“So are you going to show me the missing poem?”
Kate scrunched up her nose as she hitched the sheet beneath her arms, and smoothed out the creases.
Finally, she lifted her head to look at him, and a flash of resignation flickered through her gaze. “The last time I helped you, I ended up arrested and you stole my files.”
“I was just taking care of them in case you lost your laptop.”
Her bottom jaw fell in disbelief, and his lips quirked upwards. She was so easy to wind up.
Etienne held up his hand in what he hoped was some sort of international boy scout sign. Not that he’d ever been one. His brother had been expelled for fighting, and Maman had been too embarrassed to take Etienne when he was old enough. “If I promise not to do it again, will you show me?”
“No. You’ve already proved you can offload me faster than Blek can stencil a rat.”
“Just tell me, chérie.”
Her forehead creased, and the silence between them stretched out. He was about to give up when she spoke.
“I still need to get it translated properly, but as far as I can gather, the loose context is about renewing beliefs.”
“Are you sure?” Hopefully the information would be enough to convince Mercier that a meeting would be worth his while.
“I’m fairly certain.” She held out her hand. “Can I see the necklace again?”
Etienne lips twitched. “Really, princesse, you want me to hand over the necklace but you’re not going to let me see the Paris copies?”
Sliding him a guarded look, she stood up and walked across the room to her laptop, taking the bedsheet with her. “Just show me the pendant, Etienne.” She tapped furiously at the keys.
“Why? Want to try the ruby on for size?”
Kate glanced over to him. Her pupils flared with desire as she took in his naked state. Her mouth opened, but no smart retort came out.
“You took the covers.” He kept his tone matter of fact, enjoying the uncomfortable situation she’d put herself in too much to be a gentleman and put his boxers back on.
Etienne held up the chain in between his fingers and swung the pendant over the side of the bed she’d just vacated. “Come back to bed and we can discuss it together.”
Kate’s eyes narrowed. “There’s an inscription, isn’t there?”
So it was finally dawning on her that she should have taken a closer look.
He smiled what he hoped was his most charming smile. “You’ll have to come and find out.”
But she merely raised her brows. Maybe he was pushing his luck. He rolled onto his side and placed the pendant face down on the sheet. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask before. It might have been the missing line to the poem.”
“I’d already thought about the possibility, but it’s too obvious. This is the age of early cryptography. Not obscuring the message in some way seems…careless.”
“And now?” He nodded towards her computer screen.
She picked up the laptop and brought it over. “Perhaps it’s not the marginalia but the decorative lettering that hides the key. Look.” Her fingernail tapped the screen in front of her. She moved her fingers over the screen to zoom in. The detailing inside the capital O that started the verse dominated the view. “Does the necklace inscription have an infill?”
“See for yourself.” He pushed the pendant towards her. Kate’s shoulders slumped as she regarded the delicately engraved script.
Etienne snatched the necklace back up. She was going to kill him when she found out the truth.
“What do the words mean?”
The least he could do was give her some hope. “I thought it was a message between two lovers, but perhaps you’re onto something because it could be interpreted as an adoration of their beliefs.”
She smiled at him and her fingers brushed a lock of his hair back from his forehead. “It’s you who made me think that, too. You said yourself the Cathars had no time for material things, but even they knew it took money to rebuild, not love but faith.”
The light touch of her fingers drove away the stab of guilt at her disappointment and replaced it with a burning desire to have her beneath him once more. “You think the treasure is an elaborate insurance policy?”
Her eyes sparked with amusement. “An emergency nest egg!”
“Some nest egg.” He hoped his droll tone dampened her enthusiasm for the idea.
“Okay. Okay. I know madman and academics,” she mimicked. “But if I’m right, what does it tell us?”
He ran a hand through his hair to brush away her presence even though she no longer touched him. “The hell if I know. Maybe the rumours are right, and they really did get the treasure away just weeks before the castle fell.”
“What we need next is a different interpretation of the Paris poem.”
“It just so happens I know the very man to help us, and he’s here in town.” Etienne leant forward and captured her lips with his. “And we have just enough time for a shower before breakfast.”
ETIENNE FORCED HIMSELF to take a deep breath and relax his shoulders. The cafe was still relatively empty but would soon be buzzing as people arrived for their morning hit of coffee.
From this vantage point, he could see the entrance, the bar, and the archway leading to the back. Though no one had followed them this morning, it paid to stay alert. He thumbed through the messages on his phone to kill time while he waited for Kate to return to the table.
When she emerged from the ladies room and walked through the archway, all thoughts of chasing down a painting vanished. He watched transfixed as she wove in and out the tables, making her way over to him. Oblivious to the appreciative male glances she attracted, Kate’s focus was totally on him. It should have been a boost to his ego, but he suspected it had more to do with relief that he hadn’t taken the opportunity to vanish again than a burning desire for his body.
