Chapter 5 #2
Her phone chimed with the team’s video call, and she quickly answered it on her laptop.
Nolan Orr, Hayden Kraus, Jude French, Reece Waters, and of course, Gabe were present.
Simply seeing her teammates—friends she’d known since college—helped ease her stress, but she wouldn’t waste time this late at night with greetings.
She brought everyone up to speed on the crown theft and finding the locket.
“Whoa!” Reece said.
“I told you it was big time.” A gleam of eagerness shone in Gabe’s eyes. “And before anyone else says anything, if Abby needs backup onsite, I’m calling dibs.”
“Not so fast!” Jude shot forward. The former FBI agent ran a hand over his near-black hair trimmed with military precision—just like the beard, it clearly got VIP treatment. “I’d like in on the action.”
“You snooze, you lose.” Gabe blew on his fingernails and rubbed them across his chest. “I’m the man for the job. End of discussion.”
Jude grumbled, but the team had an unwritten rule of calling dibs, and if it made sense for the investigation, whoever called it first got the assignment. She waited a moment, glancing at the others, but no one objected.
After finding the locket and the possibilities it raised, the investigation could very well turn out to be something big. She needed the full team’s support, but specifically someone with her at the mansion for backup. But was Gabe the right person?
As a former Oregon state trooper, he certainly was qualified to do the job, but was it a good idea to bring in someone guaranteed to butt heads with Burke? Gabe pushed the boundaries all the time, and he didn’t have an extreme amount of tact and could often be sarcastic.
Problem was, people outside the team didn’t know that a lot of his behavior stemmed from his childhood, and he often used sarcasm as a defense mechanism when he was uncomfortable.
They also didn’t know he was the type to step up for anyone in need.
All they saw was the sarcasm and his forthright behavior.
If she chose him, she could help tone him down. Or maybe the opposite was true. Maybe she needed someone like Gabe who could unquestionably hold his own against a strong detective. And she respected Gabe’s investigative skills and his motivation.
She looked into the camera. “Before volunteering, you might want to know whoever works this investigation will be deputized and report to Detective Burke Ulrich.”
Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose. “So we’ll have to do this by the book.”
“As much as possible, but the investigation and our client come first. I’m sure we’ll be standing our ground more often than Burke would hope.”
Gabe rubbed his hands together in front of the camera. “Then I’m your man.”
“True, but I hope you’ll tone down the sarcasm.”
“I can do that. Or at least I can try.” He grinned.
“You’ll need to stay in a cabin on the Blackwell compound for the duration,” she said, hoping there was another one available so she didn’t have to bunk with Gabe.
“No worries. I can rough it with the best.” He flashed a smile. “Do you want me to leave right now?”
She shook her head. “I’m meeting Burke at the mansion at eight a.m. I’d like you there. When you figure out your departure time, you need to factor in the ferry ride to the island. You have to be on the six a.m. departure to make it on time.”
He groaned. “Early mornings aren’t my thing, but I’ll make it by six. I’ll grab a few hours of sleep then head out around two-thirty.”
“I can pack snacks and send them along with him.” Reece shifted to eye Gabe, keeping the flawless posture she’d learned as a runway model in college. “The box will be sealed, and it better arrive the same way.”
Gabe’s stunned expression was so fake it bordered on theatrical. “But it’s a three-hour drive. How ever will I survive that long without food?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make a care package just for you.” Reece always mothered them with homemade goodies and cooked nearly all of their meals.
“That’s more like it.” Gabe grinned.
Abby smiled. “Once we’re in the thick of things, we’ll both appreciate having your home-baked goodies.”
“What about clothing and toiletries, Abby?” Reece asked. “I know you didn’t plan to stay overnight, so I can pack a bag for you.”
Abby had hoped she would volunteer for this task. “I’d very much appreciate your help.”
“So,” Reece said. “Are we going for business wear, business casual, or just plain casual?”
She couldn’t get rid of the sight of Burke’s tailored suit and crisp shirt even at the time of night they’d met.
Fine. Admit it. He’s good-looking. Even thinking about him sent her heart somersaulting.
Not good. Not in front of the team. She cleared her throat. “Ulrich wore a suit, looking like he’d stepped out of a detective fashion catalog.”
“Is there something going on there?” Reece wiggled her eyebrows. “Do tell!”
“Nothing to tell,” Abby said firmly, hoping to put an end to her teammate’s suspicions. “I should dress the part, but maybe throw in some business casual. Never know when I might need to get my hands dirty. And something chill, in case there’s actually any downtime.”
“I’d contribute to the conversation, but all my shirts are the same so…” Jude laughed.
