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I shuddered. “I’ve read up on him. The very idea of someone like that targeting my home… well, that’s why I wanted to pick your brain. How can you be sure you have the latest technology? It seems like that kind of art thief can get around anything you put in place. I mean, hell, the man stole the crown right out of the Hungarian Parliament Building, and that thing was guarded by live men around the clock.”
Elek’s booming laugh almost made me jump in my seat. It did make Mouse flinch beside me. I reached for his hand under the table and squeezed. Maybe I shouldn’t have baited the man, but I couldn’t help myself.
“Nonsense. He did not do that job. He’s not that good.”
“But… all of the media says—”
“They got it wrong.”
Nervous excitement made my hands and feet tingle. “How do you know?”
Intense eyes again. “It does not matter how I know.” Tension flooded the room until Elek broke it with another laugh. “Besides, it’s not like you have the Holy Crown of Hungary in your living room in Wooster.”
I’d never told him where my alias lived, but he’d gotten it right.
“Well, no,” I said with a laugh, “but I’d certainly like to have more impressive pieces than I have now. Other than the usual places, I don’t even know where to look.”
“I have a few smaller pieces I’m selling from my personal collection in Paris if you’d like to have a look,” he offered before sitting back in his chair and taking a sip of wine.
“What kind of pieces?”
He shrugged. “I have a few lesser-known Warhol illustrations, Miró sketches, and a Degas ballerina sketch. I am also looking for a buyer for an exquisite Pissarro painting. Sunrise in Hyde Park. Simply breathtaking.”
“Wow,” I said, wondering how many were forgeries. “That’s… tempting.” I turned to Mouse. “Do you think we could make excuses with your family for Christmas? We could go to Paris to see Elek’s collection and then go to Barcelona for the party if that’s what you’d like.”
He bit his bottom lip. “I don’t know… my mom would be very upset. Could we… maybe fly home for Christmas and come back?”
I cupped his cheek and tilted his face down to drop a kiss on his forehead. “Of course we can. I know how much you enjoy spoiling your nieces and nephews.”
He was right to make our excuses. We needed time to prepare for the gift we’d just been given. An invitation into his home where there was an apartment full of evidence of stolen and forged artwork. It was too good to be true. We’d have an opportunity to nail his ass if the theft of the crown didn’t ruin everything for us, which I was sure it most likely would. Elek would have to associate our dinner with a handy distraction once he realized his crown was no longer aboard his yacht.
Mouse stood to begin clearing the table when an unexpected text buzzed my phone.
“Excuse me,” I murmured, pulling it out of my pocket. I’d set it so that only Linney’s messages would come through during our dinner. Hopefully this was the text to let me know we had the crown. If so, I could cut our dinner short.
They were out of broccoli at the market. Going to the other store.
I read and reread it.
Fuck.
I texted back. You do not need broccoli that badly. Do not go to the other store.
“Sorry,” I said absently, slipping the phone back into my pocket. “Joshua’s mom is a worrywart. If she can’t get a hold of him on his phone, she tries mine.”
Mouse had come back into the room to clear some more of the dishes. “Oh, sorry. Did you tell her I turned my phone off for dinner?”
“Yes, dear. She apologized for interrupting. I told her you’d call her tomorrow.”
Mouse stepped up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder before facing our guests. “Who would like some dessert and coffee?”
I needed to stall for a little bit. If they were going to try hitting the house against my wishes, I at least needed to keep Elek and Demitri here as long as I could.
“Actually, sweetheart. Could we hold off a little while first? I’m still full from dinner.”
Mouse blew out a breath and put a hand on his flat stomach. He looked sharp in the crisp white button-down and dark trousers he wore. “Oh phew. I thought I was the only one. I had no idea true Greek food was so amazing. I’ve been stuffing myself the whole time we’ve been here. I’m going to have to hit the gym extra hard after this vacation.”
Elek gave him a creepy, slow-motion once-over. “You have a lovely figure, Joshua. I can’t imagine a little indulgence would do anything to take away from it.”
