“Hey.” Then he stepped away and she felt his eyes travel from her hair where’s she’d pulled into a knot on the top of her head, down to her peacock blue toenails. “Wow. I’m going to be the envy of every red blooded male at the gala.”
He held out his elbow to escort her as if she were at the entrance of a ballroom instead of leaving the bathroom.
“I think I better keep you to myself. Let’s turn some music on, we can dance here. I don’t want to share you.”
Happiness bubbled, replacing the last drop of sour in her stomach. “Sounds delightful. But let’s get the bad guys taken care of first. Then I’ll save all my dances for you.”
He looked so disappointed, a laugh burst out before she could control it. She gathered up her clutch.
“Oh, did Beckworth call while I was getting ready?”
“Yes, I was going to wait to tell you after the event.”
She stilled, a feeling of unease traveled over her. “What happened?”
“They missed whoever it was, though Mr. Grumpy Pants is sure it was the young fop. I’m sorry Glenna, they said he pretty much trashed your place and then moved on to your shop.”
“My shop? Did he break things there?”
“Whoever it was must have had a key. There was no damage to the door. Beckworth said that a few of the boxes in your office were strewn all over the place, but nothing broken. They were apparently in the process of going through the closet with the secret door when Beckworth arrived. The guy must have heard them and slipped into to the showroom. As the officers came in the back door, they saw the closet was opened and went to investigate giving the culprit plenty of time to escape out the front.”
“I’ve never given anyone other than Effie a key, there hasn’t been a need.” She sighed and rubbed a thumb between her brows. “I did have a spare key at the cottage. The guy must have found my keys and used them.”
“Now your smile has turned to a frown and I’m sorry for that. I wish I could shield you from all the unhappiness.”
She drew in a deep breath, something she’d been doing a lot of since her failed wedding day. Enough was enough already.
“Well life isn’t always going to be rosy. But let’s grab every bit of happiness we can. Let’s go have a good time. Drop a few more hints. The Black Cats know we have the art, so let’s let them know where and when they can find it. It will be like a puzzle and if they put it all together they’ll win the prize.”
“Except we’ll be the real winners because we’ll be the ones to nab them before they get away with the treasure.”
“Come on, I feel like dancing.”
A few minutes later, they stood at the entrance into the Manhattan Ballroom at the New York Grand Hyatt. Spectacular was all she could say. These artsy types knew how to throw a party. She glanced up in time to see Patrick’s amazed expression a second before he masked it to one of politeness. After all they were there on an agenda. But hey, it wasn’t like they couldn’t have a little fun.
“Let’s mingle before dinner. Have some fun. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing?”
“Yes it is.” Again he stuck out elbow, she took it as they sauntered around the room greeting people.
She led the way to all the known gossips and accidently let tidbits of her discovery here and there and the showing she was planning. Though The Black Cats were there and mingling, they stayed close almost following in their wake. If they had an idea that Patrick and the authorities knew their identity and were following them as close, they might not have been so blatant or cocky!
Everything was extraordinary, the room, the dinner and absolutely no dry chicken for the Blackmans Antiquities House Gala, nor was there any ordinary dish served. There were choices of mouthwatering Moroccan, Curry, and Thai. She’d had the Spicy Thai soup for her appetizer, she needed the recipe. Not that she’d be able to do it justice. She just wanted to sit and veg until she was ready to pop.
Patrick, a true meat and potatoes kind of guy, picked through his food a little on the leery side. However, in the end he was a fan of the cuisine. He slid his chair back an inch and turned to regard her.
“What?”
“The food, what do you call it?” He snapped his fingers. “Presentation was interesting. I must say they had everything beautiful, the drizzles and all, but I think I’m going to need a burger later to fill up.”
Glenna noticed the music had started and turned to look at the few couples making their way around the hard wood floor. She smiled as she watched them sway. She stood grabbing his hand in the process.
“It’s a slow dance. Besides, exercise helps the digestion.”
He raised a brow, but let himself be led to the floor. They swayed along with the others. The orchestra obviously had known there should be no rigorous melodies after such a meal.
It felt wonderful to be wrapped in his arms, the fairy lights twinkled giving a romantic essence to the evening. She could stay like that forever. Until reality danced by them. Raymond with a beautiful redhead had come to claim a space on the dance floor. Right next to them. Glenna had a feeling it wasn’t by accident.
Apparently neither did Patrick, as the thought crossed her mind he leaned in and whispered just loud enough for the other couple to hear. They were that close.
“We should fly home tomorrow so we can get started on plans for the showing.”
As their reservations were for the next afternoon, she knew his words were for their benefit. She took his lead.
“I’m not sure Patrick, Finn’s having a good time with his new cousins. And I wanted you to get to know the rest of my family, not just Tyler.”
“We’ll come back for Christmas.” He rested his chin on the top of her head for a moment. She savored the feeling. “I just want the art taken care of and in the proper hands.”
Glenna wasn’t sure how to respond. They hadn’t really alluded to the fact someone had broken into her shop for the painting. The art community was huge, but when it came to news about one of their own, and though she wasn’t an artist herself, Glenna was included in their elite group. The break-in had been a topic throughout the weekend.
