To Catch a Thief (19 page)

At her touch another part of him fell away, open to her and to possibilities he'd never considered. If he had any sense, he would have been frightened, but instead all he felt was invincible.

He unlocked the door and followed Nell out into the hall. “Don't forget to clean those cuts,” he ordered. “Everything matters, remember?”

She dragged a hand through her hair and summoned a smile. “Teach a man a few new climbing tricks and see how he turns insufferable.”

“Lie down and rest. That's an order. You're no good to me if you're cross-eyed with exhaustion. We've got a long night of work ahead of us.”

“The student's giving orders to the teacher?”

“Damned straight, since the teacher refuses to take care of herself.” He pulled out his phone and answered curtly. “Smith here. What have you got?”

“You want the good news or bad news?”

“No,” Dakota snapped.

“Too bad. I'll be there in ten.”

H
E LOOKED INTO
her room a few minutes later.

He wasn't taking a chance that she'd sneak out and try to climb another wall, but it appeared that she had actually done what he'd asked for once.

If you could call it sleeping, Dakota thought wryly. The woman was as restless asleep as she was awake. One arm dangled off the bed, the pillow was jammed over her head and the covers were twisted in knots across her shoulder. She muttered something about footholds, swinging out an arm, almost as if she were climbing a wall in her sleep.

He realized that was exactly what she was doing. Warmth nudged at Dakota's chest, drawing out a smile.

He smoothed her sheets, freed her arm, tucked in the blanket that was about to drop on the floor any second. The rich scent of roses drifted through the room, carried on a cool, fresh wind.

Beautiful house, Dakota thought. There was something brooding about the place, as if it had seen too much history, both joys and tragedies.

Too bad he and Nell wouldn't have time to explore it. He closed the door softly as he heard the sound of a car coming up the driveway.

N
ELL LAY
very still, her eyes closed.

His touch awakened her. She knew that he'd come to see she was asleep. He was relentless, focused on every detail; Nell was sure that you didn't get to be a SEAL by being lazy or careless.

But somewhere in the past two hours things had turned personal and she still didn't understand it. She took a deep breath, listening to Dakota's footsteps receding down the hall.

She wasn't shelving her emotions anymore. She wasn't holding her distance. If you were going to break the rules, you might as well break them in a big way by sleeping with a man you barely knew and trusting him with your life.

Most dangerous of all, trusting him with your dreams.

She turned her head into the pillow. Every nerve felt raw, as if it had been short-circuited, and her knees were putty.

She remembered the gentle way he'd straightened her sheets and pulled the blanket around her. Protecting her, even when he thought she was asleep.

But who was going to protect her heart when the job was over?

I
ZZY DROPPED
two bags on the gravel driveway and stared up at the abbey's chalk-streaked wall. “Looks like bad postmodern graffiti art.”

“Try handholds. Nell chalked out the fastest route up, consistent with the dimensions provided from the Glenmor photos.” Dakota followed the chalk line upward, frowning.

Izzy followed his gaze. “What?”

“See that ragged line about ten feet from the roof? The damn ledge pulled free. Nell…almost fell.”

“That's a twenty foot drop,” Izzy said grimly. “She was free-climbing, no ropes?”

Dakota nodded. “She was showing me a move when it happened. I broke a window and got her in time, but I sure as hell didn't like it.”

Neither man spoke. Izzy cleared her throat. “She knows what she's doing, Dakota. Right now she's the best teacher you've got.”

“Don't you think I know that? Otherwise I wouldn't be here watching her take this kind of risk. She refuses to sit on the ground and give orders. No, she has to be on the wall right beside me.”

“Most good teachers teach best in the field.” Izzy noted the harsh edge to Dakota's voice.

It was getting personal again. Izzy had seen it enough times with other members of Foxfire to recognize all the signs of impatience, irritation and finally calm acceptance. He
hated
it when things got hot and crossed the line. Why couldn't people be mature and sensible, leaving emotions where they belonged, preferably on a neighboring continent?

“So what's the news you have for me?”

“The auction is set. It's tomorrow night.”

Dakota's eyebrow rose. “You're sure?”

