“Do you see anything?”
Glenna’s voice startled him, luckily he’d just sat his cup down. Finn was fixated on Effie as she moved around the Bistro talking to the patrons. She looked like she belonged in a parade on Main Street Disney with the rest of Tinkerbell’s friends.
“No, just keeping an eye out. They may have gone back to New York now you’ve set the ball in motion by posting on your art forum you may have something to share at the gala. But they could be here watching for all we know.”
Glenna glanced around. Her gaze pausing on each of the single men in turn. None of them looked like the men they’d seen on line. Most were either fiddling with their smart phone, tablet or on their laptops. Seemed that was the new look of the millenniums.
What ever happened to conversation?
“I’ve been trying to think of all the times I’ve ran into them over the years. They’ve never given me a second glance. Even though I don’t come from money, I do run in the same collector groups and belong too many of the same associations. Yet, until I came on their radar with the Madonna and Child I doubt they’d ever heard of Glenna’s Surprisingly Vintage.
“The one thing I do remember of my impressions is of spoiled, rich, and self-absorbed men, who have nothing better to do than hang at the gym in the mornings and spend their evenings with booze and women, most likely not their wives, and I’m sure gambling. And what bigger gamble than to pit yourselves against the law to steal famous artifacts?”
“You know when we first came to the conclusion Raymond and his friends may be our art theft ring, I’ve had my doubts but the more we talk it through the more it’s not sounding like such an implausible idea. They’re bored and this is a hobby for them.”
“Exactly.”
Finn finally focused on the conversation, or maybe he’d been listening the entire time. “Sounds like some of the spoiled kids at school, the ones who live in the big houses on the hill. The things they do because as they say there’s nothing to do in this valley. Mostly they tend to do recreational drugs and race their cars out in the sticks where the law won’t be around.”
Patrick had been about to question how Finn knew these things, then realized it had been the same when he went to school. There were the same social levels as there was in everyday society. You had your street thugs, your middle class band geeks or football jocks, then you had your holier than thou rich who thought they were above it all.
“Can I get you another round?” Effie startled the three of them out of their thoughts. Then she raised her voice to carry over the shop. “Then I’ll grab my laptop and we’ll go over the mock up ads for the shops.”
“Great, because we need to get going. We have a lot to do before I take Patrick and Finn home to meet The Elders.”
Effie’s eyes widen and she took on an even more elfish aura, if that were possible. “I knew you were taking a trip.” She wiggled her brow in a you know kind of clandestine way. “You’re taking them to the family? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“Actually,” Patrick began, but Glenna placed a hand on his arm.
“Let’s get our drinks and we’ll talk while were looking at the graphics Karen sent you.”
They figured if they mixed business with the switch if anyone was watching, they’d think it was just that, business. Glenna had explained earlier that because of their shop proximity they came up with slogans to share cost of ads. Coffee and Art, sort of stuff. They encouraged their customers to stop for a cuppa and then browse the antiques.
Effie paused in indecision, clearly she was curious. She bit her lip and started to walk away, then turned her face squished, the only term he could think of, up in consternation. Then with resolve she twirled in a kaleidoscope of shimmering colors and went to get drinks and the laptop. A few minutes later a chair had been pulled over and drinks and laptops covered the table.
“Before we do anything, I want to hear.”
Patrick raised a brow at Glenna. This was her friend, her news. Finn grinned like a fool. He was worried his son would be hurt if Glenna didn’t return their love and she walked away when all of this was over.
He’d seen love in her eyes, and he would take the risk.
“Sometime today would be good,” Effie said.
Glenna reached around her screen to grab Finn’s hand, and then did the same to Patrick with her other hand. She smiled, and his stomach did a little jig when he saw her eyes glisten. Her throat worked with emotion, and he knew where her heart was concerned, he needn’t have worried.
“We’re going to be a family.”
“Shut the front door!” Effie’s voice could probably be heard at the nation’s capital. “You mean the two of you are getting married?”
“And she’s adopting me!” Finn added.
Which was the first either Glenna or Patrick had heard that. Not that the thought hadn’t woven its way through his thoughts. After all, Joyce had never been his mother and never would be. He needed a mother.
“That’s exactly what it means.” Even though they were still doing the couple trial might as well starting thinking in larger terms.
“Oh, I’m so happy for you.”
Effie slid out of her chair to give Glenna a hug and then she put her arm around Finn and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and his face flushed. Effie gave him a hug also, her small arm barely able to cross his back. The other patrons were starting to take notice, and he wasn’t sure if that were a good thing. Though they were prepared for the switch to be seamless, the less attention the better.
“When you get back from The Elders let’s do lunch.”
“We may have to have a picnic at the shop, it’s opening the day after we return.”
“Have you had any calls from the ad for an assistant?”
“Not yet, but it’s only been a few days. I hope to have someone by the time I get home. The marvel of cell phones, you can be anywhere to conduct business. I’ll have to do phone interviews.”
“If you’d like, I could conduct the follow up interview with anyone you like.” Effie sipped her, whatever the foamy concoction was. “Let’s decide on an ad, then I better get back to work, the place is filling up for our busy hour.”