On the one hand, they let it drop about the painting, but on the other one she maintained her conviction she hadn’t known what they were after since nothing was stolen. Patrick was careful to make it sound like the painting was there for the taking if they’d wanted it, he just didn’t mention it was in a hidden basement.
She realized that he had waltzed them away from the eavesdropping couple, saving her from responding. Thank goodness. She wasn’t good at this undercover stuff. She’d be glad to be back in her little shop running next door for lattes, chatting her customers up, and enjoying her life with her new family.
Soon.
“Let’s…” Patrick started as the orchestra struck up the next song. That just so happened to be the tango. He gave her a wicked grin. “You’re in for it now.”
“What?”
“Finn and Rebekah gave me a quick lesson before we left.”
With that he swung their clasped hands up and let them lead the way to the side of the floor, then slipped his arm around her. Using their other hands to traverse the way they’d come. And in true tango form, he dipped her. A feeling of falling swept over her, but he kept a comforting hold on her the entire time. She’d never danced the tango before, but he led the way with ease.
When the song ended, there was a light round of applause, she felt her face burn with the knowledge they’d been center stage and she’d been so involved trying not to trip over her own two feet she hadn’t even noticed.
Patrick gave a wave in thanks and led her off the dance floor, not stopping until they were at the elevator and had to wait. When they were on their floor, he still didn’t utter a word, but continued to their door slid the card in and once the door was shut he wrapped her in his arms.
“I couldn’t take it another moment, I needed you here in my arms.”
She tilted her head b
ack and raised a brow at him. “I was in your arms.”
“Yeah, but I couldn’t do this.”
His hands found her zipper and slid it down, then made quick work of skimming the rest her dress off her shoulders letting it pool around her feet. Her skin tingled in the trail of his fingers, her stomach muscled tightened in want. She’d never had these sensations with anyone before.
“Do you think when I’m old and gray I’ll still have this incredible sensitivity to your touch?”
“I’m counting on it.”
He silenced any more conversation by capturing her mouth with his.
*****
“Do we have everything?”
Patrick couldn’t believe everything they were taking home. He swore they had twice as much as when they arrived. Glenna’s family… well there wasn’t really any word he could think of to describe them. He felt it a privilege to know Tyler and now he was going to be his brother-in-law. That is, as soon as he formally asked his sister to marry him. He was almost a hundred percent sure she knew that the pretense of their, as she called it, coupleness had never been a pretense for him. Or for her. To be on the safe side, he’d incorporated Finn to help him come up with something suitably romantic to ask her.
After all the art painting bait was set and completed, then he’d sweep her off her feet. As Glenna had said they’d always known she had the painting, but now they knew it was going to be on display for their pleasure and ease of taking it. Or so they thought.
He’d be waiting.
“Yes dad, we have everything.”
His son’s words startled him out of his thoughts and it took him a moment to remember what he’d said. He’d never been so antsy to get a case over with, he usually enjoyed the chase and the capture a bit of a letdown. This time the capture was going to be the enjoyment.
“Then let’s get this show on the road and get home. You have school.”
He chuckled at Finn’s groan, especially since he knew the boy loved school. Sometimes he thought it was because of Rebekah, which worried him as they were too young, but they seemed to be only friends. Good, he hoped it stayed that way.
“Say your goodbyes.”
Patrick and Glenna held hands and watched Finn grin, he wrapped an arm around each of his soon-to-be new cousins.
“See you two at Christmas. We’ll finish our plans. I’ll check into what we discussed.”
Patrick glanced down at Glenna, who took that moment to do the same to him. Her expression was as curious as he felt. What had those kids been discussing?
They had a long flight, he’d see if he could get it out of him. Though his son was one of the few people he knew that could keep a secret.
*****
A tired threesome de-boarded the plane in the wee hours of the morning at the Oakland airport. Patrick was not looking forward to the hour drive home. They needed a Beam me up Scotty moment. Glenna and Finn had both slipped into dreamland the moment the SUV turned toward home. He wished he could do the same, but at least this would give him some time to think.
They needed to set the stage, which was planned for that weekend. When the general public were involved in that stage it was always tricky. They would need to advertise the event therefore innocent people would be around and may be in harm’s way.
Beckworth and Jones were dropping by later in the afternoon and they were going to brainstorm.
Patrick blinked, finally. He’d never been so glad to pull into his driveway. A few hours’ sleep and he’d feel like a new man. He woke up his slumbering passengers and after several minutes of grumbling they helped take in the luggage and all their other treasures from their trip.
He’d pick up Horace from Doggy Day care after he slept, and he was sure Effie was good with Agnes a little longer. They hadn’t told anyone the exact time they’d be home, hopefully they’d have a few undisturbed hours of sleep.
“Let’s get some rest we can put everything away later.”
“Thanks Dad.” Finn tossed over his shoulder on his way to his room. He didn’t need any persuading.
“Let’s go.”