“I have people scattered through the pubs near Glenmor Castle. They tell me all of the local staff were fired abruptly, told their services were not needed. According to local staff gossip, a big event is supposed to take place there tomorrow. Cooks, waiters and cleaning staff have been flown in from overseas. I've managed to get someone on the inside working the kitchen, but security is tight. There's no way to do any snooping without raising suspicion.”

“Anything more from Jordan MacInnes?”

“Nothing. My contact will make every effort to reach him. If Jordan's being watched closely, we may not hear from him again.”

“With so much money at stake, the sellers won't trust anyone. So what's the good news?”

“I'm a little weak on my Scottish history, but Draycott has located a sister castle to Glenmor, renovated by the same man under orders from Edward II. It's nearly an exact match to the structure in Scotland, and it's less than twenty miles from here. Draycott has cleared your visit with the estate manager, so you and Nell won't be disturbed.”

“The owners?”

“Off on a Mediterranean cruise.”

Dakota thought it over. Training on a wall with similar design and materials would be a huge help. But even there, he couldn't risk being watched. Surprise was crucial to the success of the mission.

“You're sure no one is there? Not even staff?”

“All taken care of. The staff has been given three days off, according to Nicholas.” Izzy pointed to his bags. “I've located an oxygen rebreather unit for your swim in. Judging by the latest thermal and infrared scans from the air, the main water pipe running into the moat is operational.”

“Always nice to know I won't be swimming into a blocked tunnel with no way through,” Dakota said dryly. “Dynamite might be a little obvious. So what other hardware do you have in your red sack, Santa?”

“Stun gun with waterproof housing. Night-vision goggles as backup. Just covering all the bases.” Izzy held out a narrow box of hard plastic with molded edges. “This is for the things you'll bring out. You'll find clips inside and a second casing for water protection.”

Gravel crunched behind them, and Nicholas Draycott emerged from the study. “Something tells me I'm going to have nothing but gray hair before this operation is over. Marston told me about the ledge. Nell is safe?”

“A few cuts. Breaking the window was the fastest way inside. Sorry.”

“No apologies needed. You saved her life.” He shook Izzy's hand. “Nice to have the confusion cleared up, Teague. It's been almost four years since that last business we handled up in Scotland.”

“Always a pleasure to visit the abbey,” Izzy said. “How's that butler of yours? Still keeping you on a tight leash?”

Right on cue the big carved door to the courtyard opened and Marston appeared. “It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Teague. May I offer you something to drink? Keemun was your favorite as I recall. Cream, no sugar. I have already taken the liberty of setting everything out in the library.”

Izzy looked at Draycott and raised an eyebrow. “If I ever win the lottery, remind me to spend it on a butler,” he muttered.

“H
ERE'S WHAT WE HAVE
.”
Nicholas gestured at the maps that filled the long oak table in the library. “So far, there's no rain in the thirty-six-hour forecast. That's one bit of good news.” He held out a clear plastic envelope to Dakota. “Here are the most recent surveillance photos from Glenmor, including timed shots of guard rotation.”

Dakota opened the envelope and studied the photos. “What kind of routine can I expect?”

“No set pattern, I'm afraid.” Izzy tapped two of the photos. “The movements look random, which means they know what they're doing. These aren't local rent-a-cops. I'd guess Gonsalves had them flown in from Macau.”

“Too bad.” Dakota rubbed his neck. “Predictable rotation would make getting in a whole lot easier. But we expected this.” He arranged the photos near a detailed topographical map of the island. “How many security people have you picked up, Draycott?”

“At least sixty according to my spotters. They're keeping random patterns and they're well armed.”

“Izzy, what about security once I'm over the wall?”

Izzy opened his briefcase. “There are motion sensors at every corner of the top of the wall. Inside you'll be facing ground surveillance radar units decked out with new hardware from Korea. But there's good news. When the castle was sold five years ago, the buyer brought in a building inspector as part of the appraisal process.” Izzy smiled slightly. “I managed to get all his reports.”

“Of course you did.” Dakota scanned the new set of blueprints Izzy opened on the corner of the table. “Probable location for the art?”

“One of the staff says there are locked rooms in the third floor of the south tower, but I'm discounting that. Old art requires humidity and heat controlled environment and I've found a significant heat anomaly here.” Izzy tapped the corner tower at the east side of the castle. “I'd say this indicates sophisticated climate control, the kind you install to protect delicate art. The anomaly only occurs in this part of the castle.”

