Hidden Agemda (Kate Diamond Adventure) (7 page)

They’d already planned her exit strategy and Sal was supposed to meet her at three a.m. with the ski-cycle. She’d need to analyze the plan from Benny, figure out how long it would take, and work backward from there in order to get to the rendezvous point outside her room by three.

Kate figured she had an hour or two before Benny would be able to transmit his information back. Then she’d head back to the ice hotel, plug that info into her laptop and study it. In the meantime, she had some penguins to find.
 

Sitting back on the seat, she started the snowmobile up and headed further north.

***

It was past noon by the time Kate returned to the ice hotel with half of her tasks completed—she’d received the transmission from Benny, but hadn’t found a single penguin.
 

She felt a twinge of guilt that she’d be disappointing Gideon, but seeking out the penguins
had
provided a great excuse to get away from the hotel to communicate to the ship. Even though the communications would be encoded, it was better if no transmissions came from her room at the hotel … just in case someone was watching. She didn’t want to give them any cause to be suspicious of her.

She parked the snowmobile in its spot and brought the key back into the lobby where Crowder was lurking in his tuxedo-style ski suit.

“Any luck?” he asked as she handed over the key.

“Unfortunately, no. I did not see even one penguin … no tracks, nothing.”

“Well, perhaps tomorrow, then? The auction doesn’t start until noon so you have the morning to chase penguins.”

“Perhaps.” Kate shrugged.
Except I’ll be long gone by then
.
 

“Would you like lunch?” Crowder asked.

Kate’s stomach growled and she remembered she’d skipped breakfast. She glanced in the direction of the kitchen.

“We don’t have anything too fancy since we have a big dinner planned. Roast duck tonight.” Crowder puffed up proudly. “But we do have some sandwiches.”

“A sandwich would be adequate,” Kate said. “I’m rather tired from all the activity. I’ll bring it to my room.”

Crowder crooked his finger and a young girl who had been standing inconspicuously by the kitchen came over.
 

“Turkey or tuna?” Crowder asked Kate.

“Turkey.”

The girl nodded and scurried off to the kitchen.
 

“The other two guests have arrived. I don’t think you know them.” Crowder’s brow furrowed while Kate felt a surge of relief. “They’re not collectors, but are assignees of the collector that wants to bid.”

“I see.” Kate waved a hand dismissively as if the assignees were of no consequence to her. “It’s too bad about Mr. Nguyen … although one less bidder is good for me, I suppose.”

Crowder nodded. “And bad for me. But I did get word that Nguyen would be fine.”

“Well, that’s a relief.” The girl appeared beside Kate with a small tray, which held the turkey sandwich and an apple. Kate took the tray, thanked the girl and then turned to go to her room.

“If you need anything else … anything at all,” Crowder said suggestively. “I’ll be happy to oblige.”

Kate’s appetite spoiled as she turned to see Crowder leering at her. She drew herself to her full height and looked down her nose at him, her eyes as cold as steel.
 

“I assure you I will not be needing a thing,” she said, then turned and marched toward her room.

***

Inside her room, Kate locked the door, then put the tray down and dug out her laptop. She sat on the bed with the sandwich beside her and laptop in her lap.

Connecting the compact to the laptop with a special cable, she pulled the file off the compact and munched on her sandwich while a program her father had installed on the laptop decoded it.
 

Kate studied the information. The pictures hadn’t revealed any additional security, so she only had to deal with the laser tripwires and the case the ruby was in. Benny had been able to determine the case was a simple cyber lock and Kate had brought a jamming device, cleverly disguised inside a tampon, so she’d be able to deal with that easily. The rendezvous time was still set for three am outside the west wall of her room. Kate double-checked the coordinates on her cell phone just to be sure.

So, that only left the laser security … and the giant that guarded the door. Kate wondered if he was there guarding the room all the time. She hadn’t seen him anywhere else in the hotel. Did he stand there all night? She’d have to figure out a way to distract him so she could jab him with the sleeping serum. Her stomach twisted as she glanced at her backpack … she hoped the vial would deliver enough dosage to knock out someone his size.
 