Finn and Patrick talked a bit about the upcoming trip while Glenna and Effie busied themselves looking through the graphics. He knew when they found something, they both gasped at the same time and said, “This one.”
“That was easy, no discussion or anything,” said Finn. “Man. No two girls at my school can ever agree on anything, it is so annoying.”
Patrick wasn’t sure if he needed to be concerned about Finn’s interest in girls or not. The last little while his son had been talking a lot about the opposite gender, in particular his friend Rebekah. Was he ready for Finn to have a girlfriend? He glanced over at Glenna who was currently busy tapping in an email. His gut jumped and his whole body tightened in wanting.
No, Finn was not ready for these feelings. And what? He was sixteen. The age of raging hormones. Good God, Patrick was so not ready.
“Okay, we’ll let you get back to work, we need to head out.” Glenna’s voice brought him out of his musings, and he was ready to be pulled from them. He would think about his son growing up later. When they’d wrapped up the case.
Glenna and Effie slid their laptops back into each other’s cases, as they were identical and left them on the table. Glenna gave her friend a hug, then Effie, being Effie, gave Patrick and Finn big hugs also.
“Have a safe trip.”
Then she picked up Glenna’s case and walked to the back.
And Glenna grabbed the other bag went to the car. Switch done and hopefully none the wiser. Effie would put the art in her safe in the back of the store. Safe for now.
Chapter Twenty
“Hurry Finn we’ve got an hour drive to the airport.”
Patrick held the back door open for Glenna she maneuvered past him juggling her carry on, laptop bag, while pulling her
big suitcase. She glanced up and saw his raised brow.
“What?”
“We’re only going to be gone a week.”
She looked at her case, it wasn’t that big. “I was frugal with my outfits, and I talked to Jessica and she has a gown for me to wear to the Gala so I didn’t have to pack one.”
“Well thank heavens for that.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are we being sarcastic?”
He threw his free hand over his heart. “Promise, I am truly grateful. I’m not sure we have room for one more bag.”
She paused considering him for a moment. Then just continued to the back of the 4Runner only to find that Patrick had been serious. And he had felt the need to remind her they’d only be gone a week. Good grief, what was with all these bags?
“Here let me put those in. You can keep your carry-on in the front seat with you.”
Though she knew he meant it as a question, it came more like a statement. While he figured out how to stow her bag, she opened the passenger door and put her carry-on and laptop on the seat, then went to do one last sweep of the house. She passed Finn on the way, his back pack slung over one shoulder. No bag, she glanced back at Patrick staring at the back of the SUV with concentration trying to arrange everything. Finn must have brought out his bag earlier.
Agnes was staying with her second favorite person, if Glenna was still the first, Effie. Agnes seemed to think they were the same species, which Glenna admitted sometimes Effie did resemble a feline. When she wasn’t going for the Tinkerbell or elf look.
Horace was in the local Doggy Day Care so that Patrick’s parents didn’t have to worry about him. And he would have other friends to play with. They’d checked on her house after they’d dropped him off. Mr. Grumpy Pants had no new snoopers, as he’d called them, to report.
Glenna wore a smile as she climbed into her side of the SUV. She tossed a look over her shoulder to see Finn already fastened in, his nose stuck in his smart phone tapping away.
She felt Patrick’s gaze on her. She turned to him and he grinned. “Ready for our first family vacation?”
“I’d hardly call it a vacation, we’re going to be working.”
“Yeah, but it is going to be a blast,” Finn said. “I get to go to the range with Dad and I am going to meet the famous Elders.” Apparently, Finn was paying more attention than she’d thought.
“What he said.” Patrick pulled out on to the street. “It will be good to see Tyler and Keira, and then there’s the range…”
“It must be a guy thing. I see nothing fun about firing guns and hiding around buildings shooting at silhouettes and trying figure out which are good silhouettes and which are the bad ones.” She gave a chuckle. “Like, are you a good witch or a bad witch.”
She felt both of them staring at her, she turned to Patrick. “What?”
“I’m damn glad you chuckle and don’t giggle.”
“Yeah, giggling girls are annoying.”
“I did giggle.”
“No that was a definite chuckle.”
“Yeah, chuckle.”
She really didn’t pay attention whether she laughed, chuckled, or giggled. But apparently she didn’t giggle. Which brought her to the thought they were going to New York to catch a ring of rich spoiled men who had a hobby of stealing art and had no apparent qualms of killing if someone got in the way. And they were talking about chuckling.
“Okay, where did you just go?”
“I was thinking that we are embarking on what could be a very dangerous trip and we’re making light of things.”
“Glenna, that’s how you make it through the day. If you didn’t find humor and good in the everyday stuff, then you’d never survive. When it’s time I’ll be focused. But we’re on our way to the airport and we’re a family.” He paused as if waiting to see if she were going to contradict him. “Anyone watching, like the van following us, don’t turn, wouldn’t know that we’re going to New York for anything other than pleasure.”
“They’re following us?”
