“I think that can be arranged.”

“I was hoping you would say that.”

CHAPTER 24

Levi checked his messages, frustrated he had yet to hear anything from Interpol about the contents of the safe-deposit boxes that had been robbed. He was ready to go to the various banks himself to shake the information loose. The robbery had happened three days ago, and still, he was being stonewalled.

Cassie had retreated to her suite to prepare the invitation for the winning oil company. Another twenty minutes and they could both leave their work behind for a little while and remember there was life outside the chateau walls.

Franco knocked on his office door and entered.

“What’s up?” Levi asked.

Franco held up a thick file. “I have the inventory lists from the safe-deposit boxes.”

“Finally.” Levi reached out his hand. He flipped through the first few inventory lists, disappointed when he didn’t see a common name at the different banks. “This may take a while.”

“Good luck,” Franco said.

“Thanks.” Levi waited until Franco disappeared back the way he had come before he laid the reports from the various banks out on his worktable. He scanned each one, hoping for an obvious commonality, but like his counterparts at Interpol, he didn’t see one.

Cassie walked through the door. “Are you ready to go riding?”

“I was, but the inventory reports just came in. I’m not sure I’ll have time now.”

Cassie crossed to where he stood and looked down at the papers scattered on the table. “Did you find anything?”

“Not yet. I may have to use your method of plugging everything into a spreadsheet to sort it all out.”

Cassie picked up the paper closest to her and read it. She set it down and proceeded to do the same with the next one and the one after that. Cassie continued around the table and read three more.

Cassie looked up and tapped a finger against the report she currently held. “The succession agreement was the target.”

“How can you tell? I didn’t see anything to do with your family listed in the inventories I looked at.”

“You didn’t know what you were looking for.” Cassie handed him the page she held and pointed at the sixth line down. “Start here, and read the next three lines.”

“Box 246, diamond bracelet, two thousand dollars in bonds, stock certificates from a dozen companies.”

“Next.”

“Box 247. This is all legal documents.”

“Next?”

“Box 249.” Levi started to read the inventory of what was stolen before his mind caught up with the anomaly. “The number skipped.”

“Yes. I think you’ll see the same thing on all of these. Or at least on twenty-two of them.”

“Why would that be?”

“When governments reserve safe-deposit boxes for their use, it’s usually to protect something they don’t want in an inventory somewhere,” Cassie said. “Because of that, their holdings aren’t reported to anyone.”

“Even when there’s a theft?”

“Even then. The point of contact for the box rental would be informed, along with a government representative, but that’s it.” Cassie motioned to the pages she had already read. “All of these skip a box number.”