Turning her attention back to the computer, she studied the map Benny had sent. It was more like a series of dance steps than a map and represented the positions Kate would have to contort her body into in order to dodge the laser beams. Since there was no way to figure out the code, she couldn’t risk disarming it—she’d have to depend on her agility to get her to the case and out again. Kate wasn’t worried; she’d done it before.
 

She practiced the steps, getting the feel for each position, memorizing the movements until she felt confident she could repeat them in her sleep.

Once she was satisfied she had everything in order, the information committed to memory and the routine down pat, she deleted any trace of the files and software program from her computer, then snuggled into the sleeping bag for a nap.

***

Kate woke from her nap just before six. Once again, she’d slept like a baby and felt rested and alert … which was good since she’d be knocking out a giant, stealing the world’s largest ruby and making a dangerous getaway in about eight hours.

In the meantime, though, she had to join the rest of them for supper in half an hour.

Kate reluctantly wriggled out of the heated sleeping bag and checked her wig and makeup. The wig had become increasingly itchy and she poked her fingers around inside it trying to scratch her scalp without dislodging the piece. She had to admit, she looked surprisingly good for someone who hadn’t showered in two days.
Maybe I don’t smell so good though
, she thought, as she dug in her backpack for the perfume vial containing the knockout serum.

Chewing her bottom lip, she sat back down on the bed. She still had no idea how she was going to distract the giant guard. A sexy outfit? A feigned illness? Those were both dangerous plans—what if he didn’t fall for them and raised an alarm? It would be much better if she could catch him by surprise, somehow … but how?

She pushed herself up from the bed. Hopefully, something would come to her, but now it was time for dinner.

Kate slipped out into the hallway, wishing she didn’t have to go to dinner. If she didn’t show up, it might raise suspicion and she couldn’t risk that. Better to suffer through it, and she
did
need to eat.

The hallway spilled her out into the lobby where Crowder stood with his back to her talking with the rest of the guests.
 

Crowder spun around to face her “How was your afternoon, Ms. Hunt?”
 

“Fine,” Kate said, acting like she was a queen talking to a servant.

“I’d like to introduce you to our new guests.” Crowder stepped aside indicating two men who stood a bit away from everyone else. “Jason Smith and Parker Westlake.”

Kate’s heart lurched. She
knew
Westlake … or rather he looked familiar. She was sure that wasn’t his real name. As she shook hands with him, she searched his face for any signs that he recognized her. For a split-second, she thought she saw something in his eyes, but she might have imagined it as his face became passively indifferent the next time she looked.

“Our new guests haven’t seen the items in person yet.” Crowder’s voice broke into Kate’s thoughts. “Shall we all go look at them?”

The crowd murmured its agreement and they started down the hall that led to the secured room. Kate followed, figuring she could use the opportunity to double check the intel she’d already gathered.
 

The tall guard stood at the door just as he had the night before. This time, Kate noticed a chair that had been carved into the opposite wall. Probably a place for him to rest when no one was around. Kate looked over her shoulder to check the angle. If the guard was seated, he wouldn’t be able to see anyone who was approaching from the lobby until they turned the corner. Too bad Kate couldn’t think of a way to use that to her advantage.

Crowder went through the same routine as the previous night; punching in the code, turning off the laser system, and then turning on the lights. They piled into the room where Crowder rattled on about each piece for the benefit of the new people. Kate and the others milled around, inspecting the other pieces.

Kate tried to remain aloof just like the real Chyna Hunt would. She stood in front of the ruby, pretending to look at the piece itself, but really studying the case to make sure she could open it.
 

“’Tis a beauty, no?” Kate turned to Carmen who had snuck up beside her.

“It sure is.” Kate looked coolly at the other woman.

“Will you bid on it?” Carmen asked.

Kate shrugged.

“You will get no competition from me,” Carmen added. “I only collect jewels I can wear. Like those.” She nodded toward the case with the jeweled crown, which Kate noticed had a matching necklace, bracelet and earrings.
 

