Stolen Skye (Book One, The Skye Trilogy) (30 page)

He managed a smile and said, “Caring for you was easy, Evelyn.
Losing you was not.” After an uncomfortable silence between us, I left as he softly closed the door.

I rode the elevator to my own floor, unsure of how I wanted to spend the evening.
The day had been stressful and my conversation with Ari had upset me more than it had helped, as he predicted. I couldn’t see how even Finn could put a smile on my face.

As I walked down the hall to my door, I noticed a small object on a white envelope.
I bent to pick up a miniature statue of the Eiffel Tower and opened the envelope to read the card.

Meet me here at 8 PM
. I’ll be the dashing man beneath it. F

Despite my mood, I did smile.
I searched to find the right thing to wear for a night in Paris with Finn.

***

The next two days passed quickly. Finn and I got up early and took walks around Paris. Notre Dame was lovely, but I became partial to strolling along the river and over into the Left Bank. After breakfast and coffee somewhere, he usually had to go off and meet Ari or Brinks. That left my days free, spent worrying about New Year’s Eve and looking for Bounce. Since I had seen her walk off with whom I assumed was Marko, she had been a ghost, only showing up for meetings and meals.

I pulled her aside once and verified that the man I had seen her with was in fact him.
She said yes. She had called him up and they met for a drink. They were getting to know each other. He had asked her out for New Year’s Eve, but she had told him she could only meet up with him later that night as she already had plans. I was happy that she was happy, but I missed her company. Despite spending time with Marko, she was also working on her catering van at a garage outside of town that she knew well. At least she was putting the motorcycle to good use.

Ari was very cordial with me, polite and calm
, as if our conversation had never taken place. A part of me was glad for it, that there was still a distance between us somehow. It made everything easier to put in the back of my mind. He was also very much in work mode, moving everyone through a timed sequence of events at our private dinners. By the night before the heist, I felt even I could pull the job off after having gone through it so many times.

Our night out at Buddha Bar had gone until very late and I was exhausted by the time we returned to the hotel.
I leaned on Finn, waiting for him to use the key in his pocket to open my door.

“Evelyn, you look like you’re going to fall over.
Would you prefer I leave you on your own tonight for a proper rest?” We had spent every night together, enjoying each other. We hadn’t discussed any future plans. I think we both knew it was more important to get past Paris first.

“Honestly, I’ll worry less if you’re here.
But, I understand if you being alone tonight might be better for you. Do some kind of mental preparation or something. Whatever you think you need.”

“My needs are simple.
You and sleep will do wonders for me. But, I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

I stood up, wanting to convince him that that was not a possibility.
I faced him and pulled his collar down toward me. As I circled one arm around his neck, I kissed him. He responded immediately. I stepped in closer and let my hand slide down his stomach and rest lightly on his hip bone. As he brought me in closer to him, I fingered the top corner of my room key in his front pocket and moved my index finger slowly, slipping it just behind the tip. I lifted up on my toes to deepen our kiss, and, as he adjusted his body, I snatched the key from his pocket. His only reaction was to kiss me harder. A wide smile broke across my face under his lips. He pulled back and stared at me, grinning as well.

“What are you smiling about?” He asked, searching my face.

“This,” I said as I held the key up for him to see.

“Well, look who’s been practicing. You’ll make a fine thief. Very disarming, in fact.”

After I let us in, I showed him what Raven had taught me once again. He kissed me swiftly, applauding my ability.
I threw off my jacket and fell onto the bed, too tired to even take off my boots. Despite my exhaustion, I didn’t see how I was going to be able to sleep with all that waited for us the next day. Finn massaged my shoulders and assured me everything would be fine, that in twenty-four hours it would be over. After a long bath, we went to bed and held each other under the covers. He whispered once more that we were all going to be okay. For once, I allowed myself to really believe it.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Chapter
23. Old Friends

I’d always viewed snowfall as a hopeful sign in the past.
Clean and white, blanketing the city in peace. Of course, the after-effects were slushy and dismal, but the actual act was something to marvel at. At first light, I was up before Finn for once, looking out onto Paris, freshly canvassed. Not enough to shut it down, just a couple of inches, but as it lay virtually undisturbed and continued to fall, I took it to be a good omen for the day. Finn stirred from under the heavy bedspread.

“Come back to bed, woman.”
He smiled a sleepy smile and flapped back the corner of the cover as an invitation to join him. Not one to refuse him, I threw the curtains wide so we could watch the snow fall together.

“I’m taking the snow as a sign that we’ll have good luck tonight,” I said as I crawled under the covers and came in close against him, placing my head on his chest.

“Yes, despite the fact that it makes almost any crime immensely more difficult, it is quite beautiful.”

I raised my head in surprise.
“What do you mean, more difficult?”

“I’m teasing you a bit,” he laughed.
“We just have to be more careful with tracks. Anyway, I am sure it will stop soon.” He tousled my hair and then drew me in for a kiss. We lay together for awhile, staring quietly out the window. He brought me in close beside him and proclaimed, “Evelyn, I’m not a superstitious man, but I feel it only right to tell you once, before the day begins, how happy I’ve been with you back. I want to chart a new course. If it’s to be a more respectable one, so be it.”