“So that's my target.” Dakota committed the detailed architectural designs to memory. “Second floor, east side. I'll go in under the radar, but there's no way to stay silent. Once I tap the art, every alarm in the castle will light up. I'll drop a few flash bangs, but it won't hold them for long.”

“Which is why I've planned a little diversion to cut down their response time,” Izzy said smugly. He glanced at Draycott, who was listening intently. “You've worked out an arrangement with your people? They stay out until we call them in to mop up?”

Draycott nodded. “They don't like being kept in the dark, but they'll do it.”

“Okay. Dakota, you get your package out safely, and we'll take down Gonsalves and his buyers in one swoop. No one is walking out of there except into custody. A whole lot of people want to question Gonsalves about his October Twelfth connections once this is done.”

Dakota paced restlessly. “What's the timeline?”

“A chopper is waiting to make your transport to Scotland. You'll be in place, out at sea, by noon tomorrow, ready to go in via the pipe. Radio me when you hit the target location and I'll put on the mother of all light shows for distraction. I'll have my contact inside looking out for MacInnes, too.”

“You said you have people in place. I'll need names and photos.”

“Already in your briefing bag.”

“Twenty-four hours until showtime.” Dakota released the blueprints, which snapped together, scattering photos at his feet.

Not bad luck.

No reason to be superstitious.

He picked up the briefing bag from Izzy. “Let's get this thing done, gentlemen.”

I
NSIDE THE GATEHOUSE
,
Nell dreamed of blue-gray eyes and callused hands. She dreamed of heat and freedom, the air on her face, the rock at her back. Her muscles in the flow, she tackled a sheer wall cut by a thin crack. Hand over hand she rose. Then she heard her father's voice, telling her something was wrong. Telling her to trust no one.

Lines broken. Falling, falling…

Her hands raked cold stone, trying to break the plunge.

“Nell, wake up.”

She shot upright, blinking. Instead of cold stone she felt the warm muscles of Dakota's chest. “Dreaming,” she said hoarsely.

“A bad one?”

The falling dream was always bad, but there was no point in mentioning that.

Nell glanced through the window and saw the sky streaked with red and purple above the dark woods. “You should have come to get me sooner.”

“Soon enough,” he said. “We're going to work all night to simulate actual night climbing conditions. Nicholas found a place with a similar layout.” Dakota pulled one of her palms into his and studied the cut skin. “Try not to fall, will you? I don't think my heart can take it.”

“Not falling will be high on my to-do list, trust me.”

Nell reached for her clothes, but Dakota's hands closed around her wrists. “Speaking of trust…you forgot something, didn't you?”

“My phone?” Nell looked around frowning. “My climbing shoes—”

“This,” Dakota whispered, leaning down for a slow skim of heat and tongue that warmed and seduced. No speed or fury now, just a silent promise. “Someday you should come up to the California coast. We'll go climbing together.” His fingers slid through her hair. “We'll camp out under the stars and watch the sun come up. Five days in the mountains and you'll feel like a brand-new person.”

Nell's heart pounded. She didn't do commitment. But maybe for this man, she could change. “So…are you saying there may be an
us
, Dakota? After all this is over?”

His eyes darkened. “Come climbing with me and let's find out. I won't lie to you, Nell. My work—hell, my work has always been my life, 24/7, and I don't know if I can change that. But I'm starting to wonder, to consider the possibilities. You're in all of them.” His voice was rough. “What do you say?”

“Oh, I'm open.” Nell took a long breath. “Terrified, but open. But just so you know, I hate mosquitoes. And I have to have light to read at night. Don't ask me to give up my books.”

“I think we could reach a compromise in that area.” Dakota's eyes were smoky. “I'll find something you can do at night—when you don't want to read.”

They could find a lot of things to do at night, Nell thought. Up on a mountain, with only the stars overhead spilled like diamonds over velvet. With bodies urgent and the wind sighing cool through the pines.

The low chime of Dakota's watch made her stiffen.

His face changed, his eyes turning distant.

The mission. The danger he had to face.

Nell pulled away. Before they could think about any kind of future, he had to come back alive. “I—I'd better get dressed.”

Dakota nodded. While she grabbed her clothes, he crossed the room and pulled out his phone, speaking quietly.