking lot of the Magnolia Federal Bank in Biloxi was filling up fast. People were cashing pay-checks, hitting the ATM machines, and carrying in payroll bags. Will could see why Hickey had picked this branch. Cheryl sat beside him in tense silence, waiting for Hickey’s go-ahead call. The temperature was rising fast in the parked car, so Will started the engine and switched on the air conditioner.

When the cell phone rang, he snatched it up, but Cheryl put her hand on his wrist and took the phone from his hand.

“It’s me,” she said. “Right…Okay.” She hit END and looked at Will. “The money’s here. He said you should go in and get it.”

Will shut off the engine and looked at the double-glass doors of the bank. “Give me the phone.”

“Why?”

“I’m taking it in with me.”

“You don’t trust me?”

“I didn’t say that. I just said I’m taking the phone.”

Cheryl snapped her head away from him, but she did not resist when he took the phone from her hand. He slipped it into his pocket along with the Tempo’s keys, then got out and started walking toward the bank.

Hickey drove south along the interstate at fifty-five miles per hour, his face wet with sweat. His right thigh was thoroughly soaked in blood.

“I think some more stitches broke,” he said. “You aren’t much of a doctor. I think you’re going to have to do some repairs here.”

Karen had not given the suturing her best effort. “I don’t have Will’s bag. I could probably tape it up, if you stop at a drugstore.”

“I don’t want to stop.” Hickey looked in the rearview mirror, then changed lanes. “But I may have to.”

“Are we on our way to get Abby?”

“We’re on our way to a drugstore.”

“Are you letting us go when you get the money?”

“That’s up to your husband. Let’s see if he can follow simple instructions. Start looking for a drugstore.”

Karen glanced to her left, searching the strip malls that lined the interstate. She was pretty sure there was an Eckerd’s along here somewhere.

“There’s a cop back there,” Hickey said, straightening in his seat.

She started to turn, but he grabbed her knee and said, “Don’t look.”

“Cops are always patrolling this interstate,” she told him.

“This one’s acting squirrelly. He’s ten lengths back, but hanging on me like a trailer. He’s running our plate.”

“Were you speeding?”

“You think I’m going to speed today? This is your husband, goddamn it. The son of a bitch called somebody. That’s the only way they’d know what to look for.”

“What about the shooting at our house?”

“They wouldn’t have issued an APB on this vehicle off that. Not yet, anyway,” He checked the rearview again. “That SOB is still back there.”

“You’re paranoid! And you’re driving suspiciously.” Karen spotted the Eckerd’s on her left. “Take the next exit. Northside Drive. There’s our drugstore.”

Hickey leaned toward her, then craned his neck backward and looked up through the moonroof.

“What are you doing? Watch the road!”

“Paranoid, huh? Take a look.”

The moonroof was tinted against the sun, but even so, Karen could see the large dot against the sky. It was a helicopter.

“That’s probably the WLBT traffic chopper,” she said. But for the first time, she wondered.

“Traffic chopper, my ass.” Hickey reached down and punched a number into the cell phone. After a few seconds of silence, it began to ring.

“Joey?” said Huey.

“That’s right, boy. You all ready?”

“Ready.”

“Were you born ready?”

“Um… yeah.”

“It’s time to go to the backup.”

“Okay.”

Karen’s chest tightened. “You said that before. What’s the backup plan?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“May I please speak to Abby? Please.”

Hickey sighed with frustration. “Huey, is the kid right there?”

“She’s in the bathroom.”

Karen’s maternal radar went on alert. “Has she been to the bathroom a lot this morning, Huey?”

“She sure has.”

“Oh God. Her sugar’s going up. She needs her shot.”

“And I’m bleeding to death,” Hickey said. “Stay cool. You’ve got stuff with you, and we’ll be there in plenty of time.”

“When?”

“Here she comes!” Huey sang out.

“Abby?” cried Karen.

After a brief silence, Abby said, “Mama?”

“Goddamn it,” Hickey muttered.

Karen’s heart leaped. “I’m here, baby. Are you all right?”

“I don’t think so. I think I’m going south, like Daddy says.”

Karen fought to keep control of her voice. “It’s okay, baby. Mama’s on her way to get you right now.”

“You are?”

“I’ll be there before you know it.”

“Put Huey back on,” Hickey said.

“I’ll be there before you know it,” Karen said again. “Now, put Mr. Huey back on, baby.”

“Okay. Hurry, Mom.”

“I’m on my way!”

“Joey?” said Huey.

“I’m here. You know what to do? Everything just like I told you.”

“I remember.”

“We’ll talk when we see each other.”

“Okay. But, Joey?”

“What?”

“Is everything gonna be okay?”

“You bet. Get going, now.”

“Okay. Bye-bye.”

Just before Hickey pressed END, Karen heard Abby yell, “Bye, Mom!” and she filled with pride. Abby was hanging in there.

“Bastards,” Hickey said, looking up through the moonroof again. “If your husband had done what he was supposed to, you’d be going straight to your little girl right now.”

Karen’s heart stuttered. “You said we were!”

“We’re not going anywhere until I lose this tail.”

“You don’t know it is a tail.”

A scornful grunt was his only comment. “Your husband had better be getting my goddamn money.”

“He is! You know he is.”

“He’s trying to fuck me over is what I know. And I’ll tell you this. If they try to stop this truck-”

“I’ll say whatever you tell me to!” she promised. “All I want to do is get to Abby.”

Hickey checked the rearview mirror again. “The squad car dropped back out of sight. They’re playing us loose. They want to follow us to the girl.”

Oh, Jesus, Karen thought. Will, what did you do?

Without warning, Hickey veered across two lanes of traffic and onto an exit ramp. At the bottom, he swung under the interstate and onto a wide boulevard.

“Lakeland Drive?” said Karen. “Is this the way we went last night?”