“What are you saying, exactly?”

“I’ve accepted Ari’s offer of becoming more of a savior of lost items as opposed to the hardened criminal I am today.”
I laughed at his characterization of himself, though I suppose he was more or less accurate. “I would like to be more in service to those who need it rather than some of the dregs I have dealt with in the past. However, my main reason has to do with you. Though there will be some danger, I imagine it will be much less risky to love a purveyor than a thief.”

“Are you presuming that I love you?”
I looked up into his face, smiling at the thought.

“Yes, despite your best intentions.
I love you as well, come to that. I want to be good for you, though. Your world didn’t raise you to love me. I’ll do my best to fix that for you.”

“Well, since you’re so confident, I guess you don’t actually need me to say it then.”
I pretended to lose interest in the conversation, toying with my pillow.

“Forgive me, dear lady, nothing would make me happier than those words on your lips.”
He rolled toward me, looking expectantly into my smiling face.

“Yes, despite my best intentions, I love you, Fintan Edwards.”
I sealed it with a kiss.

“Then I agree with your earlier observation; snowfall is incredibly lucky.”

***

After a detailed rundown with the group earlier in the day, at 8:57 PM, I clasped my Christmas present around my neck and headed to the lobby. Ari was there in black tie, leaning against the reception desk. After passing the elevators, I stopped to adjust the hem of my dress after it embarrassingly stuck in my shoe. My cheeks flushed impossibly red from nerves and my lack of any natural grace. He walked toward me with a smile on his face.

“You look very becoming, Ms. Skye.”
He took my arm and escorted me out of the hotel, where he had a car waiting for us. Evelyn Skye and my British passport were back in circulation for my protection. I settled into the backseat of the black town car and looked over at Ari beside me.

“You look very nice as well,” I said.
I did feel attractive and appropriate in my long black dress, despite the large chance that it would be accidentally ripped during the evening. I had finally even found an occasion to wear my new lingerie. Finn had not been a fan of anything that stayed on me too long.

“Thank you.
How are you holding up?” He looked at me with concern. We veered out into traffic. I noticed with some disappointment that the lovely white snow was all but gone from the streets.

“Good, I took a long nap.
The pelting of the rain helped me sleep. I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” In fact, I was ready to have it all behind me and get to Scotland.

“Luckily the rain stopped or they may have cancelled the fireworks.
All you have to do tonight is mingle and enjoy. I am really there in service to Alex should he need me. We’ll have a drink, look at the collection, and watch the display.”

I hadn’t realized how much the weather could have ruined their plan.
No fireworks would have meant armed glass break sensors. I didn’t say anything because of the driver, but I looked to Ari with what I was sure was a grave expression. He put his hand over mine for a moment to steady me. I took some deep breaths as our car pulled behind a long line of others like it, circling the main entrance to the Louvre.

We carefully descended into the underground with the others.
Similar to Buckingham Palace, we passed through a metal detector and Ari produced our engraved invitation to a staff person behind a desk. He discreetly found our name on a list of invitees. As we moved toward the Denon Wing, Ari told me that there were over three hundred special patrons of the Louvre that had been invited, but less than two hundred had responded that they would come. The public exhibit at the Louvre would open on January 2
nd
, and then move to the British Museum in February. He hoped to see much higher numbers than predicted after our assistance.

Finally, we were in the first floor rotunda
, where waiters were passing gourmet selections and champagne. There were also food stations and a large bar set-up on the level below us where there was more room to graze. I noticed the hallway off the rotunda that led to the bathrooms and saw the oak double doors that Brinks had described as leading to the Curator’s office. After spying the domed camera in the ceiling, I realized Brinks was probably watching from his hotel room. Beyond us, down the hall, there was another locked gate and more glowing red light. I inhaled audibly as I tried to catch my breath.

Ari, hearing me falter, handed me a glass of champagne and we entered the Apollo Gallery.
He took my hand and leaned in to whisper in my ear, “Remember, it’s a party, smile. He’ll be fine. There’s nobody better at this than Finn.” He pulled back and bent down to smile at me. His dark green eyes searched my own to see if his words had any effect. I stepped closer to him to whisper in his ear, placing my hand on his chest for balance.

“It’s the unknown variable that frightens me.
If something goes wrong, they’re all too stubborn to back down, Finn especially.”

“You worry too much.
You always have. It’s charming. Besides, we are very good at improvisation when needed.” He stepped back from me, taking my hand again, and led me toward the first display.

The golden case held three crowns from China, dated from the Qing Dynasty.
They were of heavy gold adorned with enormous pearls. I gazed out over the crowd after admiring them for a moment. My eyes went immediately to the back of the room, and I saw a large group surrounding a familiar crown and the unmistakable glare of the diamond held within it. Beyond the case, I spotted the back window I was sure was to be Finn’s escape route. I sped up the clock in my mind to where he returned to my room, smug over another successful caper. It did put a smile on my face, thankfully. I took a sip of my champagne and followed Ari to the next case.

