by Marie Astor
“Just one more thing.” Ham paused to clear his throat. “Given the complexity of this case, I’ve decided to add Tina to the staff.”
“Fine, sure.” Dennis nodded. “We could use an extra body to help out with the workload while we’re tied up on the Bassand case.”
“I’m putting Tina on the Bassand case,” Ham said firmly. “I discussed it with Agent Norris and he approved the idea.”
Dennis looked like he was about to have steam start coming out of his ears. “What? Why on earth would you suggest that? What value could she possibly add?”
“Garrett needs an escort for his meeting with Bassand. Apparently attractive agents trained in marital arts are a hot commodity at the bureau and they didn’t have anyone available on such short notice. Tina fits the bill, so she’s getting the job. Case closed,” Ham said firmly.
“She’s with the agency, what, not even a month? And already you’re giving her a high-profile case? For crying out loud, you’d have a better chance putting Laskin in her place.”
“Laskin in a wig and evening dress? I don’t think he’d pass for Garrett’s girlfriend.” Ham chuckled. “I knew you’d get upset, so I wanted to give you a heads up. You have until three p.m. to simmer down.”
“Thanks for ruining my day.” Dennis got up from his chair. “I’ll be in my office if you need me. Oh, sorry, I’ll be in the office I’m forced to share with Janet, if you need me.”
“Quit your complaining, Walker. You can share your office with Janet until we finish the Bassand case.”
“Until we finish the case?” Dennis asked. “You said we’d be moving to new offices at the end of the month.”
“I know what I said. But with the Bassand case being so high profile, we can’t afford the distraction of the move, so I postponed it by two months—it should be over by then.”
“At the rate things are going, it’ll be over sooner than that—the moment Bassand sees Tina with Garrett, he’ll know something is up,” Dennis grumbled.
“Enough of this nonsense!” Ham slammed his palm on his desk. “You’re supposed to all be working together and that means helping each other out. If Tina’s cover gets blown, I’m holding you personally accountable.”
“That’s not fair!” Dennis exclaimed, sounding like a five-year-old. “What am I supposed to do, babysit her?”
“I doubt that will be necessary,” Ham said dryly. “In fact, there are a few things you could learn from her. Sharing your experience, however, is part of the assignment—you’ve been in enough undercover operations to have valuable input.”
“Thank you for that. I’ll do my best. May I leave now?” Dennis asked. “I have a lot to do. The three p.m. meeting doesn’t leave me much time to start training Tina.”
“Yes, you may leave now.” Ham nodded. “And no more sulking. Janet, talk some sense into him, will ya?”
“Not to worry, Ham. We’re all going to work as a team on this,” Janet said readily as she rose to leave.
“Thanks for having my back in there,” Dennis muttered once he and Janet were back in their office.
“Come on, you’re being ridiculous. If Ham thinks Tina should be on the case, who are we to object?” Janet countered.
“It’s all fine and dandy making decisions from a cushy office chair, but we’re the ones putting our necks on the line here—”
There was a knock and the door opened. “Am I interrupting?” Tina poked her head through the door.
“Not at all,” Janet assured her. “We were just going to start prepping for our meeting with Agent Norris. Ham told us you’ve been assigned to the case—we can all work together now.”
“Great.” Tina smiled nervously. “It’s my first big assignment. I’m going to take lots of notes.”
“Look, I don’t know what you did to get yourself on this case, but if you think it’s going to be a walk in the park, you’re mistaken,” Dennis growled. “Bassand is a dangerous criminal—it’s a serious investigation, not a thrill seeking adventure.”
Tina’s eyebrows knitted together in a furrowed line. “Look, I don’t know what it is that you have against me, but I’ve had it with your needling. I get it, you’re intimidated by a female who can kick your butt, but that doesn’t give you the license to push me around. I’ve won more martial arts tournaments than you can count on your fingers, I’ve taught self-defense classes, I’m equally good with a shotgun and a rifle, and I have my PI license. I’d say it’ll take a fraction of these credentials to pretend to be some playboy’s girlfriend. The real reason Ham wants me on the case is to have your backs.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dennis demanded.
