Chapter 24
Jensen
Once Natalie’s rental car faded as she drove away, I finally allowed myself to feel relief. She was safe.
I’d hated every moment she’d spent in Julian’s house. Partly because of the ruse. He thought it was a date, and the mere idea of Natalie on a date with another man was abhorrent.
But she’d also been in danger. Julian’s invitation could have been a trap.
I’d been prepared for that. At the first hint that her safety was compromised, I would have intervened.
But my gut had told me Julian didn’t suspect her.
Whether it was his ego, and he couldn’t fathom that her interest wouldn’t be real, or the fact that his matchmaking grandmother had already planted the idea of Natalie in his head, he’d believed her.
She’d played her part perfectly. Now it was up to me to finish the job.
I’d left my car up the road, out of sight of any doorbell cameras, and slipped into the trees next to Julian’s property.
The large dining room windows had given me a mostly unobstructed view during dinner.
And I’d managed to get a few pictures of the necklace itself.
No doubt about it. He was our thief, and the necklace was in his possession.
I connected to Maple.
“There you are,” she said. “I was getting concerned. What’s happening?”
“Natalie just left. She unlocked a door for me, but that’s not even the half of it. She got him to show it to her.”
“Fuck off.”
“I told you she could do it. A few hints and suggestions and he brought it out.”
“I doubt you’ll be lucky enough to find that he hasn’t put it away.”
“No, I’m sure it’s locked up already.”
“Do you think he’s the one who stole it? Or did he pay for it?”
“I think he did it. How he had the resources to pull it off is another question. But that’s not my immediate concern.”
“Do you want me to arrange for security for Natalie until we can be sure she’s not a target? Once he realizes you’ve taken the necklace back, it’s unlikely he won’t suspect her.”
“I’ll handle it for now.”
“All right. I have a floorplan ready. Where are you planning to enter?”
“There’s a study located at the back corner with an exterior door.”
“Got it. That leads into a short hallway. There’s an upper floor and a basement. Where do you think he’s keeping it?”
“Natalie heard him go upstairs to retrieve it. I’ll look there first.”
“You’ll have to cross a fairly large foyer to get to the stairs.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Then get to work.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The snow blanketing the ground reflected the light and absorbed sound, making the landscape unnaturally bright and quiet. I made my way toward the river, choosing my footing carefully.
Balancing against the pitch of the slope, I leaned forward and used my hands, practically crawling across the bluff, past his fence line, and into his property. My foot slipped, and for a second, I thought I might slide all the way into the glacial water below.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
“You all right?” Maple asked.
“Just trying to avoid falling into an icy river.”
I picked my footing carefully and got past the fence line.
“Disabling the cameras.” I pulled a jammer from my pocket and activated it. The device sent a signal that would temporarily overpower the frequency the cameras were using. There was a chance he’d notice, but it was a risk I was willing to take.
With that done, I crept across the open ground to what I hoped was still an unlocked door. I couldn’t do much about the footprints I left in the snow. Considering Julian had stolen the necklace, I doubted he’d involve local law enforcement. No one was going to be processing the scene for evidence.
I approached the dark study and peered inside. Empty. I tried the handle, and sure enough, it was unlocked.
Quickly slipping inside, I closed it behind me.
“I’m in.”
“Short hallway. You’ll see the main foyer when you come out.”
I paused to listen but didn’t hear anything—no sign that Julian was in that part of the house. My shoes were wet from the snow, so I took a second to wipe them on the mat at the door—more to avoid them squeaking than for any concern about his flooring—then crept out of the study and down the hall.
He’d turned off the lights in the entryway, and the trickle of water in the fountain would be a good cover for my footsteps.
Hugging the wall, I made sure to get a good look at the dining room.
Finding the necklace sitting out would have been shocking, but one never knew when that kind of luck would strike.
Not that time. He’d already cleared the dishes, and the table was empty.
I didn’t like not knowing where he was. I took a few steps toward the stairs and ducked behind the fountain. Hesitating there, I strained to listen.
After a moment, I heard him walking around upstairs.
I could find a place to hide and wait until he came down. Or risk the open staircase and hide upstairs.
My gut said upstairs.
“Where’s the main bedroom?” I asked Maple.
“Far left from the top of the stairs.”
Moving like a shadow, I padded up the stairs and turned right. Julian emerged just as I passed the gaudy statue looking down from the landing.
I slipped into another bedroom unseen and peeked out. He paused at the top of the stairs and looked around as if he’d heard something.
Holding my breath, I waited.
Instead of going downstairs, he went back to the bedroom. A moment later, I heard his voice, and he came out, talking on his phone.
“Sorry, I had a date,” he said. “Not very well, considering she left.”