As she sank down in the chair opposite him and smiled, he wished they were back in the hotel room where he could kiss those sensuous lips into submission. Instead he’d just have to make do with memory of how she tasted.
“I’m starving.”
“You’re not the only one, chérie.” He took her hand and turned it over. Her fingers were long and slender. Her palm soft as he brushed his thumb against it.
“I’m serious.” Her tone was, but her eyes were alight with mischief.
“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
“For food, Etienne. I was promised a lavish dinner last night, and so far I’ve had a chocolate bar.”
He sighed and released her hand. “What do you want to eat?”
“Everything.”
He chuckled.
“Cut it out. That’s not on the menu.”
He opened his mouth, but the waitress appeared before he could say more. Which was probably just as well. He’d only get himself into more trouble. Although if that meant losing himself in Kate once more, he’d gladly do it.
While they waited for their order to arrive, Kate folded her hands on the table and paused as if gathering her thoughts. “So tell me, if you’re as innocent as you say, how come our intel says differently?”
Etienne stared out the window for a moment. He’d never shared anything about his double existence. “Isn’t it a little late to start asking questions?”
“Well. At least I know your name.”
He meant professionally, but she was obviously referring to last night. Which meant sleeping with him was something else that went against her list of rules. Perhaps she couldn’t resist the pull of attraction anymore than he could. It was still strong now. Between her sharp wit and luscious body, he could spend the week in bed and never grow tired of her company. Hell. Why limit himself? Two weeks at least.
He leant to one side while the waitress placed two espressos and a couple of croissants on the table between them. Kate broke a piece of the croissant off and dipped it in her coffee before raising it to her lips
. Her tongue slipped out to catch a drop of dark liquid about to fall to the table. Okay. Maybe they’d need longer.
She glanced across at him, and he realised she was still waiting for him to respond. “I never said I was innocent, just that not everything is as black and white as you’d like it to be.”
“Like the necklace?”
His brow creased. “Quoi?”
“It’s still listed as stolen from ten years back. Yet you say it’s legally yours.”
Kate pointed at him with a piece of croissant, and he was sorely tempted to snatch it from her fingers with his mouth.
He sat back in the chair to avoid temptation and shrugged. “No one knows what happened to it.”
Kate leant forward, her eyebrows raised. “I’ve seen it, remember?”
Bordel. Was that a threat? Had she bewitched him so much that he’d made an error of judgement? Her gaze didn’t waver. Brown eyes that had glinted with golden desire just an hour before held a colder note. No. Showing her the necklace, making her believe in trusting him, was the right thing to do. Her plans relied on the necklace’s existence just as much as his did if they were to retrieve the painting.
She’d already lied to her boss once. There was no way she’d reveal the necklace’s existence now and risk someone else taking over.
So that left him where? Did he even remember the truth?
“I grew up in a village further north and more west of here. I was fortunate. My parents were wealthy. Very little in the way of tragedy touched our lives. In many ways, I had an idyllic childhood.” He took a sip of coffee. “My grandparents, on my mother’s side, lived close by and I spent a lot of time there.” His lips rose in an involuntary smile as he remembered.
“Their house was filled with paintings, art, and antiquities from all parts of the globe. Papi would sit with me for hours recounting the stories of how each piece had come into their possession. To a boy it was a treasure trove to spark the imagination of distant lands and adventures.” A sadness filled his heart. “Then my grandmother became sick.”
Etienne placed his elbows on the table and rested his mouth against his steepled fingers for a moment, letting the memories flood over him. He gave a faint smile when he caught Kate’s concerned gaze and caste aside the sadness with a shrug.
“Life was never quite the same. Papi put a brave face on everything, spoke about always looking forward, but in his heart I think he lived the rest of his years in the past. That’s why it hurt so much when he lost one of his favourite paintings.”
A faint gasp escaped Kate’s lips.
“While I was away at university, someone conned him into believing the artwork was going to be cleaned, but in reality they’d got him to sign a release form for its sale. He was nearly ninety, and I couldn’t imagine who would do a despicable thing to an old man.”
“Didn’t your parents intervene?”
“They put it down to a mistake of a foolish old man. You have to realise everything my parents have is a reflection of their status, not the life they’ve led. I think I’m more like my grandfather. Wealth matters in-so-much as it allows you to buy anything. But it’s knowing what you actually want that is the secret to hoarding your own treasure.”
He took a bite of a croissant and chewed it slowly before continuing. “When Papi heard a rumour the painting was for sale in Paris, he begged me to go and get it back for him. I’m sure he meant buy it back, but I vowed to myself I would get it by any means.”
“And so began your life of crime.” Kate’s lips rose in a small smile, but her gaze reflected compassion, not mocking laughter.
“In a way.” He’d omitted the minor detail that he’d actually been caught and had ended up striking a deal with the slightly unorthodox Madame Morrier.
“Did you get the painting?”
“Yes, and when I placed it back on the wall, the joy in Papi’s eyes made it all worth while.”