“In case your cover gets blown, I’ll be there to protect you and Janet while the FBI gets there. That’s what it means, genius,” Tina snapped.
“Ham didn’t mention anything of the kind—I have no idea where you got this from,” Dennis retorted.
“Ham told me so himself. And I told him that I could do the job, which is what I’m going to do. Now, if you decide to grow up, you can join me in my office.” Tina turned on her heels and headed for the door, slamming it behind her.
“Happy now?” Janet asked, shaking her head. “Did you have to piss her off?”
“What? You’re on her side?”
“There are no sides! There’s only one side—ours. I just want to finish this case successfully and move on,” Janet said.
“So do I. We’ve been working our tails off, and he goes and puts Tina on a high-profile case just like that without even asking us? We’re the ones sticking our necks out here, and we’ll be the ones to pay if anything goes wrong. Ham could’ve at least given us the courtesy of asking what we think.”
“Tina’s fighting skills are way better than yours and mine combined.”
“No need to rub it in,” Dennis grumbled.
“Oh, please—would you stop being so vain? I, for one, will be happy to know she’ll be there to have our backs.”
“Well, if you put it that way—”
Janet rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s go—we have lots of work to do before our meeting at three.”
“Where are we going?” Dennis asked innocently.
“I thought it was obvious—to apologize to Tina and to get our act together. We want to be prepared for our three p.m. meeting with the FBI.”
Janet moved for the door, but Dennis lagged behind.
She turned around and placed her hands on her hips. “Are you coming?”
“I don’t see why you have to drag me in there,” Dennis grumbled. “I don’t have anything specific to discuss. Can’t we just cover everything that needs coverage at our three p.m. with Agent Norris?”
“No, we can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you were incredibly rude to Tina and because I’m not having us look like a bunch of unorganized amateurs to the bureau.”
Janet headed for Tina and Laskin’s office and this time Dennis knew better than to linger.
Janet rapped her fingers on the door.
“Come in,” Laskin’s voice carried through the door.
“Crap,” Dennis muttered. “I’m not apologizing to her in front of Laskin. Not going to happen.”
“You’ll do what’s right and what’s needed to get our job done.” Janet glared at Dennis and swung open the door.
Laskin and Tina were poring over several thick binders. Tina looked up from the pile of papers in front of her to give them a quick smile and turned her attention back to her work.
“Hey guys.” Laskin swung around in his chair. “Tina was just helping me out with something, but I know Ham has her working with you on this big case you’ve got, so I’ll finish up on my own.”
“Thanks, Peter.” Janet smiled. “You’re a pal.”
“Just being part of a team,” Laskin said cheerfully.
Tina looked up from her work. “Just let me know what you need me to do, Janet,” she said, avoiding looking at
Dennis.
“Thanks, Tina. But first, Dennis has something to say,” Janet added, casting a meaningful glance at Dennis.
Dennis rocked back on his heels. “Right, well, why don’t we go to a conference room—we’ll have more space in there. Wouldn’t want to disturb Peter here.”
Laskin caught on instantly. “I needed a coffee break anyway, so I’ll pop outside to clear my mind. Don’t work Tina too hard—we don’t want her quitting on us.” Laskin patted Dennis on the shoulder. “See you in a few,” he added, heading for the door.
Once the door closed behind Laskin, Janet nudged Dennis with her elbow. “Now would be a good time to tell Tina what you wanted to tell her.”
Dennis cleared his throat. “It seems I’ve been forgetting my manners lately, and I’m sorry about that. The truth is, I find you a little bit intimidating—okay, a lot intimidating. And I’m sorry if I’ve been out of line—” he paused, as Janet nudged him. “Okay, I admit—I have been out of line and I apologize for that. We’re going to be working together and getting the case successfully resolved takes precedence. Please accept my apology.”
Janet shook her head. “He can be a lot more persuasive when he wants to. But Tina, will you do us all a favor and accept Dennis’s apology, such as it is? I personally promise to keep an eye on him.”
Tina nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. “There’s no need to apologize. I’m used to this kind of reaction, and I’m not one for holding grudges. I say we put this behind us and move on with the case. Can you guys brief me on the case so I’m up to date?”