Finn answered before Patrick could. “Yeah, they were parked in the same place they were Friday when we saw them.”
She inhaled, she could do this also. She’d known they would probably be followed. Having it confirmed caused a ripple of unease to run over her. She was not used to this cat and mouse stuff. How did her family handle it?
Like Patrick.
They found the humor and good in the everyday…
*****
Bags boarded. They settled in the waiting area for their flight, Glenna eased out a sigh of a relief. Part one of their journey down. She reminded herself to think of normal things, and her mind wandered to the other day on the way home from switching the art with Effie. When they’d stopped at Patrick’s family home.
His parents hadn’t thought anything amiss about their whirlwind courtship, took it in stride as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. Their warm welcome still made her smile. They were excited to have another daughter they’d said. After Margaret Kathleen, they’d wanted another child but had never been blessed with one. But then his dad had remarked how they had barely been able to keep up with the two they had.
“Now this is what I like to see, a smile on that beautiful face. What are you thinking now?”
“About your parents. They didn’t ask any questions, just took it in their stride we’re a couple.”
“Dad did take me aside and give me the talk…”
“Ah, doesn’t he realize you already know about the birds and the bees? You already have Finn.”
It was Patrick’s turn to chuckle. “A talk about how women like a little bling.”
“Bling?”
“Yeah, Da is always trying to keep with the times you know. He wanted to know when I would be giving you a ring. I explained that with everything going on, I hadn’t had the chance to pick up one up and when I was in the hospital I had to ask you then, instead of doing it as I’d planned.”
“As you’d planned?”
“I told him I had planned out a big production. But the beating made me realize life is too short and I couldn’t wait.”
His green eyes returned her stare. She read in them sincerity and love. Emotion clogged her throat and she couldn’t say anything.
“Hey, let’s not cry. I’m not good with crying women.”
She swallowed. “I’m scared.”
“I know. We don’t know what we’ll find in New York, I’m sure they know you’ll be at the Gala. After all, they’ve seen you at these functions in the past. Only they don’t realize you know who they are.”
“No.” She smiled at him and put her hand on his cheek. “I’m scared because I’m falling so hard for you, Finn, and the rest of your family. I’m scared I’ll mess it up. And I’ll hurt you or I’ll be hurt.”
“Love’s worth the risk.”
“Yes.”
“Hey guys, could you knock that lovey-dovey stuff off? You’re embarrassing the kid here.”
Her hand dropped, but warmth spread through her body and she was sure her fair skin had turned an unbecoming shade of puce. The overhead announced their flight, a good time to gather her things. Patrick did things to her that made her forget where she was. The gate area of a very public airport was not the place to have an intimate moment.
Finn and Patrick were two large to curl themselves into middle or window seats, hence the isle seats and Glenna didn’t mind the middle. Once everything was stowed it was only a matter of moments before the plane was in order for take-off. They had planned to go through pictures of the four men, who hit the European news often, so all three of them would recognize them.
Although it hadn’t been completely confirmed, Glenna had a deep-to-her-core belief the four were who they were looking to set up with their bait.
None of them looked like a criminals but The Black Cats were. Reagan had found the name on the Dark Web, though they’re real names weren’t used, the descriptions and backgr
ound fit to perfection.
Reagan had found a tidbit about how, at times, they would contact someone who knew the area well to be their driver. Places the men weren’t familiar with, Calistoga a good example as all were from the UK.
*****
The flight had gone by in a flash, much to Patrick’s delight. He hated flying. He did not have the build that folded comfortably into a business class seat. He leaned his head in and breathed in the scent that was all Glenna, fresh, young, with a hint of berries. He turned his attention to his son who currently had his head back on the head rest, head set on, mouth open slightly snoring.
At least they had been able to sleep. His mind had been too busy going over the plan to get close to the men so they could over hear their discussion about selling the art or giving it back to the country of origin. At least now they knew who to get close to, the problem would be not reacting.
When the pilot announced the descent, he nudged the two sleepy heads awake to start gathering their bags, laptops, phones, and anything else. Glenna came awake slowly, her eyes blinked, then slid down again she sighed and snuggled into him again.
Finn came awake instantly stretched the best he could in the confined area, grinned at his dad, ready for their grand adventured.
“Hey, should we just sit here and go to the next destination?”
Glenna didn’t move, just hummed deep in her throat, more growl. His gut twisted as desire shot through him. He shifted in his seat, now was not the time to have an erection. Until he’d met Glenna, it really hadn’t been a problem. Now however it popped up at the most inappropriate times.
Again she stirred and this time she sat up and rubbed her eyes, breathed in deep and finally opened her eyes and gave him a sexy sleepy grin.
“Good morning.” Then her brow furrowed. “I slept? I never sleep on planes. I didn’t snore or drool or anything did I?”
“Terribly, the entire plane rumbled. And look at my shoulder, it’s drenched in drool.”
Her eyes widened and shot to his shoulder, before she realized he was joking. She gave him a punch in the arm.
Abandoned (The Beckett Series Book 6) Page 22