“Not to mention the adventure to be had.”
He laughed and placed his hand over hers and lifted to his lips. “To adventures, princesse. May they never stop no matter how old we are.”
He meant that generally, didn’t he? Merde. A change in conversation was overdue. “What about you?”
“Did I spend my childhood in the lap of luxury?” She smiled, taking the edge off her mocking tone, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “No. I studied constantly. My parents weren’t wealthy, but I was bright enough to get a bursary at a private girls’ school. I worked hard, studied law alongside history of art at university, and trained as a barrister.”
“I’m curious. How did you end up in insurance?”
“I struggled to find a tenancy in a suitable Chambers. Someone recommended me to a friend of theirs, and here I am.” She held up her hands with a shrug. “To be honest, I found the research side of the work much more to my liking than appearing in court.”
“Defending the bad guy didn’t sit well?”
She ignored the jibe. “This job gives me the best of both worlds. I get to use my legal skills, particularly when we’re up against possible fraud and when we’re out in the field…”
Her voice drifted off, and her eyes filled with tears. Etienne placed his hands over hers. He knew where her thoughts had gone. She’d been so wrapped up talking about her work, something normal, that she’d obliterated the sadness of yesterday. But every devil had a way of creeping up just when you least expected it.
She pulled her hand back to wipe the tears from the edge of her eyes. “Sorry. I’m not normally so pathetic.”
“There’s nothing wrong with showing a little emotion for a friend.”
She answered him with a wan smile. “I can’t imagine you cracking.”
“We all have our limits.”
She tilted her to him. “When was the last time you cried?”
“The day Papi died.”
“Oh.” At the soft, regretful sound he reached across and wiped away a tear she’d missed.
“Alors, princesse, dry your tears. My friend will be here soon, and I don’t want him thinking I make nice girls cry.” He gave her a gentle smile, hoping to encourage her out of her funk.
Kate gave a shaky laugh. The glint in her eyes was all he needed to know that he’d succeeded.
CHAPTER TEN
ETIENNE’S ATTENTION SWITCHED from her to somewhere over her shoulder. Kate glanced round to see a man making his way towards their table. As he approached, Etienne smiled, and stood to shake his hand.
“Didier. Thanks for coming.”
“How could I fail to with such an intriguing message?”
Etienne turned towards her, his hand clasped on the other gentleman’s shoulder.
“Kate, I’d like you to meet one of the South of France’s most reprehensible bachelors, Didier Blanchard.”
Didier smiled and leant forward to shake her hand. “Take no notice of him. I’m much less disreputable than he is.”
“That wouldn’t be too difficult from what I’ve seen.”
Didier threw back his head and laughed, drawing several admiring gazes from women around the room.
Kate moved their coffee cups and plates to create a space. “Here. Sit down and join us. We were just about to order more coffee. Would you like some?”
“Yes, please.” He turned to Etienne. “I like her—she has better manners than you. Easier on the eye, too.”
Etienne rolled his eyes at his friend’s obvious flirtation and moved to get the waitress’ attention.
“So you’re the woman who has this guy all riled up?”
Was she? Kate glanced at Etienne. He didn’t seem that worked up to her.
“Have you shown him the missing text yet?” Didier continued. “That made my day knowing that someone else had got one over on Etienne. I can’t remember the last time that happened.”
Ah. So he knew a little bit about their history. Although she was willing to wager not all of it. And she certainly wasn’t going to let on that Etienne
not getting the file was only down to a lucky last minute of forethought on her part.
“I have my moments,” she conceded.
“What do you do for a living?”
Etienne interrupted before she could answer. “She’s an expert safe cracker. The best in the business.”
“Really? I thought I knew them all.”
Kate just laughed. She had no idea what Etienne was up to, but she could play along.
“It’s true. These fingers.” She held up her hands and waggled her fingers. “And big ears are the tools of my trade.”
Didier gave her a once-over, obviously trying to decide where she really fitted. “Everything is electronic nowadays, isn’t it?”
“Mostly. However, there are still a few old fashioned types out there to help me keep up my skills.”
She glanced across at Etienne. He was staring out of the window as if the conversation held no interest, but she was certain he was taking in every word.
“So you found these chansons in a safe?” The disbelieving tone was back again.
“It’s amazing what people keep alongside their jewels, but no. This was acquired another way.”
“She’s as bad as you.”
Etienne looked over at his friend. “How so?”
“No one ever gives a straight answer anymore.”
“Then you should stop asking the wrong questions.” Etienne took a sip of his coffee and turned his gaze to her. “Show him the couple of paragraphs we’re interested in.”
Kate reached into her bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. She wasn’t taking any more chances. If he kept the piece of paper, there wasn’t much he could do with it without knowing the exact chanson and where the copy originated from. It was possible, of course, but it would take time. No one was going near her laptop or phone again for the foreseeable future.
Chasing Lies Page 10