Dennis exhaled with relief. “Thank you for that. I promise to stop being a jackass. Now, here’s what we learned from meeting with Bassand last night—”
***
At three p.m. sharp, Janet, Dennis, and Tina were seated in the gray-upholstered chairs of the FBI conference room, waiting for Agent Norris to join them. Prior to being escorted upstairs, they had been vetted by the security guards downstairs and were told by the secretary who ushered them into the conference room that Agent Norris would join them shortly.
“I can’t believe we’re actually going to meet Daniel Garrett,” Tina gushed. “I don’t even know what he looks like—the man invented one of the most used Internet search engines and you never see his face anywhere.”
“He must have his reasons for it,” Dennis said. “If you have that much money in the bank, the last thing you want is people knowing what you look like or where you live. And he’s got the perfect means to preserve his anonymity—if anyone has the bandwidth to police the Internet, it’s Garrett.”
“Must be a lonely existence,” Janet mused. “Imagine constantly having to look over your shoulder, wondering what everyone wants from you?”
“I’m sure the inconveniences he has to put up with are more than compensated for by his net worth,” Dennis replied. “Not too many people can afford to donate Monet’s paintings.”
“And even those who can aren’t too eager to make such generous gifts or put themselves into a potentially dangerous situation for the greater good,” Tina pointed out. “I thought it was extremely brave of him to offer his help to the FBI to get to Bassand.”
“Agreed.” Dennis nodded. “As long as he’s not some bored adrenaline junkie looking for kicks. Because then things could become dangerous.”
“You’ve got a point,” Janet agreed. “I didn’t think of that. But I don’t think the bureau would’ve picked him if that was the case.”
“You never know,” Dennis countered. “The bureau wants to catch Bassand and it’s not like they are sending their own agents into the field. We’ll just have to watch our backs. Still, the tactic worked—the minute Bassand heard Garrett’s name, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. And then that hoopla with the Eternal Light sealed the deal. I just want to know how the bureau plans to come up with the diamond.”
“You mean they didn’t tell you?” Tina asked.
“We’ve only been told the essential details,” Janet explained.
Tina’s eyes widened. “But how—”
Tina didn’t get to finish her question, as the conference room door opened and Agent Norris walked inside. He was accompanied by a handsome young man dressed in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved polo shirt. Despite his simple attire, the man had an air of innate authority about him that made it clear he was used to being in charge. He was six feet tall, with a sinewy, muscled build. His face was equally attractive with a straight nose, dark blue eyes, and a strong, square jaw.
“Good afternoon.” Agent Norris closed the door behind them. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the progress on the Bassand case. But before we discuss the case, allow me to introduce Mr. Daniel Garrett. Mr. Garrett, these are the private agency investigators I told you about who are helping us with the Bassand case—Janet Maple, Dennis Walker, and Tina Sloan.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you all. And please, call me Dan. I hope that I can be of use to you in this very difficult case that you’re working on. I’m sure I have much to learn from all of you.” Garrett spoke in a tone that combined both strength and humility, which made him instantly likeable.
Janet exchanged an imperceptible nod with Dennis—of course first impressions could be misleading, but so far Daniel Garrett looked like someone they could trust.
“You’re being very generous and we are very grateful for your help,” Janet said humbly.
Garrett smiled. “I haven’t done anything yet to earn your praise, but thank you. I hope I can live up to it.”
“On the contrary—you’ve helped us tremendously already,” Dennis interjected. “I wish you were there to see Bassand’s face when he heard your name—he was practically salivating at the prospect of setting his foot inside your mansion. And of course the mention of the Eternal Light got the hook in even further.”
