by Lisa Kessler
He tipped his chair back, meeting her eyes. “And what if this Trumain guy shows up to your meeting with a gun?”
That was the million-dollar question. Although she’d been a star student in self-defense classes, she’d never shot a firearm. “I think I have someone to be my wingman.”
Tuck straightened in his chair. “Is Robin going with you?”
The Digi Robins had been named after Robin Hood, the thief with a heart, robbing from the rich to give to the poor. Their founder’s codename was Robin, and he still led the group, although no one had ever met him face to face.
“No. The guy I’m thinking of isn’t part of the Digi Robins.” She swallowed the lump in her throat as John’s voice whispered through her mind. Be careful. Usually advice like that had her aching to do the opposite, but in this case, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have someone cautious at her side. “He’s the one who got me out of my apartment before the government agents paid a visit.”
The glow of the computer screen highlighted Tuck’s profile, and again she thought she recognized him from someplace. He shook his head and met her eyes. “He better keep you safe, because if this goes south, you know we’ll have to leave you behind.”
“I know. The mission must continue. I remember.”
He nodded slowly and pointed to the screen. “Did you email Trumain back yet? When are you meeting?”
“I was about to when you came in. We need to wrap this up fast, so I’m hoping he’ll meet me tomorrow.”
“Where?”
A plan began to gel in her mind. “The Sea Dog.”
He chuckled. “The big tourist pirate ship in Savannah?”
“That’s the one.” She’d meet John on the Sea Dog first, then Dr. Trumain could show up, check the merchandise, and send the wire transfer. Easy.
…
It was after midnight when the intercom from John’s front gate buzzed. He’d been expecting the visit ever since Harmony left. Without checking for his visitor’s ID, he pressed the button to grant him access.
John opened the door and forced a smile. “Agent Bale. You’re working late.”
Bale crossed the threshold into his home, scanning the parlor and the study across the hall. “Where is she?”
“Who?” John had no trouble playing along. Even if the agent tired of his games, what could he do? Killing John was impossible now that he’d taken another swallow from the Grail.
“Harmony Andrews.” Agent Bale’s gaze cut over to meet John’s. “I sent her picture to you earlier, but you failed to mention she works for you.” His icy blue eyes narrowed. “I saw you going up to her apartment.”
John crossed to the bar, pouring himself a glass of rum. “I was trying to convince her to return the box.”
Bale chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “You must’ve seen my text that I was coming up to get her, but instead of stalling her, you were gone. Care to tell me why?”
“Do you know why she took the box from the docks?”
“Yes.” Bale pivoted on his heel toward the hallway. “And regardless of what she may have told you, the Digi Robins is a ring of thieves. She plans on selling that box, and I need to stop her. I don’t have time to fuck around.”
John sipped his drink, eyeing the government agent in the parlor. “If you want that box back, then I need to win her trust. That’s why we had to leave.”
“Does she trust you now?”
John shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m not going to cross her to find out.”
Agent Bale clenched his jaw, his nostrils flaring slightly. John had been making deals longer than Agent Bale had been alive. This was the moment most people offered too many concessions.
John took another sip of his drink, happy to wait for the agent to agree to his terms.
The agent cursed under his breath. “I can give you twenty-four hours, and we need that box intact and unopened. Otherwise I’m moving in and we arrest her.”
“Fair enough.” John offered his hand, and Bale took it. “See you in twenty-four hours, mate.”
Agent Bale dropped his hand and stepped back. “Keep me in the loop on this one.”
He turned and walked out the door without another word. John waited for the sound of the iron gate closing, then sent Harmony a text.
How soon can you be on the Sea Dog?
Chapter Six
It was after midnight by the time Agent Bale got back to the safe-house in Savannah. He ran his hand down his face, wishing he could wipe away his frustrations as easily. In a perfect world, John Smyth would convince his employee to return the box, and this would all be over, catastrophe averted, but this situation was far from perfect, and it was too important to leave to chance or depend on a pirate.
