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And she needed Ace close for when they made a move to steal the copper scroll. The sooner they got to it, the better. But she had to play it cool until she incapacitated Christos. Until then, she’d use him to locate the copper scroll.
Chapter 8
Eager to get on with their plan, Jasmine smiled. “My bodyguard will not be an issue. Shall we continue?”
“Absolutely.” Christos led her down a hallway and stopped at the first door. “This is my father’s study. He wouldn’t allow me to remodel here. The man likes the traditional wood paneling and rich colors. My father did allow me to replace the dusty old drapes with new ones. Other than that, this room has not changed much in the last hundred years.” He pushed the door wide and walked in.
While Ace hovered in the doorway, Jasmine stepped inside. “I have great respect for a traditional study. The wood is warm and inviting. Do the curtains cover windows, or is that a door?”
Christos crossed to the drapes, pulled them back and secured them in a metal hook. “My father pulls the drapes when the afternoon sun shines through the French doors.”
“How nice.” Jasmine smiled. “Do the doors open onto the lawn or a garden?”
“A garden. My mother wanted him to remember why he worked so hard, so she planted roses and other flowers outside his office.”
“I bet it’s beautiful.” Jasmine joined Christos at the French doors, peering out into the night. “Does your father walk in the garden?”
“Rarely, since my mother passed.”
Jasmine touched his arm. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” Christos turned his back on the garden. “Anyway, this is my father’s study.”
Jasmine noted the locks on the French doors before turning her back on them to study his father’s domain. Two walls bore floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Another wall held a display of ornamental swords.
“Does your father collect swords?” Jasmine asked.
“Among other things,” Christos said.
“I have collections, as well,” Jasmine said. “What else does your father collect?”
“Besides these swords, he has a collection of artwork, including paintings and sculptures. He’s also collecting ancient artifacts.”
“How interesting,” Jasmine said. “I have an artwork collection, including an original Van Gogh. Part of my remodeling effort is to establish a display room with a robust security system. Some of my pieces are very valuable.”
“My father’s primary input into our renovations was to require a room where he could display his artwork and collectibles as well as protect them from climate and theft,” Christos said.
“I’d like to know more about it,” Jasmine said. “And maybe you could give me a recommendation as to who you used to design and install the necessary infrastructure. Do you think they’d come to Sardinia to install a system for me?”
Christos smiled. “I’m sure they would, for the right price.”
“Right now, I have a very rudimentary system,” Jasmine said. “I want something more high-tech and harder to breach.”
Christos laid a hand on Jasmine’s back and urged her toward the study door. “Let me show you what we did. It could give you some ideas for your design.” He stepped out into the hallway, where Ace stood beside the door, staring at the wall in front of him.
Christos’s brow dipped briefly as he passed Jasmine’s bodyguard and continued down the corridor with her at his side. He stopped in front of another door that looked much like the others with inlaid panels and matching hardware.
“This door might look like the others, but...” He lifted his hand and tapped his knuckles on the door, making an odd sound for a knock on wood. “It’s solid metal. You can’t break it with an ax like you can a wooden door. It would take a long time for a torch to cut through it. We access the room by using an electronic keypad.” He reached his hand toward a painting on the wall. “Do you like this painting of the Birth of Venus?”
Jasmine nodded. “It’s lovely. Is it part of your father’s collection?”
Christos’s lips twisted. “In a way. It’s not an original, but it serves a purpose.” He slid the painting to the side, exposing a keypad. “My father wanted the keypad. I suggested disguising it behind the painting.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Clever, don’t you think?”
“Very,” she responded with a smile.
Christos rested his fingers on the keypad. “We have a biometric scanning system on backorder. It’s taking a ridiculous amount of time to get it. As soon as it arrives, we’ll have it installed. Then we’ll have fingerprint and retinal scanners. Only my father, our chief of security and I will be able to access the room.” He turned to Jasmine and cocked an eyebrow. “Do you mind turning around?”
Jasmine’s eyes widened. “Oh. Of course, I don’t mind.” She turned her back to him.