“Those sure are nice,” Kate said. “But I prefer pearls.”

Carmen laughed. “So I hear. It’s good we will not compete. Maybe I can get my jewels at a bargain. I hear they were once in the possession of the ancestor of Katherine the Great.”

Kate narrowed her eyes at the other woman. “And you don’t mind that they were stolen? Where would you wear them?”

Carmen laughed. “Only to the most secretive of functions. But surely, none of us mind acquiring the stolen goods or we would not be here.”

Kate nodded. “My grandfather has many such pieces …”

“Who’s ready for supper?” Crowder’s announcement saved Kate from having to discuss acquiring stolen treasures any further and the two women headed toward the door where Crowder ushered all the guests into the hallway.

As they headed off toward the dining room, Kate looked back over her shoulder in time to see the guard reactivate the alarm, then slip into the seat carved into the ice wall.

They spread out around the table. Kate tried to keep as much distance between her and Westlake as possible. He didn’t seem to be paying any special attention to her at all, so Kate chocked up her earlier impression to nervousness. She’d be glad when everyone went to sleep and she could grab the ruby and get out of there.

Everyone ordered drinks. Kate stuck to a glass of wine, from which she planned to take as few sips as necessary to blend in with everyone else—she didn’t need alcohol dulling her senses.
 

Once again, the meal started with a soup—this time it was lobster bisque. Kate slurped along with the rest of them.

“Isn’t this delicious?” Carmen, who had been seated next to Kate, asked.
 

Kate half turned and nodded. She wanted to discourage conversation as much as possible. Carmen ferried the spoon to her lips and took a dainty sip, then grabbed her scotch on the rocks to wash it down. Kate noticed she was using a small straw—an old trick Kate had used herself to keep from smearing her lipstick.
 

The straw gave her an idea.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful. She made small talk with a few of the guests but most everyone kept to themselves, which suited Kate just fine.

When the last of the decadent double chocolate cheesecake had been cleared away, Crowder stood up. “Would you all like to join me for drinks in the main room?”

Mrs. Powell who had been overindulging in mimosas tittered an affirmative reply. Mr. White raised his glass full of something amber. “Here. Here.”

Carmen swooped up her cocktail and headed toward the door. Simon, Smith and Westlake glanced around the table, but made no move to join Crowder. Kate got the distinct impression that they, like her, were not here for the social aspects.
 

Kate patted her lips with her napkin and stood up. “I think I’ll just grab a juice and go to my room.”

“As you wish,” Crowder said. “Anyone who wants drinks, head on out to the lobby. And don’t forget … the auction is tomorrow at noon!”

Kate made her way toward the door to the kitchen where she was met by the same girl that had brought her the sandwiches.
 

“I was wondering if I could have one of those juice boxes to take to my room?” Kate asked. “Apple if you have it.”

“Of course.” The girl ducked into the kitchen, then came out with the juice and handed it to Kate.

“Thanks.” Kate grabbed the juice, checked her watch, then hurried to her room.
 

While everyone else was busy drinking, laughing, and—Kate hoped—falling into a deep slumber, Kate was busy preparing to steal the ruby.

She’d spent the first few hours practicing the steps she’d need to get around the lasers. Then she’d checked and double checked all the equipment and laid out the special black pants and shirt—battery heated, of course—which looked like a normal shirt and pants to the naked eye, but were coated with something that would make her virtually invisible in a dark room.

Finally, with only thirty minutes to go, she crept over to her door and cracked it open, sticking her head out into the hallway, straining to hear if anyone was out and about. Silence.
 

She crept down to the lobby, the tension in her shoulders relaxing when she found it empty. Even the kitchen was dark and still. Perfect.

Kate ran back to her room and emptied out her backpack, leaving only the laptop and other things she would escape with after making sure there was enough room for the ruby. She removed the jumble of combs and pins that held the wig in place, sighing in relief when she finally pulled the itchy thing from her head.