He sat down with a smile. “I’m family. You can’t get rid of me.”
She joined him at the table. “I’ve avoided contact with everyone to keep them away from the FBI. If I’m being followed or wiretapped, it could expose the team. Right now, as far as the FBI is concerned, I’m helping them get at our fathers.”
“And Logan?”
“Knows the truth even though he can’t prove it. He keeps asking about my crew, and although I’ve told him I work alone, he doesn’t believe me. I told him if he pushes it, he can arrest me and forget our deal.”
“I’m sure Nikki and Audrey would appreciate that, but you’re the team captain.”
Mia scooped up a tuna roll and placed it on her plate. “They can function just fine without direction. They don’t really need me now. They have my notes and plans. They’re capable of executing it.”
“Doesn’t mean they’re not worried about you. We all are.”
“Logan was supposed to be a means to an end and I failed. Nikki and Wade warned me not to fall for the mark, and I did.”
“Do you trust him not to continue investigating?”
“I do.” Logan was honorable and honest. He would keep his word, even if he was unhappy about it. Mia ate some sushi, but she didn’t taste anything.
“Maybe it’s time to stop,” Jared said. “Like Nikki said, it’s been a good run. You’re at the point that our fathers will be caught. That’s what you wanted, right?”
That wasn’t all she’d wanted, though. She wanted to hurt them. She wanted to ruin the men who wouldn’t be punished for participating in their fathers’ crimes. “That was the ultimate goal, but now that I’ve seen the list, Jared...” She shook her head. “It’s so much bigger than I thought. If they have access to all those pieces of art, they’ll escape again.”
They ate in silence for a while. Mia wished she could turn back the clock and never get involved with Logan. Her life would be so much simpler if she’d stayed the course and only focused on the mission.
“Audrey mentioned the little side project you have them working on.”
“And?”
“Why didn’t you say anything to me about it?”
“I didn’t think I needed to run everything past you. I don’t need it sold. The Hurley painting is my apology to Logan.”
Jared chuckled. “You think giving an FBI agent a stolen painting is a good apology?”
“The painting is rightfully his family’s. I’m simply doing more of what I have been. Righting the wrongs of others.” She should feel prouder, more accomplished...more something. But since the day Logan had followed her, her victory had felt empty.
Her phone rang, and her heart stuttered, hoping to see a gif from Logan. It was a call from a blocked number. She figured it was her father. “Hello.”
“Honey. How are you? Is the connection good on your end this time? Can you hear me okay?”
“Yes, Daddy. I can hear you fine. I have a plan.”
“A plan for what?”
“I have a way for us to meet. Jared has a connection.” She flicked her eyes to her cousin who was staring intently at her. “He can forge documents. We can get you and Uncle Cesar new passports and IDs.”
“I have ID, sweetie. I need money.”
“I know. I can bring you money. I haven’t seen you in five years, when you snuck off in the night. I think I deserve a proper farewell.”
“It’s risky.”
“The FBI aren’t even really looking for you. Every six months or so, they stop by to ask if I’ve heard from you. That’s all.” Up until recently, that was true.
“What do you tell them?”
“That I haven’t heard from you.” She clenched her teeth and took a cleansing breath. “Please, Daddy. I’ll come to you with the new IDs and cash. At least enough to get you started. Then we can come up with a plan to get you the rest.” She lowered her voice as if someone else might be listening. “Caleb Small’s painting was just declared a forgery, too. Someone’s out to get you.”
“What? I haven’t heard from Caleb.”
“Everyone here is talking about it.”
“How soon can you get away?”
“I can probably have a flight booked for this weekend, assuming we can get the documents in time.”
“Can you bring the artwork? If I reach out to my friends, can you pack and bring at least a few pieces that I can sell here?”
“I think so? I’ll have to look into how I can do that without checking them. Could you imagine a priceless painting being banged around like Samsonite luggage?”
“Buy an extra seat in first class and carry them on. Cesar and I brought two when we left the country.”
Son of a bitch. At least she knew he trusted her because he was revealing more now than he had five years ago. “Let me see what I can do. Where do you want to meet?”
“How about Greece? We haven’t been there for years.”
“All right. Text me a number I can reach you at, and I’ll let you know when I have the art and my flight booked.”
“Thank you, kitten. I knew I could count on you.”
“Of course, Daddy.” It took a lot to not gag on the words. They disconnected and she turned to Jared. “We’ve got them.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It took more than a few days to coordinate all the moving pieces, but by the time they did, Mia had a plan of her own. A full week later, she was ready to go. She’d arranged to pick up the paintings from her father’s friends, which London had rushed the forgeries for. Those paintings would be sold just like the others. She had plans all around to make sure Dwayne Benson didn’t escape justice this time.
Her nerves were rocky because while she’d been working with the FBI over the course of the week to ensure everything was running right, she hadn’t had any interaction with Logan. Only a week and she missed him. Her phone sat mostly silent instead of pinging with random gifs to make her smile. Today, she would have to face him. He was accompanying her on the flight.