The Iranian Treasury of National Jewels had provided the Darya-ye Noor, one of the largest diamonds in the world at almost 200 carats.
Pale pink and rectangular, it was surrounded by gold, other white diamonds and small emeralds. It was breathtaking, but not as brilliant or as large as the Cullinan II. Crowns were nice, but diamonds would be my choice as a thief. I told Ari as much as we wound our way through some other, equally impressive exhibits from Hungary, Russia, and Nigeria. Egypt had provided a golden statue of a Pharaoh’s head, and Ghana had sent a throne of gold that was on display in the center of the room. Feeling better after the champagne, I set off to find something to eat, leaving Ari admiring the Pharaoh. After discovering a dessert tray, Alex Remus got my attention.

“Good evening, Ms. Skye.
It’s wonderful to see you again. Happy New Year.” He smiled at me.

“Happy New Year, Mr. Remus.
It certainly is a lovely party.” I didn’t know how much he knew about my involvement, and I’m sure he felt the same way about me, so we kept our conversation very light and cordial.

“I trust Ari is treating you well.”
He looked me over approvingly.

“Yes, he is.”
I smiled, unsure of what it was he was referring to. Then it dawned on me that surely he must know about Ari’s engagement, having been childhood friends. After more pleasant conversation about the crowd, I popped the mini éclair in my mouth and went back over to Ari’s side.

“Tell me, who does Alex think I am to you?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. He laughed once, and shot me his most wicked grin.

“Let’s see.
He knows that you are in my service, but I believe he feels it is for an entirely more entertaining reason.” He laughed more as my expression shifted to shock.

“He thinks I’m a prostitute?”

“No, no. He thinks you’re the other woman. Men in my culture are held to a different standard. Engaged or not, nobody would expect me to deny myself before or after the wedding if the urge was there. Your accompaniment of me here tonight, to Paris, that’s not completely scandalous.”

“I’m sure it would be to Mirela.”

“Yes, well, the women being aware is not part of the arrangement. Anyway, once we are through here, I intend to make our future plans clear. They will know you are a colleague then.”

“But, you wouldn’t do that to her, right?”
Ari was beyond infidelity in my estimation.

“No, I am unswervingly loyal, almost to my own detriment.”
He looked off over to the next case, indicating he’d become bored with the topic at hand. I followed his gaze to a golden crown from Denmark, with diamond fleurs-de-lis along the band and a huge sapphire in the center. We passed the crown jewels of Bavaria and a smaller collection of the French jewels that I had seen on my last visit to the Louvre.

The next case housed the most impressive crown in my opinion.
It was larger than life-size and heavily sculpted from gold. The identifier labeled it as the Crown of the Andes from Colombia. It was never crafted for a human head, but for a large statue of the Virgin Mary. It was laden richly with over 450 emeralds and other large gems. It was extraordinary; it reminded me of Raven’s impending arrival. I grabbed Ari’s hand to look at the time. It was 10:53 PM. He brushed his jacket back down over his watch and took my hand, leading me over to an older couple conferring with one of the waiters. I took another glass of champagne, desperate to even out my accelerating heart rate.

“Charles, Bethann, it is very nice to see you this evening.
Let me introduce you to my colleague, Evelyn. She’ll be working with me on our project.” The older couple extended their hands to me and I shook them both, happy to meet them though I had no idea of the reason behind it. I tried to stay interested in the conversation, which seemed to have something to do with Ari’s venture, but I was keeping one eye on the entrance, anxious to see Raven emerge. After another minute of me nodding to the couple distractedly, I caught the glimpse of light dancing on red sequins and knew before I turned fully that she had arrived.

With a golden clutch, but no jewelry, she sparkled brighter than any of the encased treasures.
She had said she needed to draw the eye, she succeeded. Charles actually lost his train of thought as he watched her enter, much to the displeasure of Bethann. Ari continued staring at them with interest, never turning to look. I tried to follow his example, but she was captivating. I knew what she was there to do and every part of me wanted to pull up a chair and watch.

“Evelyn actually joined me at the preview of the exhibition at Buckingham Palace.
Why don’t you tell them about the palace, Evelyn?” Ari took my hand, encouraging me to pay more attention to the couple. I cleared my throat and gave them a description of arriving by surprise and touring the halls. They thought it was very exciting, having never been. Soon, Ari bid them farewell and we moved to the corner of the room, not far from the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. It was larger and more spectacular than I remembered. The Cullinan II diamond refracted the light from the case, almost blinding those who stopped to gawk at it. I turned my back to the case, fearing my expression would give something away. I had been anxious all day to get the evening over with, and suddenly it was all happening too fast. I downed the rest of my champagne and hunted for another waiter.

Alex approached us quickly, “Ari, may I speak with you privately for a moment?”
Ari looked down at me and then nodded, following Alex out of the gallery. Unable to approach Raven as much as I wanted to, I went over to another dessert tray after collecting a new glass of champagne. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, drinking champagne as well, encircled by three interested gentlemen. I had not been told who the curator was, so I scanned the crowd for who I thought he might be.