Silver Master

Chapter 35

DAVIS DISAPPEARED. SHE COULD FEEL HIS STRONGLY pulsing psi energy and knew that he was right beside her, but all she could see was a faint shimmer in the air. It was disconcerting, but it wasn’t terrifying. As long as her other senses assured her that he was nearby, she could handle the invisibility thing. If I were blind, I wouldn’t even know that he had vanished.

She closed the lobby door. Davis materialized beside her. She could see signs of strain at the corners of his eyes.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked in a low voice.

“I’m fine. Stop worrying.” The hungry anticipation of the hunter laced the words.

She surveyed the small lobby. It was richly paneled and thickly carpeted. A long, low wooden table that looked like a genuine Colonial antique stood against one wall. On top of the table was an alien antiquity, a green quartz vase that contained a bouquet of elegant emerald roses.

There were two doors; one was unmarked. The other bore a small sign inviting clients to enter.

“That will be the receptionist’s office,” Davis said very quietly. “Go on inside and keep her busy for a few minutes.”

“What are you going to do?”

He looked at the second door. “That’s probably the private door to Hollings’s office.” He took the highly illegal lockpick out of his pocket. “I’m going to have a look around.”

“What if he’s in there?”

“So much the better.”

She wanted to tell him to be careful, but she was pretty sure he wasn’t listening. Davis was on the prowl.

She opened the door of the receptionist’s office and walked inside. An extremely polished, professional-looking woman sat at the desk. She was dressed in a conservative business suit. The sign on top of her desk said that her name was Miss Allonby

“Please sit down.” Miss Allonby’s tone was as crisply refined as her appearance. “I don’t believe I caught your name?”

“Susan Baker.” Celinda took a seat. “As I told you a moment ago, I was referred by Senator Padbury’s wife.”

“Yes, of course. You do understand that Dr. Kennington is extremely busy. He rarely takes new clients these days.”

“I’m hoping he’ll make an exception for me.”

Miss Allonby rezzed the computer on her desk and turned toward the screen. “I’m afraid the first available appointment isn’t until the end of next month.”

“That will be fine,” Celinda said.