“Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

Levi headed back inside and spotted Darius. “Tell King Alejandro I need to speak to him. It’s urgent.”

“May I tell him what it’s regarding?” Darius asked. “The king is not fond of people demanding an audience.”

“It’s a matter of your national security.” Levi paused only long enough for Darius to dial his phone. Not waiting to listen to the conversation, Levi headed for the residence. It was time to have a conversation with King Alejandro about how to stop whoever wanted his daughter, or possibly daughters, dead.

CHAPTER 37

Levi reached the king’s office, where Theo was standing in the hall. “King Alejandro is waiting for you.”

“Thank you.” Levi passed the king’s personal assistant and knocked once. As soon as he heard the king grant permission for him to enter, Levi pushed open the door. “King Alejandro, I appreciate your making time to meet with me.”

“Darius said it was urgent.”

“It is. I need to know what you sent to Meridia for their art exhibit.”

“Excuse me?”

Levi recognized the posturing as well as King Alejandro’s surprise at being on the other end of someone’s demands. “It’s important.”

“I don’t see how a piece in an art exhibit relates to the safety and security of my family.”

“Tell me this,” Levi began, trying another tactic, “does it have anything to do with the agreement with the Escobar family?”

“When I told Cassie to share that information, I believed you were an employee of the Meridian royal guard.” Alejandro’s jaw tightened. “You didn’t work for them exclusively though, did you?”

The accusation in the king’s tone caused a ball of lead to form in his stomach. Levi told the truth, skillfully evading the underlying accusation. “I have not worked anywhere but at the chateau in Meridia for the past two years.”

“I’m not speaking of where you worked but for whom.”

Cassie rushed into the room. “What’s going on? I heard Jeremy and Noelle are leaving.”

“A well-known international thief was spotted in Meridia,” Levi told her, hoping she could pry the information from her father. “You remember the false alarm at the museum in Bellamo?”

“Yes. What about it?”

“Pierre mentioned a display from Sereno that had never before been seen in public.”

“I remember,” Cassie said. “He said it was being stored somewhere else until the complete exhibit opened.”

“I think that false alarm was someone testing the security system to prepare for the real theft,” Levi said. “With the bank robberies, I have to wonder if the piece on loan from here is tied to the Escobar agreement.”

“Why would my family choose to display anything to do with that?” Cassie asked. “The secrecy of the agreement has protected us from the interference of outside forces for years.”

Levi saw the flash of awareness in the king’s expression. “What does the agreement say that Cassie doesn’t know about?”

“This is a private family matter, one I will not discuss with you,” the king said.