The others nodded too, and just like that, the warmth she felt for her friends pushed aside the worries crowding her head. They’d had her back since college, through every high and low, and she knew without a doubt she’d do anything for them—no questions asked.
Nolan cleared his throat. “I think we can all agree this is settled, and if you want to discuss it further, you can do it without the rest of the team. The biggest thing you both need to remember is how important it is to keep Victor happy as a client and find the crown. Our future here depends on it.”
Abby didn’t need to be reminded of the importance of their mission. Based on Gabe’s frown, he didn’t either. Not only did they need the money for the team, but these guys were her family, and she didn’t want to let them down.
“What other resources will you need?” Nolan asked.
Abby shifted her focus to Hayden. “Can you do a deep dive on Victor Lemoine and his wife, Estelle? The only thing I know is that he inherited the estate from his father, and he and his wife settled in Oregon over forty years ago. She went missing a couple years after they relocated and has never been found.”
“Missing woman?” Hayden’s typically serious expression lifted, revealing a spark of interest. “Now that’s more like it. Sounds more exciting than the usual routine background checks you dump on—I mean give—me to do. I’ll get right on it.”
“Thanks.” She ignored his attempted humor so she didn’t get distracted and focused on Nolan.
“It’s safe to assume the crown’s headed for the black market.
Might be an open market, or the thief already has a buyer.
I can’t imagine buyers around here have pockets deep enough to afford it, so it’s not likely a local deal.
But a local expert could know where it’s going or a collector who would buy it. ”
“Wouldn’t an expert for a pricey artifact be rare around these parts too?” Reece asked.
Nolan sat forward. “Last weekend, Mina dragged me to an antique shop. The owner’s sharp and aware of what’s going on in the antiques market. I could go back and ask if he knows of an expert—fence—in the area. Mina could come with me. She speaks their language.”
Excitement about this potential lead lifted Abby’s tired shoulders. “I like the idea of you talking to him, but don’t take Mina.”
Nolan raised an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”
“She might just be your girlfriend to you, but she’s also the local sheriff. He might’ve recognized her or she could’ve talked about her job. If she goes back with you to discuss fencing stolen goods, he could very well clam up.”
“You have a point. With reelection around the corner, he could’ve seen her campaign posters or billboards. I can go there alone first thing tomorrow and report back to you.”
“Thanks,” Abby said. “But I need you to hold off for now. With Burke’s permission, I’d like to overnight the locket to you so you can show it to the shop owner. Get an idea of its age and where it could’ve been made or purchased. That kind of thing.”
Nolan nodded. “Just let me know when to expect it, and I’ll take it straight to the shop.”
“Will do and thank you.” She jotted Hayden’s and Nolan’s assignments on her notepad.
“All right, boss lady,” Jude said, a hint of his usual humor in his voice. “Should I start with something productive or just sit here looking handsome and confused?”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “I get confused, but handsome? Nah. Not that.”
A soft smile tugged at Abby’s lips as she watched her team—her people—and felt a comforting warmth inside.
“I hope to take Lemoine to his bank tomorrow morning to retrieve the crown’s certificate and bill of sale from his safety deposit box.
If I can get a guy who hasn’t left home in decades to go outside and leave the island. ”
“So what do you want me to do?” A sharp glint burned in Jude’s eyes. “Come along and drag him out if he doesn’t want to leave?”
She stifled a groan. “We won’t force him from his house. I need you to find an expert who can review and validate the documents once I have them.”
“You think Lemoine is lying to you about the validity of the crown?” Nolan asked.
A good question. One she hadn’t answered one way or the other yet. “The guy is quite condescending, but he’s also elderly. He might not be thinking straight or he’s covering something up. Authenticating the documents from his safety deposit box will confirm his story.”
“Could he be trying to scam his insurance company?” Reece asked, not surprising. As a former FBI agent she would be familiar with insurance scams.
“Not likely.” Abby shared Victor’s reasons for keeping the crown quiet, then looked each teammate in the eye. “You’re not to mention the crown to anyone. If you have to discuss it at all, just call it a valuable artifact.”
“Whoever validates the certificate will know,” Jude said.
“We have no choice but to provide the details to some people. We’ll have to count on their discretion and limit the number of people we tell.
I’ll get Victor’s permission to share it with the expert and if you have to share it in the future, be sure you talk to me first.” She stifled a yawn.
“That’s all I have for now. I’m sure my morning meeting with Victor and Detective Ulrich will bring up additional action items.”
“Keep us updated,” Nolan said. “And if you need us there, just let us know.”
“I don’t think that’s likely,” she said, instantly regretting it.
They couldn’t predict when one of their investigations took a completely different turn, pitting them against a life-threatening emergency.