Glenna looked at him in surprise, she’d been heading toward the room she’d been using. He grabbed her hand, it seemed silly to take separate rooms. After a moment she slipped her hand in his and together they dropped onto the bed. Patrick pulled her close and it seemed like a minute later Finn was standing over the bed.
“Hey you guys going to sleep all day? Beckworth and Jones are here.”
He pried his eyes open, after a moment they focused enough to see he’d slept about two hours longer than planned. Glenna mumbled and rolled over. For a moment he thought of letting her sleep. Then he imagined how upset she’d be if they left her out of the planning.
“Glenna,” he whispered in her ear.
She ignored him. Finn looked amused, but he was no help. He just stood with his arms folded.
Louder this time. “Glenna, Beckworth and Jones are here.”
This time her eyes opened as if she’d been prodded by a cow prod and sat up in one motion, almost dislodging him from the bed, as he’d been leaning over her.
“Oh my.” She noticed Finn, and put a hand to her hair. “Oh Finn. I must look a wreck. Give me a minute.”
She crawled out of bed, stopped, turned, and pointed at them. “And don’t you dare discuss anything important until I’m there.”
Then she continued onto the bathroom. Good thing he hadn’t let her sleep.
*****
“Thanks for coming over. I think we’ll have our ducks in a row in time.” Patrick waved the officers off. It was a productive and informative afternoon. Much to his surprise, his experience with the two men in the past hadn’t been that industrious.
Glenna paced the living room, then come to a stop in her strong woman stance. “What I want to know is where does Danny fit into all of this? Danny is in real estate.”
“He hasn’t said much to the authorities in New York. Let’s concentrate on reeling in The Black Cats, then we can piece everything together.”
“I hate to say this, but from the bits and pieces we’ve been told of the conversation between Finn and that man, he’s been obsessed with you all these years. It was a huge coincidence he happened to be in the right place at the right time to jump on the band wagon.”
“Where though? He hasn’t been in the area for years. There’s no way he could have continued in real estate and me not know about it.”
Patrick stopped her pacing by grabbing her shoulders and looking down at her. “I remember Finn said something about Danny meeting them in an Irish bar in New York. But I do know you’re driving yourself nuts. I think he’s a little insane. Let the investigators do their jobs. We’ll know the answers soon enough.”
He waited until she nodded. “We have some planning to do. You go call the woman, I forget her name, who volunteered to help plan.”
“You know, I would enjoy this showing much more if we weren’t setting the stage for a robbery for the night before.”
He pulled her in and hugged her, resting his head on the top of hers. “I know, Glenna. Soon this will be over and then you’ll find out just how boring I am and leave me for Mr. Grumpy Pants.”
She laughed as he’d intended. Then she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I need a shower, then let’s go get Agnes and Horace.”
She stopped at the hallway and looked over her shoulder a slightly horrified expression. “Finn’s game is Friday night.”
He hadn’t forgotten. But with everything going on, he hadn’t brought it up. “If you’re too nervous you don’t have to go.”
“What?” She swung fully to face him. “Of course I have to go.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Indian summer had struck the Napa Valley for Finn’s game. Only a slight breeze marred the perfect football evening. Glenna had purchased an American Canyon hoodie for the occasion in anticipation of a cool November evening. As soon as the sun dipped behind the ea
st hills, she was sure she’d be glad of the warmth.
“I get so nervous at these things.” Patrick’s mother shook her head. “I know it’s just a football game, but it’s Finn, you know?”
Glenna grinned at the older woman, she remembered well when her ma and dad had attended Tyler’s games. You’d think he was in the Olympics’ or something the way she carried on.
She patted Patrick’s mother’s leg. “Finn will do awesome. I know he’s practiced enough since we got back.”
Caroline’s grin faded to a frown. “I never asked how that trip went.”
Glenna again patted her knee again. “It accomplished what we set out for and tomorrow evening, hopefully, it will be over.”
They hadn’t told Patrick’s parents about Finn, he was safe, and there would be no point in upsetting them after the fact. Finn had wholeheartedly agreed. He loved his grandparents and didn’t want to cause them a moment of alarm. Glenna was proud of the boy, he would be a fine man like his father someday. She swiped at the aggravating tear that slid down her cheek and turned away so Caroline wouldn’t see it. Too late.
“Why are you crying, did something happen?”
Glenna chuckled. “I just get a little emotional when I think what a wonderful young man that boy is.”
As intended, Finn’s nana puffed up her chest like a proud peacock. “Yes he will be a fine man too.”
Patrick arrived with an arm load of snacks and a drinks to share at that moment. His sister and family trailed him and for the next several moments it was chaos trying to seat everyone while trying to protect the goodies from spilling over the bleachers. Waste of money to scatter them as Patrick’s father proclaimed several times. Glenna hadn’t realized how much she’d missed her crazy family until she’d met Patrick’s family.
The game ended with a blast of the school cannon. Time to cheer.
“Wow, close game.” Margaret Kathleen proclaimed as they climbed from the bleachers after the American Canyon win of 21 to 20 over their opponent.
Glenna’s heart had stopped several times. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted Finn’s team to win. It was just a high school football game.
Abandoned (The Beckett Series Book 6) Page 28
