“If you’ll permit me?” Lucas held out his hand.
Mr. Smith considered for a moment and then reluctantly turned over one piece.
Lucas accepted it carefully, holding it by its edges. His eyebrows rose as he scanned the paper and when he looked up, his gaze was sharp and alert, almost like an animal sensing danger.
“This document needs to be locked away someplace where it can’t be stolen.”
“Why?” Sara asked as she felt soft hair on her arms begin to rise.
“Because if this falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the destruction of civilization as we know it.”
****
“So the document is in Dallas.” Baylor leaned back in his desk chair and stared at Alan Caldwell, the con man who had yet to fail him.
“One of the suburbs,” he answered with a shrug. “A pity I couldn’t just nab her at the airport, but there were two policemen waiting for her.”
“I expected as much,” Baylor replied. “She probably called her boss after the incident at Sotheby’s.” His face hardened as he thought of that idiot Toby. This could all have been avoided ifthatfool had done his job. The kid was still in his private infirmary, healing. He was tempted to make him soak in very salty water and let those wounds burn a while. “She didn’t spot you?”
Alan looked slightly affronted. “I’m a pro. Has any mark ever made me?”
“Don’t get cocky. You do your job.” Baylor smiled slightly. “You’re the only one who’s escaped the whip.”
“I prefer pleasure, not pain,” Caldwell answered.
Baylor nodded. “Did you case the place?”
“Security’s tight,” he answered. “I got as close as I could without having my picture taken. There’s a gatehouse, electric fences, and, if I’m not mistaken, a whole lot more guards than just the uniformed.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Every hired hand looked like a bouncer from a bar in a shady neighborhood.”
“Why so many? Is the guy guarding Fort Knox?”
“Seems like the guy collects medieval weapons and other expensive stuff. The place is supposed to be a friggin’ museum.”
Baylor raised the eyebrow over his uncovered eye. “Do I want to know how you found that out?”
Caldwell grinned. “There was a nice-looking woman in the next driveway, polishing her Mercedes. I struck up a conversation.”
“Ah.” Baylor said. Alan worked out several hours a day and had one of those chiseled, square-jawed faces that women seemed to like, which was an asset he used. He had no trouble getting women between the sheets. As he mentioned to Baylor, it was amazing what a woman would tell him when he said he wanted to “cuddle and talk” after sex.
“Do you want me to seduce the mark? I wouldn’t mind,” Caldwell said. “She has nice tits.”
Baylor considered it. He liked women who put up a fight, and he’d bet the one who’d gotten the manuscript would. But better to leave this one alone. At least for now.
Baylor steepled his fingers and thought. Breaking and entering was not a viable solution. Accosting the bitch would do no good. She’d no longer have the document. No doubt it was under lock and key in some vault. He sighed.
“You’re going to have to go in.”
“What’s my cover?”
“Freelancer. You’re doing a magazine article forGuns and Swords. A period piece of ancient weapons.”
“Um. Guns I know. Swords I’ll have to study up on.”
“Use the Internet,” Baylor said and opened a drawer. He removed a small box and slid it toward Caldwell. “GPS tracking device inside. No bigger than a dime. Slip it into the woman’s purse. It won’t hurt to keep posted on her whereabouts. She might come in useful later.”
