Chapter Thirty-Four
Rocky and his fellow agents were busy setting up the equipment when Rocky suddenly cursed and threw his hands in the air.
“Rocky, calm down,” Agent Miller declared walking over to him. “Take a breath and tell me what’s wrong.”
“I don’t understand! There are two things I need and they’re both missing.”
“Then you didn’t put them in your bag.”
“Sir, I did, I know I did. I always go back through everything after I’ve finished packing to double check. But it’s not a disaster. There are extra supplies in the van.”
“Then you’d better run down and get them.”
“Will do, assuming I can find my way out of this house.”
“Take Jim and Chad with you. God forbid any of Manny’s gang is still around or decide to come back.”
“I was just thinking that. Come on you two, and we’d better keep our eyes open.”
* * *
The moment his agents left Agent Miller raced to the door and locked it, then darted across to the bookcase. Standing in front of it he pulled out his phone and re-read Manny’s text.
If you turn the bronze horse on the top shelf to the right the case will automatically slide to the left and reveal the entrance to the vault. As I said, it’s stuck. Just give it a good jerk.
Looking up and seeing the marble globe wedged between the horse and the side of the bookcase he shook his head. Wondering why it had been put there in the first place, and cursing himself for not noticing it earlier, he tried to shimmy the large marble ball off the shelf.
It wouldn’t budge.
He was beginning to panic, then it occurred to him he might able to shift the bronze horse just enough to get the globe off the shelf. Gripping it tightly, he jerked it sideways, but to his shock it broke off at the base.
The bookcase suddenly began to slide.
And the globe began to roll.
He saw it too late.
Before he could jump away it fell off the shelf and slammed into his feet. Letting out a howl of pain, he fell backwards and screamed for help.
* * *
“What the hell was that?” Phoebe exclaimed.
“It sounded like an animal in pain,” Candy said, her brow creasing in a worried frown as she jumped up from the couch, “except we don’t have any pets.”
“There it is again. Donovan, someone’s badly hurt,” Phoebe said urgently. “We need to go back to the office and find out what’s happened.”
“Stay here. I’ll check it out.”
“But you need me,” she argued, her eyes wide. “I’m a trauma nurse, remember, and there’s the other thing I can help with. You know what I mean?”
“Dammit. Okay, but stay at least three feet behind me as we move down the hall. If I tell you to leave get back here fast,” he ordered, handing her the key. “And make sure you lock the door behind you.”
“I told you Agent Miller was lying about his reasons for locking us in.”
“Yeah, I know, but enough about him for the moment,” he replied, snatching his phone. “Something’s wrong. I’m texting Sam to send back up. Now let’s go.”
* * *
When Alexi and Manny heard the bookcase start to slide they hurried towards the opening, but it was immediately followed by a horrifying scream.
“What the fuck?” Alexi barked, stopping to scowl at Manny. “Find out what’s going on!”
Though he was hesitant, Manny had no choice. Walking cautiously forward, he peered around the side of the bookcase and stared at the floor in shock. Randy Miller, the Special Agent he’d had on his payroll for over a year, was lying in a bizarre position, sobbing in anguish with his feet crushed beneath the marble globe.
“Thank God. Get it off! Get it off!” he wailed. “It’s fucking killing me.”
“What’s going on?” Alexi yelled from inside the vault.
“There’s been an accident,” Manny replied hastily, stepping back inside. “I’ll need your help.”
“Help? Yeah, I’ll help,” Alexi sneered charging towards him.
Manny suddenly saw the Russian mobster was holding what appeared to be a giant needle.
“Alexi…what…?”
“I’ll help you into hell!”
Before Manny had a chance to defend himself the sinister weapon had been plunged into his chest.
“I don’t do deals with idiots,” Alexi snarled. “I take from them.”
Smashing the glass case holding The Alexandrite Empress, he snatched it up and stuffed it into his inside jacket pocket, then abruptly turned and hurried back to grab the Renoir. With the priceless painting under his arm he stepped over Manny’s body and approached the entrance leading out to the office.
“Help me…” Agent Miller begged as Alexi peered into the room. “P-please…”
Barely glancing at him, Alexi strode swiftly to the door—then paused his step.
Equipment was everywhere.
Where were the agents?
He frowned.
It was too easy.
But throughout his criminal career he’d been nicknamed Lucky Alexi. He always came out on top. Why would this time be any different?
* * *
Standing in the hallway with his back against the wall and his gun drawn, Donovan cautiously approached the door. A team was on its way, but after hearing a horrifying scream and someone continuing to cry out he wasn’t about to wait.
“Phoebe, stay there,” he said softly.
“Do you have another gun?”
“You know how to shoot? Never mind, of course you do. Dammit, I don’t. Just stay put.”
Walking closer to the door, he was about to grip the handle when it turned.