He removed his shoulder holster and laid it on the nightstand by the bed. Once his phone was plugged in and charging, he took out his laptop. He booted it up and opened his file on the Digi Robins band of virtual thieves.
King had been right about him rushing this case. He probably should have come clean when he discovered the Digi Robins had the box, but he was the ranking agent in their department, and this situation had too much riding on it to delegate it to someone with less experience.
Protocol was usually something David followed, clung to in certain situations, but the risk to the world if that box was opened was too great for him to divulge his conflict of interest and lose control over the case, so he kept quiet about one of his descendants being a member of the band of thieves.
His first mistake was made a lifetime ago. He never should have tracked his older brother’s family through the generations, keeping watch over them, but he did.
Maybe it was because his job made a family of his own impossible? The reason didn’t matter. It was a stupid error in judgment, but now that he’d gone down the rabbit hole, he couldn’t stop himself.
His brother, Paul, had been dead for over forty years, and Paul’s immediate family, wife, and cousins, had passed away decades ago, yet David still observed his descendants from a distance. He protected them the best he could without interfering.
The Bale family name continued long after ancestors, like David and Paul, were forgotten. The passing of time became a surreal process when you ceased aging and turned into a spectator from the wings. Another reason he never should’ve been looking after his brother’s bloodline.
Too damned late now.
He added notations to his Digi Robins file about the computers confiscated from Harmony Andrews’s apartment, then scrolled up to the image of a young man who could have passed for David’s brother. Chris Bale graduated with honors in computer programming with a minor in math. Smart kid. He lived in Brunswick, Georgia, freelancing his programming skills, but David noticed something new a few months ago, and now he couldn’t unsee it.
Chris had a new tattoo at the top of his right bicep. A red-breasted robin. The same one he’d seen on Harmony’s shoulder when he’d crossed paths with her while tracking the Holy Grail.
He had fallen into a group that David needed to snuff out.
King had every right to chide him for not waiting for the background check on Harmony Andrews before he sent the picture to the pirates.
But he had been so eager to take her into custody, he hadn’t followed basic protocol. He thought if he caught Harmony, she might be a way into the Digi Robins’ inner workings. Then he could get Chris out before Department 13 took the group apart. With any luck, he might be able to keep his relative clear of the fallout.
He ground his teeth, finishing his notes before closing his laptop. First, he needed the box, then he’d worry about wayward descendants.
…
“You’re going to pay me to make an exact copy of Pandora’s box to bail this woman out of a mess?” Drake Cole crossed his arms. “What’s in it for you, boatswain?”
“Nothing.” John shrugged. “Believe me, I’m as shocked as you are.” He rubbed the bottom of his chin. “This is no ordinary woman. Sh
e’s intelligent, beautiful, devious, and a damned fine liar.” He chuckled and shook his head. “She played me, Drake.” He tapped his chest in disbelief. “Me.”
Drake had been the ship’s carpenter on the original Sea Dog, but after the sinking, he’d never been the same man. All of them had mourned the loss of their beloved ship, but Drake’s grief never passed completely. The hulking pirate worked with his hands like a man possessed, or a man who needed to keep busy. John didn’t know what demons haunted him, but seeing his friend smile was a welcome moment.
Drake gripped his shoulder. “Seems our quartermaster and our ship’s pilot aren’t the only ones to be distracted by a lass.”
John knocked his hand away. “Hardly.” He almost smiled. “She fascinates me. Nothing more.”
But her kiss did have him off-balance. He hadn’t been expecting it, and it kindled a fire that burned much deeper than his flesh. She’d sparked something in his soul that worried him. Eternity could be an adventure, as long as he navigated the waters and stayed far from mortal attachments.
