Page 24 of Daddy's Obsession


Font Size:  

“Passwords?” she asks.

I nod. “More often than not on floppy disks or USBs. Roughly twenty-three years ago, Chet and I broke into an arms dealer’s private collection in Greece. Amongst our spoils was—”

“TheVase of Aphrodite,” she finishes.

“Precisely. In all likelihood, he hid the information you’re looking for in a false bottom.”

“Okay, so what’s the problem?”

“Well, let’s just say that you don’t steal from a arms dealer without expecting retaliation. We hit his private stash, so he hit ours in return. Amongst the things he took back was his vase.”

Raquel frowns. “Are you telling me I’m going to have to steal it back?”

“There’s a possibility, yes.”

“How dangerous an arms dealer are we talking about?”

“Ever heard of Augustus Van Straus?”

Raquel’s face pales. “You’re shitting me, right?”

I shake my head.

“Well, fuck,” she grumbles under her breath.

Off in the distance, I hear police sirens. We really shouldn’t be out in the open like this. Not only do we have to worry about the cops, but now we need to worry about the unknown player that’s joined our game. Someone out there besides Lucius Loran knows about the McHale Fortune. I’m willing to bet that this won’t be the first time Raquel is attacked.

It’ll keep happening, again and again.

Not only is she on the clock to save her father, now it’s a race to see who can get to the fortune first. I don’t envy the poor woman at all. Yet when I look to her, I see nothing but unbridled determination. The odds might be stacked against her, but she appears undeterred. Damn if it isn’t admirable.

And a little stupid.

“We need to keep moving,” I say. “Let’s go back to the house and—”

“No.”

“This isn’t up for debate,petit oiseau. You were just attacked in broad daylight. You need to lie low.”

“Put yourself in my shoes, Gabriel. If someone took Odette hostage, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to get her back?”

“Of course,” I answer immediately. “Without question.”

Raquel smiles understandingly. “I know this is reckless. Iknow. But I’m alone in this and I don’t have very many options.”

“You could get hurt.”

“Yes, but I’m not scared of pain,” she says, clutching her silver pendant. “I’m scared of losing the only family I have left in the world. I have to take this chance. I’d rather die trying than sit back hiding in some room and let that psycho kill my father.”

I’m about to protest further, but she takes my hand and gives my fingers a light squeeze. She feels so small against me. I’m not sure what to make of the tightness in my chest.

“Go home to your daughter. Forget I was ever here. It’s not your problem anymore.” She hops up on her toes and kisses my cheek. “Thank you for everything, but this is where we part ways.”

I hesitate. She’s right. It’snotmy problem. This isn’t my fight, nor do I have a stake in this battle. She’s giving me a clean break, but it doesn’t feel right. Maybe it’s my honor, or perhaps my pride, but watching Raquel willingly take on a suicide mission alone doesn’t sit well with me. While I admire her tenacity, she’s only one person. Pulling off a heist with a fully equipped crew is one thing but going solo is another beast entirely.

When she pulls away, I don’t try to stop her.

It’s only after she disappears from view that I realize she’s somehow managed to pick my pockets. I’m missing both my phone and my wallet.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like