Damn right, she left. As if you ever had a chance with her.
He started down the stairs. My jealous and irrational side wanted to follow so I could listen in on his conversation. If he said a single bad thing about my Natalie, I’d make him regret ever laying eyes on her.
But I wasn’t there to eavesdrop on his post-date musings. I needed to get the necklace and get out, or everything Natalie had accomplished would have been for nothing.
I couldn’t let her down.
His voice faded. The phone call was fortuitous. He was occupied and less likely to hear anything going on upstairs.
I left my cover, moved across the landing, and slipped into his bedroom.
It was dark. No lights left on and the curtains were closed, blocking even the outdoor lighting. I couldn’t make out details, but he had a king-size bed and a large dresser against one wall.
No closet doors in the bedroom itself, so I went to the en suite bathroom. I assumed he was keeping the necklace in a safe, and closets were often where those would be found.
Moving as quietly as I could manage, I searched for a safe. It wasn’t in plain sight, and I began to wonder if it was built into the wall or hidden behind a false panel of some kind.
Finally, I found it, tucked away behind a suitcase. It was built into the wall with an electronic lock.
“Found the safe,” I whispered to Maple. “Electronic.”
“Can you crack it?”
“Of course I can crack it. Who do you think you’re talking to?”
I pulled my code cracker out of an inside pocket and set to work.
It was yet another tool I wasn’t technically supposed to have.
Obviously, I was a man who took those sorts of legalities as suggestions that applied to others rather than to myself.
I fastened it to the lock and began the process of resetting the code.
It only took a moment, and the new code flashed on the screen. I plugged it in, and the lock released.
“I’m in.”
“That took a while,” Maple teased. “You must be getting rusty.”
In the interest of staying quiet, I didn’t fire back, but my mouth turned up in a subtle grin.
Inside the safe, I found a wooden box. Lifting the lid, my smile grew. There it was.
“I have it.”
“Get out of there.”
The box would be cumbersome, so I gently removed the necklace and put it in an inside pocket that zipped shut. Then I closed the safe and detached the device, returning it to another pocket.
I crept out of his bedroom and paused in the doorway to listen. The faint sound of his voice carried from another part of the house. The kitchen, perhaps.
Ideally, I’d leave the way I’d come. But I wasn’t sure if I could get past him to the study.
“Where are my exits?”
“Front door, study door, another double door at the back.”
The front door was closest. And there was something audacious about walking out his front door with the necklace he’d stolen. I liked it.
I made my way quickly and silently down the stairs, once again glad he’d decided to put a water feature in his entryway. It covered the sound of me leaving. I slipped out the door and closed it softly behind me.
“I’m outside.”
“Still on property, I assume.”
“I went out the front door.”
“Jensen Lakes,” she scolded.
I grinned as I stole around the corner of the house and ducked below the dining room windows. There was almost no snow along the perimeter of the house, but he’d probably still be able to follow my tracks if he looked for them.
Didn’t matter. I had the necklace.
Pausing at the edge of the house, I looked to make sure he wasn’t near the windows. I didn’t see any movement or shadows, so I darted for the bluff above the river and retraced my path along the rocky edge.
It was precarious, but I managed to get by without slipping and, moments later, emerged into the trees. Veering in the direction of my car, I picked up speed, jogging through the snow.
As soon as I got to my car, I scrambled in, turned on the engine, and got out of there.
“It’s done. I’m on the road.”
“Nice work. I assume you’ll bring it back yourself?”
“I will, but we need to hold them off for a couple days.”
“Why? They want it for Christmas.”
“I promised someone I’d be here for Christmas.”
“Jensen, what on earth are you talking about?”
“If they want it now, you’ll need to send another operative to Tilikum to retrieve it.”
“I suppose I can arrange that. Deacon is still in the region. He could fly in tomorrow morning.”
“He’ll do.”
“But… why are you spending Christmas there? Wait. You’re spending the holiday with Natalie, aren’t you?”
“And her family. Shocking turn of events, isn’t it?”
“Are you serious?”
“Completely.”
“I’m not quite sure what to say.”
“How about ‘Merry Christmas, Jensen, your fee will be in your account by tomorrow.’”
“Your fee will be in your account once the client has their property.”
“Fine. But get Deacon here early. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and I have an outrageous amount of shopping to do.”
She laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Give my apologies to Mr. Exton for keeping you on so late.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll make me pay for it when I come to bed.”
“Good man.”
She laughed, and we disconnected.
I drove back to the flat with a smile on my face. I’d hand off the necklace to Deacon in the morning. He’d take it the rest of the way home. Mission accomplished.
As for me, I’d finished the job just in time for Christmas. And it was going to be one to remember.