Bishop waited in his car while his driver spoke to the doorman at the condominium then wound down the window when he came back and reported that unless they were prepared to compensate the doorman handsomely, they could move on. Bishop scowled darkly and looked past his driver at the smug doorman. He took out his billfold and handed the driver some money.

"Give him this and if he balks bring him to me."

Bishop watched the driver hand the money to the doorman and then lean in and whisper to his ear. The man looked at the car and back at the driver, pocketed the money and waved him toward the door.

"You warned him didn't you?" Bishop said to his driver as they entered the elevator.

"I felt it would be less trouble, sir, and he readily agreed."

"Hmmm."

They both watched the display as the floors flashed past, slowing and halting at the penthouse. Bishop stepped out and glanced around, patting the pocket where his Beretta nestled.

"Wait out here and nobody comes in."

"Yes sir."

The driver moved to a padded armchair across from the elevator doors. Bishop approached the condo door and gave a sharp knock. The door opened and Jeffery stared at the man standing in his doorway.

"How did you get up here?"

"That's the least of your concern at the moment." Bishop pushed past his protest into the unit.

"Jeffery? Who is this?" Helen gathered her robe about her body and held it closed at the collar.

"Good question. Just who the hell do you think you are barging in here?"

"I think I'm the man to whom you are going to give the Aurora Diamante pen."

The room fell silent as they watched Bishop remove his gun from his pocket. Jeffery stared at the gun and then at the dangling arm and he sucked in his breath.

"Gravestone..."

Bishop glared at him and gave him a shrewd look. "You've been briefed by Miss Lawrence I see."

"Yes, and far more thoroughly than you it seems."

Meaning what?"

"Meaning I don't have the pen nor can I get it."

Gravestone snorted and looked from one to the other. "Don't bother wasting my time, Glimb, I've been to the Montegrappe factory and I have, with the judicious distribution of money, learned that you are the purchaser of that pen."

"You might have seen my name on the books but let me enlighten you. Do you know what a tontine is?"

Bishop frowned. "Some kind of lottery."

"Close. There were seven of us that started out in business at the same time. Peter and I formed our company, three of the others started another company and the other two went solo but we were all in the same business and would become competitors so we formed a tontine by pooling our money and buying the Aurora Diamante pen. Only one buyer is allowed so I drew the short straw and my name went on the form."

Jeffrey moved to the sofa and sat, indicating Bishop do the same. Helen Joined her husband and clutched his hand. "The idea being that the pen would be used as leverage for investments that would remain in the hands of an investment manager we all chose and the last remaining member would be awarded the tontine. He would distribute those funds among the employees of the four companies and get to keep the pen."

"And I care about this why?" Bishop snapped.

"Because none of us know where the pen is being kept and the money is all in a trust for the tontine. You're wasting a lot of time on a fruitless venture."

"Why should I believe all this?"

"You're the man with the judicious monetary handouts; use your Montegrappa connections."

Bishop's hand relaxed and the gun dipped down slightly as he processed Jeffery's statement. If it was true he would never get his hands on that pen and the money he would be spending... had already spent... would make the price much less valuable.

He had to consider now what to do about the Glimbs. If they called the police he would be hard pressed to deny any involvement after the fiasco in Italy. His ruminations were interrupted by another knock at the door.

"Who's that?"

"No idea. No one is supposed to get up here without announcement." Jeffery went to the phone and called the concierge. When he hung up he glanced balefully at Helen and pinched the skin between his eyes.

"Who is it?" Both Helen and Bishop asked together.

"It's me, Helen dear." Luane strutted into the room, her gun aimed at the group. "I told you your lock was crap, Jeffrey." She lifted her head in surprise. "Bishop! Fancy seeing you here. Just put that little gun down on the chair there okay."

"Where's my driver?"

"Is that what he was? I thought he was little too easy."

"Did you–?"

"You'll have to take a cab... should you be leaving. So, to business people."

***

While Arny sat feeling sorry for himself, Gretta decided to call Jeffrey and give him an update up about what might happen next and the precautions she suggest he take.

"Jeffrey? Hi, it's Gretta. Listen I wanted to give you a heads up about what–"

"Oh hi, can't talk right now, we're entertaining."

"Jeffrey, is someone there threatening you?"

"'Fraid that boat's sailed but thanks for the interest. Talk to you later." The line went dead and Gretta felt her throat tighten. Entertaining?

"Something wrong?" Arny sat up watching her face twist through a series of emotions.

"Very. I think one of our friends has already made another move on the Glimbs."

He jumped up from the sofa. "What! Are they alright? What did–"

"I got Jeffery and he said they were entertaining and that the boat had already sailed when I mentioned a possible threat."