Harmony presented a very dangerous temptation, not to mention she had no idea her boss had been in Savannah since the 1700s, frozen in time. He could never give her the life she deserved. Sure, he had money, but there would be no growing old together, and he’d never agree to father children if he was forced to watch them grow old and eventually fade away.
He blinked, shaking his head to clear away the thought. Family? It was a kiss, not a consummation. What the hell was wrong with him?
Drake cleared his throat. “You have photos and dimensions of the box I’m making?”
John reached for his phone, and Harmony’s text lit the screen.
On my way.
A smile tugged at his lips before he could bury it. “You may get to meet our thief. She’ll be here soon.” He found the photos she’d emailed and handed his phone to Drake. “We need it quickly. I convinced her to return the original to Bale, and she’s going to sell yours.”
Drake lifted his gaze from the phone. “Think that’s wise?”
“No one has photos of Pandora’s box, only myths. How would they be able to gauge the authenticity?” Drake examined the photos, enlarging them a few times before finally returning the phone. John slipped it into his pocket. “Can you replicate it?”
“Aye.” Drake nodded. “I can have it ready in two days, but I won’t be responsible for the outcome if the buyer realizes it’s a counterfeit.”
“The burden rests squarely on my shoulders, mate.” John glanced at the shore as headlights glowed on River Street. “She made good time.”
“Send the photos to my phone and get me the dimensions.” Drake stared at River Street, narrowing his eyes as Harmony exited the car. “Holy shit.” He focused on John again. “You let the thief drive away in your Porsche? You’ve never handed the keys to any of yer crew.”
John chuckled. “I’d be a fool to trust a band of pirates with my car.”
Drake gestured to the woman crossing the gangplank. “Tell me again how you don’t care for this woman?”
“Fuck you.” John chuckled as he went over to help Harmony on board. He touched her hand, and the embers of their kiss smoldered in his soul. She looked up at him, but there wasn’t a trace of the desire he’d witnessed earlier.
“We have a problem.” She noticed Drake and frowned. “Who is this?”
“Drake Cole, this is Harmony Andrews. She’s one of the brightest brokers in my company.”
The carpenter offered his hand. Harmony took it with a firm grip. “Good to meet you.”
Drake stepped back, tipping his head toward John. “Seems I’ve been hired to craft a counterfeit box on a short deadline.”
“About that…” She lowered her voice as she turned to John. “Can we talk somewhere, alone?”
“Of course.” He crossed to Drake. “I’ll get you everything you need. Two days.”
Drake nodded and leaned in closer, whispering, “Yer more than fascinated, boatswain.” The carpenter left the deck without another word.
John returned to Harmony’s side. “The wire transfer will come through tomorrow morning at the opening of business.”
“It’s not the money.” She met his eyes. “Our buyer isn’t just a collector. If he’s who I think he is, he’s got a PhD in history. Our plan might not fly after all.”
“He has nothing to compare it against. Drake is an amazing craftsman. This will work.” She didn’t look convinced, but John didn’t have time for more coaxing. “We’ve got one more situation to deal with.”
She raised a brow. “What’s that?”
“Agent Bale has given me twenty-four hours to return the box. Otherwise he’s going to take you into custody.”
A spark of rebellion lit her eyes. “He can try.”
John shook his head. “Agent Bale doesn’t work for the FBI or the police department. He’s got tools at his disposal that you couldn’t imagine. He will find you.”
“You sound pretty certain.”
“Aye.” He nodded slowly. “I’ve worked with him before. He’s tenacious, and his methods are…unorthodox.”
She frowned. “Why would you be working with a government agent?”
Jagged rocks awaited him if they continued down this path. If he had any hope of keeping her rational view of the world intact, he had to steer the conversation away from the paranormal to a safer shore.
“I assisted him in retrieving an artifact.”
“The Grail.”
His eyes widened before he could bury the shock. “No, I—”
She held her hand up, interrupting him. “You convinced me to shake hands on a deal to be partners, and I don’t play well with others. Don’t start lying to me now.”
