BooksBarbecue
Back Keystone Save as PDF
Chapters (53)
  1. Dedication
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Chapter Four
  6. Chapter Five
  7. Chapter Six
  8. Chapter Seven
  9. Chapter Eight
  10. Chapter Nine
  11. Chapter Ten
  12. Chapter Eleven
  13. Chapter Twelve
  14. Chapter Thirteen
  15. Chapter Fourteen
  16. Chapter Fifteen
  17. Chapter Sixteen
  18. Chapter Seventeen
  19. Chapter Eighteen
  20. Chapter Nineteen
  21. Chapter Twenty
  22. Chapter Twenty-One
  23. Chapter Twenty-Two
  24. Chapter Twenty-Three
  25. Chapter Twenty-Four
  26. Chapter Twenty-Five
  27. Chapter Twenty-Six
  28. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  29. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  30. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  31. Chapter Thirty
  32. Chapter Thirty-One
  33. Chapter Thirty-Two
  34. Chapter Thirty-Three
  35. Chapter Thirty-Four
  36. Chapter Thirty-Five
  37. Chapter Thirty-Six
  38. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  39. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  40. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  41. Chapter Forty
  42. Chapter Forty-One
  43. Chapter Forty-Two
  44. Chapter Forty-Three
  45. Chapter Forty-Four
  46. Chapter Forty-Five
  47. Chapter Forty-Six
  48. Chapter Forty-Seven
  49. Epilogue
  50. Preview of Malice
  51. Preview of Incognito
  52. Acknowledgments
  53. About the Author

“Fine. Wait here.” I disappear inside, slamming the metal door shut behind me. Once I’m in a stall, I pour the nitrogen over the wax, which fortunately still holds a perfect impression of Nicki’s ring. After slipping the eight-millimeter film images into the second canister with the stolen Italian ring, I stuff everything into the key fob. Changing into my disguise and taking extra time to unclasp my tiger’s eye necklace and stuff it into my garter, I climb out the window, escaping before Adam notices I’m missing.

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty

March 20X6, San Francisco

“You’re okay.” Garrett runs his fingers through his hair and crosses the apartment to me as soon as I walk in the door. Wrapping his arms around me, he rests his chin on my head.

“You were worried?” I say to his chest. It’s all I can do not to melt against him.

He releases me and holds me at arm’s length. “When Nash came back and said you went home to lay down, I didn’t know what to think. I hoped you were able to ditch him, but I couldn’t be sure. I don’t trust that guy. I should never have left you alone with him.”

No kidding. “You had Nicki to deal with.” I shrug him off and pretend seeing them together didn’t bother me. “And I can hold my own. It’s done. Dead drop complete.” Slumping onto the couch, I pull the wig off my head and loosen my real hair, letting the blue waves fall to my shoulders.

His lips curl into a crooked smile and he sits next to me. “How did you get rid of him?”

“I didn’t. I went to the bathroom and slipped out the window. He wouldn’t leave my side, but he did offer to send in a fake hair sample.”

Garrett’s eyes narrow. “Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know.” I shimmy out of my poncho. “Maybe because I’m with you?”

He shakes his head. “I doubt it. He usually has his own agenda, and it doesn’t include helping me.”

I cock my head to the side. “He complimented you, though. He says he’s no match for your charm.”

Garrett lets out a bitter laugh. “I wouldn’t say that. I always wanted to be him. I learned from the best.” He eyes me up and down. “How did you get him to tell you that? It seems like a lot of information to give a thief he just met…”

“Maybe he was feeling chatty,” I say, thinking fast. “He must know I’m from Keystone if I’m with you.”

“Maybe.” He raises his eyebrows, but fortunately he seems to buy my logic. “What did you tell him?”