"Oh shit, Gretta. We've got to do something."

"I plan to. Want come swinging through some trees with me?"

***

"What the hell are you doing here, Treeline?"

"Why Bishop, have I intruded on your party? Is this your exclusive domain?" Luane laughed and moved a more strategic position in the room. "Well here's a bulletin, Bishop. I'm here for the diamond pen and I'm not leaving without it no matter who gets sacrificed." She looked pointedly at Jeffrey.

"I already explained to him that there is no way to get your hands on that pen; even I can't get it because the location is a secret... one that I don't know."

"Sure. Right. And I've got a basket of moon rock to sell cheap." She swung the barrel of the gun around to Helen.

"It's true, so help me. Don't hurt my wife. Please. The pen was never mine exclusively. There was a group of us that purchased it for investment purposes years ago. It's being held in trust by an investment management company."

Luane looked at Bishop and he just closed his eyes and shrugged. She blew out a stream of air and bared her teeth. "I didn't come here to leave empty handed, pal so where's the other pen, the Dragon thing?"

Jeffery sagged and sighed. "I don't have that either; it was retained by Gretta Lawrence's company for safe keeping."

"Jesus H. Christ! All that bullshit about the bank and Azziz or whatever his name was, that was just that, bullshit."

"Self preservation." Jeffery said boldly.

"I've wasted all this time, killed a man and maimed another for nothing!"

"Do you think you could stop your whining, Treeline?" Bishop leaned over to pick up his gun. "It looks like our adventure has come to nothing."

"Really? And don't do that please." The gun came around and aimed at Bishop. "How about the money you owe me."

"You must be joking. You didn't get the pen and you didn't kill Gretta Lawrence."

"Well like I said, I'm not leaving here without some satisfaction." She moved toward Bishop and waved him toward the patio doors. "Outside."

"In your–"

The gun barked, Helen screamed and Bishop grunted as a bullet thudded into his shattered arm.

"I said outside." She moved in and gave him a hard shove toward the doors.

"You crazy bitch." He lifted the lifeless arm and held it up across his chest. Blood ran down the front of his suit and dripped on the carpeting.

"Last chance. Get outside."

"Don't do this. There's no reason..." Jeffrey stood and froze as Luane spun on him.

"Sit and shut up or I'll shut you up." She gave him a second to sit down then prodded Bishop out onto the balcony patio.

"What the hell do you think you're going to do, kill me? You're crazier than I thought." He glanced nervously across the expanse of space to the nearest building. "You don't know who's watching from over there."

"Do I care?" She walked toward him and he backed away.

"You'll have to kill them too you know." He indicated the Glimbs with his chin.

"No, you did that, Bishop. I was too late to stop you and when you ran out here and tried another shot at me, I did that," she pointed to his arm, "and you lost your balance and..." Her eyes slid to the railing.

"That sounds like a plan that's not going to work, Luane." Gretta stepped around the corner of the condo, having made yet another rooftop entrance. They both jumped from the sudden shock of her appearance and Luane quickly moved closer to Bishop.

"One move and Bishop here goes over the rail. You just love those entrances don't you?" She wrestled Bishop in front of her, forcing him to groan aloud over his arm. "I guess we have a standoff, Gretta."

"I don't think so, Bishop is going away one way or the other now so I'm not really concerned about him. It's you Luane. You put the gun down and we can all walk away alive."

"I think I'll just include you in Bishop's little massacre up here and I'll walk away the sad but free witness."

"You have to do Arny to although by now he and the Glimbs are down in the lobby waiting for the police."

Luane glared toward the living room and saw that it was empty. She raised her gun toward Gretta and fired. The bullet took a chunk out of the cement wall close to Gretta's head and she dove down behind the planter of geraniums. The second shot splintered the stained wood and then Gretta heard a startled shout and risked a peek as she pulled out her own gun. Bishop had checked her back against the rail and with his superior weight was bending her backwards.

"Let her go, Bishop and drop your weapon Luane." Gretta stood, aiming her gun at the pair.

Bishop used his good arm to wrestle for Luane's gun and he got a knee under her leg and lifted, titling her further over the railing. Before Gretta could get across the short distance he turned and leaned his full weight into her body and the material of her dress made the slide over the metal rail easy.

She stared wide-eyed at him, pulling the trigger and firing until the gun was empty then her throat opened in a terrifying scream as she felt him give her a final push into space. Gretta dove for the rail but it was too late. They both stood still watching Luane plummet to the small courtyard below. The sound was like a huge water balloon smashing and Bishop turned back and leaned on the rail, holding his arm.