As if she couldn’t be trusted to complete her mission.
At eight a.m., her house was swarming with FBI agents. Her gut churned with memories of the last time she’d experienced this, when they came to arrest her father. This time, however, they were there for her. Stokes showed her the new passport and ID they’d created for her father and uncle.
Lewis ran down how they expected things to happen. When they landed in Athens, Logan would step back and follow Mia in case her father didn’t show at the airport like he was supposed to.
“I know you think he trusts you,” Lewis said, “but he’s cautious. There’s a possibility he’ll call to give you directions to meet him somewhere.”
“What if he does come to pick me up?”
“Local police and Interpol will arrest him on the spot.”
“And if I have to meet him?”
“Logan will follow at a discreet distance. Depending on where he wants to meet, we’ll grab him when it’s safe to do so.”
“So I might have to keep playing this game to convince him I’m on his side.” She breathed that idea in. It was one thing to do it over the phone, but something different having to face him.
“I have no doubt you can play the man. I’ve never met anyone with a poker face as good as yours,” Logan said.
Figures. The first words he spoke to her and they were an insult. At least she thought they were an insult.
Logan had picked up the two portfolio cases that held the paintings. Each case was plywood with a waterproof coating and reinforced hinges. She could carry them by their handles or wheel them behind her. As her father directed, they would stay with her instead of being checked as luggage.
Logan and Halloran opened each case and inspected the paintings.
“You have any idea if these are
real or fake?” Halloran asked.
Logan looked over at her. “I have no idea, but probably fake. Everything that Dwayne Benson has wanted has gone to shit.”
“But if they are real, and he gets away with these...”
“He won’t,” Mia said. She’d make sure of it.
“Why are we actually bringing these instead of carrying empty cases?” Halloran asked.
Even though she was sure the question was meant for Logan, she answered. “As you said, my father is cautious. If he asks to see the paintings, and the cases are empty, he’ll immediately know I betrayed him.”
“We don’t want to risk that given that he might open them in a public space. Although he’s never been violent, it’s a risk,” Logan added.
“He also hasn’t said if my uncle will be at the airport. I don’t want him to get away either.”
Halloran nodded. “Athens authorities will be there standing back in case you need help. Anything else we need to know before you head out?”
Logan and Mia both shook their heads. Agent Stokes drove them to the airport. They were all silent for most of the trip. When she pulled up to Departures, Stokes finally shifted in her seat to face Mia. “I know Logan made a deal with you, but if you do anything to fuck this up or put anyone in danger, I will lock your ass up.”
“There is no need to worry about me. I’ve been working toward this plan for the past five years. Let me remind you that it was my actions, not the FBI’s, that got us here. I may not be proud of what I’ve done to make it happen, but in this case, the ends absolutely justify the means.” She opened the car door, stepped out, and moved to the back to retrieve her bag and the paintings.
Logan reached in for one of the cases.
Mia cut him off. “I have it.”
“Fine.” He grabbed his own small backpack and followed her into the airport.
Once they were through security, Mia said she needed the restroom. Logan offered to keep her things, but that would negate her plan, so again, she told him she could handle it. She hustled to the restroom where she stood in front of the mirror and waited for Nikki to arrive.
If she hadn’t been looking for her, Mia would’ve missed Nikki. Today, she was a redhead who wore the image-altering glasses again. She set the new case down and grabbed Mia’s. Mia touched up her lipstick, taking a few extra moments to allow Nikki to clear the area, and then she returned to where Logan was waiting for them to board.
They called passengers for first class, and Mia stood. “Let’s go.”
Logan remained sitting. “The FBI doesn’t fly first class. We’re coach all the way.”
“Lucky for you I had you upgraded. I don’t want you accusing me of anything shady.”
“I don’t want your money.”
“And I don’t want you to look at me like I’m a criminal,” she whispered harshly.
“But you are a criminal,” he whispered back.
“Whatever. Sit in the cramped seats. Enjoy your tiny bag of peanuts. I’ll see you when we land.” She turned and stalked off. In all honesty, she’d upgraded him so they would have a chance to talk and clear the air.
Behind her, he heaved a heavy sigh that bordered on a grunt. “I’ve already broken so many rules with you, what’s one more?”
“It’s a rule that you have to suffer in coach?”
“This skates the line of a bribe.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, considering we have been seeing each other socially, and we’ve been intimate, I think the powers that be could assume I just wanted to sit with my boyfriend.”
As soon as she said the words, she wanted to reel them back in. Luckily, the line was moving and they were through the gate and on the plane without her having to look at him. In first class, she debated where to set the paintings. She had two seats together and one across the aisle. She could sit beside the paintings or she could sit beside Logan. Without too much more thought, she set the cases across the aisle and buckled them in. Then she scooted over to the window seat. Logan would take the seat beside her, but she was immediately reconsidering the seating arrangement. He was still contentious, and spending the next twelve-plus hours trapped in close proximity might not have been her best idea.
