Private Monaco

Chapter 54

Once the guard had returned to the gatehouse, a line attached to the tow-loop of the Ford and a simple waist- and thigh-belay was all we needed to descend the rockface into Duval’s garden. Mo-bot was the one who found rappelling the hardest, but even she managed it with only minor complaint.

Soon, Sci was at the back door, working the locks with his pick. Moments later, we were inside a modern kitchen that contained a large family breakfast table.

Mo-bot hurried toward an alarm panel that had started beeping the moment we entered. She connected a handheld code-cracker to one of the terminal posts and forced the system to reveal its secrets. She input the code displayed on her device, and the alarm system fell silent.

We were in.

“We’ll check his office,” Mo-bot said, nodding to Sci.

“We’ll search the rest of the place,” I replied, and we split into two pairs.

Mo-bot and Sci went upstairs to Duval’s home office, where the drone had revealed a computer and filing cabinets, and Justine and I began searching downstairs. We started with the kitchen cabinets.

“You think his wife knew?” Justine asked, as we moved quickly and methodically through the room.

“About him being part of Propaganda Tre?” I asked.

Justine nodded.

“I doubt it,” I replied. “It would have put her in danger.”

“Unless she was also a member,” Justine noted. “Women can be in secret societies, you know?”

“Can they?” I asked. “I’m not sure they can. Most of these corrupt organizations are just for men. Maybe we’re more easily led?”

“Maybe,” Justine scoffed. “Men-children playing at being spies and gangsters, trying to dominate the world rather than make it better.”

“Sounds about right,” I conceded.

“Imagine living a lie like this though,” she continued. “A normal family home, but beneath the veneer of respectability you’re part of a criminal conspiracy. The deception must eventually take its toll.”

I nodded. “I never want to find out what that’s like.”

“You couldn’t keep something like this from me.” She smiled. “You’re too honest. I can read your thoughts on your face.”

“I can lie when I need to,” I replied.

“It’s really not something to boast about,” she said. “Come on. There’s nothing in here. Let’s check the rest of the house.”

We moved into the hallway. A few streetlamps dotted the estate and their light fell through the windows at the front of the property, giving us just enough to see by.

I opened the door to the understairs closet and immediately sensed something was off. The dimensions didn’t feel right. It didn’t seem as long or deep as it should have been given the size of the staircase, and the space was devoid of any sign of family life. There were no coats or shoes or shopping bags, just bare white plasterboard.

I felt around the space and found a switch concealed above the inner door frame. I pressed it and a panel slid open in the wall in front of me, revealing an alphanumeric keypad.

“Mo!” I yelled.

Justine peered over my shoulder to see what I’d discovered.

“Mo, get down here,” I shouted past her. “I’ve found something.”