Outfox

Rudkowski had the good sense not to offer another platitude.

Mike took a deep breath and sounded like a bellows when he exhaled it. “Shit, let’s get this done. We’ll meet at my office. I like the idea of having witnesses who like me better than you.”

“When?”

“I’ll leave now. Before I change my mind.” He glanced at his wall clock. “I usually don’t head to work this early. Will your watchdogs let me out of my driveway?”

“I’ll call them. See you soon.”

They disconnected. Five minutes later, Mike placed another call. Drex answered after the first ring. “Did it work?”

“Like a charm,” Mike said. “I’m on my way to Atlanta. Sammy said to tell you hi.”

Drex called Gif to report their success. “Mike must have laid it on thick, because Rudkowski fell for it. Imagine when he showed up at Mike’s office ready to get the goods.”

He told Gif that Mike had given Rudkowski just enough time to call the men watching his house and then had raised his garage door so they could see his car and think that he was about to leave as planned.

He’d carried out an armful of files—filled with back issues of epicurean magazines—and placed them in the passenger seat. He’d then gone back into the house and carried out a box—with back issues of Wine Spectator—which he placed in the back seat.

He’d gone inside the house again…and out the back door. He’d walked through the houses behind his. Sammy had been waiting on the next street in a standard gray car that looked like every other make and model of standard gray car.

“Motor was running,” Drex told Gif. “Mike got in. They were off.”

“I wonder how long it took before those agents realized he’d split?”

“I don’t know, but whenever Rudkowski learned about it, he would’ve combusted.”

“I get the feeling that this escape plan wasn’t hatched by Mike.”

Drex snuffled. “I know you advised me to stop pricking with Rudkowski, but—”

“But you can’t resist a chance to get his goat.”

“The important thing is, Mike is out from under his thumb.”

“What if they canvass the neighborhood? Somebody could have noticed Sammy and remember the car.”

“We took that into account. Sammy drove Mike to a picnic area a few miles outside of town where he’d left another car. Mike preferred the gray sedan, but Sammy argued that it might not be as standard as it looked.”

“Hot?”

“Mike didn’t ask. Anyway, he’s Atlanta bound in a midnight blue minivan.”

The summary had taken longer than was necessary to relay the facts. They were dancing around the subject that overrode all others. Gif seemed as reluctant to bring it up as Drex was to address it.

Gif gave in first. “Have you seen them stirring this morning?”

“No.” Since Gif had asked about “them,” collectively, it wasn’t exactly a lie of omission that Drex didn’t tell him about his dawn encounter with Talia. “But I listened in on their breakfast. Jasper told her he was going to let his meal settle and then go to the club for a swim. She asked if he was packed. He said he would pack when he got back from the club, leading me to think they’re not leaving until this afternoon.”

“Could be they’re going to drive.”

“No, they agreed they could get by without checking luggage. Delta has direct flights at three forty-six and five-nineteen. I’m thinking they’ll be on one of those, but we won’t know which until they leave the house. Any time past two o’clock would put them in a tight squeeze to make the three forty-six.”

“Are they driving themselves?”

“They didn’t say, but I’ll call you as they’re leaving. Be ready to move. I want you stationed at the airport, near security to confirm that they go through.”

“Without her seeing me.”