Gods, she was infuriating and glorious, a wonder unlike any he’d ever crossed in all his lifetimes. “How do you know about the Grail?”
Her eyes searched his before she answered. “A couple months ago there was an ad on the dark web claiming to have the authentic Holy Grail, and they wanted to find a buyer. I investigated the two guys who posted it and figured out pretty quickly they were guessing at what they found. We wrote them off as a couple of kooks, but I was curious, so I started tracking it. When I found a government agent snooping around, I realized it must be real.”
Her lips curved into a sexy, devious smile. “I did some digging on the agent I saw, and it’s like he doesn’t exist. Anywhere. But when Tuck gave me the lead on Department 13 and the black box arriving at the dock, I hacked into the database and the security camera footage. That’s when I saw the agent again.”
“You take too many risks. If he’d detected you tracking him…” John lifted his hand, running the backs of his fingers down her soft cheek. He couldn’t finish his sentence. He didn’t want to think about the danger. Right now, he needed to touch her, to know she was real. “You’re amazing.”
“Glad you noticed.” She smiled up at him and removed his hand from her skin, but she also didn’t let go. “Your turn. Why were you helping a government agent recover the Holy Grail? Seems pretty out there for an investment broker.”
Good question. His new partner was proving to be even more savvy than he anticipated. She’d shown her hand, knowing he would have to reciprocate. But his cards contained secrets that could reveal his entire crew’s immortality.
He wished he had a solid plan, yet here he stood with no time to plot. Then an idea sparked. “I need to show you something.”
She held her ground. “Answer me first. Why were you helping the government find the Grail?”
“I believe if you come with me, you’ll have all the answers you need.” Her tenacity intoxicated him. “Please, Harmony.”
“Fine.” She sighed. “But I expect you to hold up your side of our partnership. No lies.”
He squeezed her hand, enjoying the sparks of desire igniting his bloodstream. “No lies.” But he also couldn’t give her the whole truth without risking his crew’s secre
t. “Follow me.”
Chapter Seven
John led her toward the stern and down a flight of stairs. Harmony’s pulse thrummed with anticipation. The Sea Dog was a gorgeous ship. She struggled to keep up with him while everything in her ached to slow down and take in every detail. Whoever built this replica of the Spanish galleon spared no expense—even inside, the belly of the boat was solid wood, no fiberglass or metal panels.
The ship rocked gently with the river’s current, and her knees instinctively absorbed the gentle pitching of the deck. She hadn’t been on a boat since she sold hers to help pay for her brother’s medical treatment, but apparently, she hadn’t lost her sea legs. Being on the ship reignited the ache for the open water.
She’d worked so damned hard for that tiny sailboat. Staring up at the orange and blue sail, knowing she’d hustled for every cent, had been one of her first tastes of pride, proof that she could overcome the poverty of her childhood.
She forced herself to focus again as John opened a door. She passed by him and entered the small room with a desk and two chairs. His voice filled the tight quarters, and so did his scent. Why did he have to smell so damned good?
“Please sit.”
She did as he asked, and he took the chair behind the desk. He pulled a drawer open and withdrew a ledger and a whalebone-handled dagger. Both items looked older than the ship. Authentic. What this had to do with the Grail, she had no clue.
“The man making the duplicate box for us is the same man who helped Colton build this ship.”
The word “us” rang in her ears. Men had come and gone from her life over the years without leaving much of a footprint behind on her heart. She was too driven, her passion for financial security drove her to work harder. The rush of adrenaline that came from winning a long-shot investment satisfied her more than any man ever had, so it was easy to devote herself to extra work hours.
What was it about John that had her tingling at the thought of their partnership over the stolen box? Sure, he had plenty of money, but she didn’t give a shit. She wanted to “earn” her fortune. Having to lean on anyone, depend on them, left you vulnerable, but right now, she caught herself wanting to do much more than just lean on John Smyth.