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My heart races in my chest, wondering with every passing minute if my cover is blown. What if he’s off calling security right now, or worse still, the police? Am I about to be marched out in handcuffs and thrown in jail, for fraud, attempted robbery, impersonation—
“Miss Wolfe?” Gunterson returns. I gulp.
“Yes?’ I force a smile.
“The transaction is complete.” He hands me a printed document, but I barely glance at it, the words are all a blur in my secret panic. “Your funds have been transferred.”
Oh my God.
I try not to let my relief show. “Fine,” I say airily, as if transferring tens of millions is just another Tuesday to me. I rise to my feet and give a little yawn. “Thanks for your help.”
“Of course,” he nods obediently. “And may I say again, what a tragedy it was to lose Mr. Wolfe. Your brother was a great man.”
A great man—and a great thief.
Because as I walk out of the building, trying my best not to break into a run, it sinks in what we just did.
We’ve just stolen a good chunk of Sebastian’s fortune—and there’s no way for them to ever get it back.
8
AVERY
When Sebastian laidout his plan for me, detailing the circuitous route I was to take after leaving the bank, I thought he was being paranoid. But as I hurry down the street and hail a cab, my heart pounding out of my chest, I follow his instructions to the letter. I have the taxi drop me in the shopping district, then weave through stores for another half-hour, making sure I’m not being followed.
Everything seemed fine at the bank, but how do we know they really bought it? What if this is some elaborate ploy, to get me to lead them right to Sebastian?
I try to keep my fears at bay. Nobody knows we made it out of that crash alive, I remind myself. Hell, the probably haven’t even found the plane yet, we were so far off course.
We’re ghosts. Invisible.
And now, finally, we can disappear for good.
When I’m finally sure I’m not being tailed, I catch a cab to the small restaurant where Seb and I planned to meet. It’s a cozy little family joint, with dim lighting and private booths. It’s still early, so there aren’t many people around, and I find Sebastian in the back, hidden from view in an intimate booth.
I slide in across from him, and grab the glass of wine he has waiting, practically gulping the whole thing down before I blurt, “It’s done. They transferred the funds.”
Sebastian exhales, and a smile breaks across his handsome features. “You did it,” he says, squeezing my hand. “God, I could kiss you right now.”
“So why don’t you?” I smile back, victorious.
He leans over and captures my lips in a slow, sizzling kiss. “I could do a whole lot more than kiss…” he murmurs, finally pulling away.
I smile, looking around. “I mean, it’s private here, but let’s not draw any more attention than we have to.”
Sebastian chuckles and settles back in the booth. “It all went smoothly?” he checks. “No suspicious questions?”
I shake my head. “The guy practically fell over himself to do what I asked. That’s some A-plus service. Delicious cookies, too.”
Sebastian looks relieved. “I was going out of my mind, worrying,” he admits, and I smile, touched.
“Me too. Every time someone glanced at me, I thought for sure my cover was blown.”
I tell him the whole story, from the moment I walked through the door, and show him the documents Gunterson gave me. We pause our celebrations long enough to order food, and champagne, and toast to a mission accomplished.
I swallow down the delicious bubbles, and take a deep breath, collecting myself. “So… You have the money now,” I start, cautious. “What happens next?”
Sebastian pauses. “I have to disappear,” he replies, heavier now. “I’ve thought it through, every possible outcome, but… I don’t see any other way. Now that my past has been exposed, I’m facing arrest and jail time if I ever show my face again, not to mention the mess of blame over the company… The crash…” he sighs. “Everyone thinks I’m dead. The smartest thing to do now would be to let them keep believing it.”
