The Treasures of Saint Germain

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Drake sipped strong coffee whilst they all crowded around the two-way mirror, staring at Sabrina Balboni as the master thief stared back at them. Trying to read her was an impossibility. Drake wondered what it took to become one of the world’s greatest burglars whilst also adorning yourself in anonymity. How deep the demands, how desperate the craving.

How overwhelming the guilt.

Balboni had chosen a profession that, by necessity, forced her to become a shadow, a true wraith of society. He wondered how her position now, facing prison, would sway her decisions in the next few hours.

Toward the good guys, he hoped. She was their last hope. After this, they were down to good fortune and a trip to Dubai.

Could be worse. He found his lips were curling up into a private smile, then realized he was staring straight at Mai. The Japanese woman noticed and returned it with warmth. He was caught, wedged between two stormy seas, the future an impenetrable cloud of impossibility. Thankfully, Hayden began to speak and he turned toward her.

“I will go in again. Reiterate the hard line. Then we’ll let Lauren come in and propose the deal.”

Drake listened as Hayden repeated the bleak future Sabrina had to look forward to and, try as she might, the thief just couldn’t keep the horror from her eyes. Alicia took the time to rib Yorgi just a little.

“So what’s it like, Yogi? To stand so close to a real thief?”

“What you mean?” The Russian looked suitably annoyed. “I am also real.”

“Not on the same level, dude.” Alicia pointed through the window. “That’s a master. A genius. A light-fingered virtuoso with real-world expertise.”

“I am master thief too!”

Dahl glanced down the passageway. “Hey, keep it down. We’re in a police station.”

“Well, you’re good at impersonating a female, I’ll give you that.” Alicia turned the screw.

“I have proven my skills.” Yorgi sulked.

“Yeah. Your eyebrows are amazing.”

“I think you should leave him alone.” Mai shifted slightly. “There is no time for this.”

“Oh, and the Sprite leaps across the screen to the rescue! No time? Why not? Lauren hasn’t even taught the thief how to do a proper Full Monty yet.”

Mai blinked. “I don’t know what you—”

“I do,” Lauren said. “It is a stripping reference. And that’s not what I’m doing here.”

“Great film, great ending.” Alicia was elsewhere. “And Robert Carlyle.” She sighed. “Just leave me alone for a while.”

Mai glared, then gave Drake a quick shake of the head. The Yorkshire man clapped Yorgi on the shoulders. Hayden waved toward the two-way window.

Lauren entered the room without comment, then took the room’s third and last chair. She smiled at Sabrina, and Drake concentrated on what she had to say.

“There is a way out of this, Sabrina. A way you could help and make a difference.”

Balboni’s face remained neutral, which must have taken a huge effort. “A deal? I should have known.”

“There’s always a deal,” Hayden said. “For those who know how to listen.”

“We want Tyler Webb,” Lauren said. “And right now, you’re our best way of getting close to him. Real close. You’re gonna be our inside man.”

“Man?” Sabrina arched an eyebrow. “And Webb will know that I have been caught. He will meet me again only to kill me.”

“Well, that’s a possibility,” Lauren told her. “But we believe we can coach you to pass his tests,” she paused. “I’ve done it before.”

Now Sabrina narrowed her eyes. “Really? In what way?”

“Doesn’t matter. But I know I can do it.”

“If I wanted to I could do it myself.”

Lauren made a face. “Girl, I don’t think so. We know all about you. Isolation from society is not a platform from which to engage Webb. He’s a businessman, used to dealing face to face, and you don’t have the interpersonal weaponry to fool him.” Lauren spread her hands in response to Sabrina’s stare. “You just don’t.”

“And you say you can show me?”

“Yup. Exactly that.”

“And if I do this? What’s the deal?”

Hayden sat forward. “At the moment, you’re in a good position. All you did was meet up with Webb, swop stories, and slap my team around a little. That’s okay.”

Drake frowned over at Dahl. “Do you think she means it?”

The Swede nodded somewhat glumly. “Of course she does.”

“We will give you immunity from prosecution,” Hayden said. “And a free pass. For twenty four hours.”

Sabrina pouted. “Is that all?”

“You’re a mega thief, finally identified. What did you think was gonna happen?”

“Hey,” Lauren added by way of compensation. “It’s not like you don’t have the skills to disappear again. Continue as a loner. Unhealthy though that could be.”

“More unhealthy than staying on the radar?” Sabrina questioned with a defeated stare.

“We’re getting off track,” Hayden stepped in. “Our offer’s good. And it’s the only way you’ll sniff free air again before you’re past fifty. Listen, Sabrina, you’re halfway credible already because Webb will totally believe you’re capable of escaping.” She spread her hands. “Because you are.”

“Of course. So why don’t I just do that?”

“Because you don’t want to go to prison. I don’t know what they call a supermax over here but that’s where you’ll be taken. And grand master or not, you don’t escape one of those. Ever.”

Sabrina flicked her chin over at Lauren. “So, what skills do you have?”

The New Yorker took that as a victory. “First,” she said. “Take off all your clothes.”

Drake couldn’t help but lean forward, but then so did everyone else watching behind the two-way. Nine bodies were suddenly highly attentive, surprised by Lauren’s words.

Then laughter. “Just joking. Like we said, Webb knows you have the expertise to escape. I can coach you into a believable scenario, the right words to use, and how to gain his trust. How to make him think you like him, respect him, and care about his quest. His beliefs. I can even coach you to make him believe you worship him.”

“Are you serious? What kind of a cop are you?”

Lauren shrugged. “The best kind.”

Drake relaxed his muscles. “Well, she sure knows what she’s doing.”

“Yeah,” Smyth growled. “She has a way with prisoners.”

“Oh, mate,” Drake said. “Give her a chance. She’s working for the good guys.”

“Something is not right with Nicholas Bell,” Smyth said. “And nobody except me seems to see it.”

“What can he do? The guy’s in a bloody supermax. Says he became tangled up with the Pythians and couldn’t get out. He shows remorse. Good psyche results. He’s never once mentioned release. And every lead he’s given us has panned out.”

Smyth stared fixedly at Lauren through the window. “And considering where he is, a Louisianan prison, the guy has everything he needs.”

“You’re not doing so badly yourself,” Kinimaka put in.

“One day,” Smyth grunted. “One day. You will see.”

Drake watched Lauren talk to Sabrina. Time passed. More coffees came, this time with hard Biscotti. He trusted Smyth’s instincts down to the bone and worried that they might all be missing something. But Louisiana was a long way from Barcelona and he saw Hayden fetching a phone in so that Sabrina could make a call.

Another hour went by as Lauren coached the Italian thief. Finally though, she allowed her to make the quick call.

Through the speakers Sabrina and Webb had a brief exchange and, immediately, they all knew the risk using Sabrina Balboni had already paid off.

“I am in Zurich,” Webb told her after a few minutes. “Meet me there.” The man actually sounded relieved.

“Well done, Lauren,” Mai said. “Well done.”

Beau also looked impressed. “She is good, yes?”

“Face to face will be harder,” Smyth said.

“But she has given herself lots more hours,” Kinimaka said. “To work on that. This is the best outcome, guys.”

“Zurich then?” Drake studied the group.

The team inside the small room split up and left a relieved looking Sabrina Balboni alone for a few minutes. Hayden gave a sigh of relief when she returned to the group.

“What do you guys think?”

“I think we should go nail Tyler Webb,” Alicia snarled. “Once and for all. To a fucking tree. Who’s with me?”

Grim nods were made all around.

“Hold your horses, guys,” Drake said. “There’s another issue first. A big one.”