Once settled, she pulled her notebook and laptop from her bag. She had plenty to do for her exhibit, and since she was going to miss a few days of work, she planned to accomplish some things remotely. Takeoff was smooth and Mia began sketching out her ideas for the layout of the exhibit. Ultimately it would be the team’s design, but she’d been envisioning this exhibit since she first pitched it.
Logan sat beside her with an open paperback. However, she couldn’t help but notice that he hadn’t turned the page once. “Is the book that bad?”
“Huh?” He turned and looked at her.
“You’ve been staring at the same page since you sat down. If the book isn’t holding your interest, maybe you should try another one.”
He closed the book and she saw it was a spy thriller. Figured.
“I’ve got a lot on my mind.” He shook his head. “No. Mostly it’s you.”
“Me?” She closed her sketchpad and twisted in her seat. “I thought I’d be the last thing on your mind.”
“You should be and that’s part of the problem. I genuinely like you, Mia, and it’s bugging the shit out of me.”
Heat rose in her cheeks and she smiled. “I like you, too. That wasn’t part of the plan.”
“What was the plan? String me along until you could blow up my case?” He kept his voice low, even though the cabin wasn’t full.
“No. At first, I just wanted to have an idea of how close you were to figuring out what I was doing. I didn’t have a plan to change your course. It was just about protecting myself.”
“And your team.”
“Hypothetically.”
“How long has this been going on?”
She considered his question. It might not be wise to be honest with him, but they needed to air things out. “The beginning of the summer.”
“Why?”
“I told you why. While I might have omitted certain things from our conversations, I didn’t lie to you. I hate what my father did. My anger worsened when it became obvious that the FBI couldn’t do anything to bring him to justice. I want justice for his victims. I want to feel good about my name.” She probably wasn’t explaining it as well as she could, but she didn’t know how to make him understand the need to overcome the looks and whispers and know she’d done the right thing.
“Your father disappeared five years ago. Why now?”
“Because I turned thirty in December. That gave me access to the trust fund my mother had set up for me. I’ve been using that money to fund my project. The profits have all gone to the victims.”
“If you’re spending your money anyway, why not just cut them checks?”
She was really getting tired of that question. Maybe that would’ve been the quick solution, but it wasn’t the best. “Partially because my inheritance isn’t that big. Mostly, it’s because I wanted those men to suffer the same humiliation I’ve lived with for years. They are as guilty as my father and uncle, but no one is going after them. They shouldn’t get away with profiting from his activities. They’re still thriving.”
The thought made her angry all over. She and her mother had paid a bigger price than any of her father’s friends. “My mother had to take an early retirement because no one would trust her as their lawyer. For months, any time we showed our faces in public we received ridicule. As if we had no right to live our lives. And so much of that came from the very people we once considered friends.”
“So it’s about revenge.”
She’d danced around the topic plenty, but she was at the point that she was fine owning it. “Yes. Sometimes an eye for an eye is justice.”
&nb
sp; “But not legal.”
“The law isn’t always right.” It seemed as though they would always be at this impasse. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I truly am. But I don’t regret what I’ve done. It’s gotten us here, and so many people who were struggling because of my family are now breathing a little easier. I can’t be sorry for that.”
Heaviness pressed on her chest. She wanted to reach out and touch him, hold him close, feel the safety in his arms. She swallowed past the tightness of her throat. “Please know that if we met at any other time in our lives, I would’ve fallen head over heels in love with you. In a very short time, you made me happy. You enabled me—for a while—to be myself, let my guard down and enjoy life. For that, I thank you. For the first time in years, I feel like I can have happiness in my future. That’s a gift I can never repay.”
She didn’t think her words would have much impact on him, but she needed him to know that their relationship meant something to her.
“Another time or place, Mia, and I’d be all over that.” His voice held the same sorrow she felt.
She cleared her throat and reopened her notebook. Her heart had been broken numerous times, and she knew she’d survive. But she couldn’t help but wish she would’ve met Logan somewhere down the road, when her father was behind bars and she was free from his shadow.
Maybe someday.
* * *
Logan was miserable. He had been for more than a week now. He’d missed Mia and sitting beside her, within reach without having the right to touch her, was torture. He kept thinking about what Mae had said. Could he forgive what Mia had done? Might still be doing? She wasn’t looking for forgiveness. She admitted to having no regrets.
He turned on the TV screen in front of him to choose a movie. The first one advertised was Ocean’s 8. Seriously? Was this the universe sending him a message?
He got it. Mia wasn’t a criminal in order to line her own pockets. To a certain degree what she was doing was noble.
But it was still illegal and he was an officer of the law. There was no way for them to be together, existing on opposite sides. He wasn’t willing to walk away from his career.
To Catch a Thief--A High Stakes Romantic Suspense Page 27