“I’m glad to hear it. To tell you the truth,” Garrett shot a quick glance at Agent Norris, “and I don’t mean this as an offense to the bureau’s efforts, I was starting to lose hope for the Monet to ever be recovered. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to hear that you and Janet stumbled upon the painting by sheer luck. I intended it to hang at the Met for people to enjoy, not for Bassand to profit by stealing it. Refuse like Bassand belongs in jail.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said Agent Norris. “And no need to worry about insulting the bureau—I’ll be the first to say that we could’ve done a much better job on this. But the problem is that when you have a case overlapping this many jurisdictions, too many agencies get involved and it’s difficult to operate quickly with this much red tape. But now, with your help, Daniel, I think we really have a chance,” Agent Norris concluded, switching his attention to Janet and Dennis. “Before we move to the next step, Janet and Dennis, I think it’ll be useful for all of us to hear the account of your meeting with Bassand last night. Janet, could you or Dennis take us through the sequence of events?”
“Of course,” Janet replied. “And here’s a written report we prepared for your records.” Janet began a detailed, but succinct summary of their meeting with Bassand. “That’s where we left it,” Janet concluded.
“You should’ve seen Leonard’s face,” Dennis cut in, “he thought the bureau had supernatural powers to get access to Eternal Light in Daniel Garrett’s mansion, nonetheless.”
“When push comes to shove, we do have our resources,” Agent Norris said humbly.
“Which brings me to my next question,” Dennis continued, “do you actually have the Eternal Light?”
“Yes,” Garrett replied. “The diamond is in my collection now. The plan was, and still is, to put it up for auction and for the proceeds to go to cancer research. I’m going to hold a gala at my estate in Bedford to drum up the interest before the auction. Bassand will not be disappointed.”
Agent Norris nodded. “And you’re going to need an escort—meet your fiancée, Christina Sloan.”
“I look forward to working with you
, Dan,” Tina said and stuck out her hand.
“As do I, Miss Sloan.” Garrett’s eyes locked on Tina’s, as he took her hand in his.
“It’s Tina, please. If we’re going to portray an engaged couple, we have to get comfortable with each other to convince Bassand,” she said matter-of-factly.
Good girl, Janet rooted inwardly for Tina. Even though she was happily married to Dennis, Janet couldn’t deny that Daniel Garrett was a very handsome and charming man—no woman, single or married, could deny that. She just hoped that Tina would stay focused on the job and Garrett wouldn’t try to pull a fast one. The two of them might be pretending to be in love to fool Bassand, but hanky panky was the last thing they could afford to jeopardize the case.
“Right,” said Agent Norris. “Now with the rest of the details—my understanding is that the invitations for the reception have already been sent out?”
Garrett nodded. “Yes—at the time I had no idea that I would be entertaining a notorious art thief. Do we need more time to prepare? I could postpone the event and ask my secretary to send out a new date.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,” said Agent Norris. “We wouldn’t want Bassand to get alarmed. Granted, this schedule is tight, but we’ll just have to work with it. As we discussed previously, Bassand will be given an invitation for a private tour—so you and Tina, your fiancée, will spend some time with him before the gala. This way we can observe him and get a better idea of his plans.” Agent Norris turned his attention to Janet and Dennis. “Janet and Dennis, your objective is to maintain contact with Bassand to ensure that he doesn’t lose interest.”
Janet nodded. “Understood. We’ll keep Bassand on the hook, which shouldn’t be that hard to do. He was so excited about finally getting his hands on the Eternal Light, he was practically salivating by the time we finished talking with him.”
“Good. Let’s make sure he stays that way,” said Agent Norris. “I’ll brief you on any additional details as needed.” Agent Norris’s gaze shifted to Tina and Daniel Garrett. “Given the short time frame we’re operating under, the two of you should get to know each other as quickly as possible. Daniel, it may be useful if you could provide a written profile for Tina to get familiar with the main events in your life—as you are a public figure, we have to stick to your real life bio. Tina, we already prepared your cover as Daniel Garrett’s fiancée. You come from a wealthy family that made its money in commercial real estate. Your grandfather is the one who made the fortune and invested it into a trust fund. You have a degree in art history and you met Daniel on vacation in Florence, Italy where you bumped into him admiring the same painting in a small art gallery while he was traveling incognito. It sounds romantic, yet vague enough to avoid too many questions. You have been dating secretly for several months, and now Daniel has asked you to marry him. It’s all in here for you to get familiar with and commit to memory.” Agent Norris placed two manila folders on the table.
