“Don’t be a party pooper. I’ll take photos, upload them, and let Charles and Fergus have the photos analyzed for damages that are inconsistent with normal duty, wear, and tear. And check to see if there are marks that are consistent with a collision.”
“I have to admit, the second half of your plan is brilliant. It’s the first part—the breaking in part—that concerns me.”
Yoko straightened up. “You’re kidding. Breaking into a fenced-in yard concerns you after everything else we’ve done?” Yoko’s eyes expressed her surprise at Izzie’s caution. “Scaling that fence and getting off a few photos is like taking a nap in a hammock. Easy, breezy.”
Izzie poured the water into two cups. “Maybe you should clear it with Annie or Myra. Just so they don’t think you’ve gone rogue.”
Yoko nodded. “You are correct, my friend. I hadn’t looked at it that way. I was simply trying to move things a little faster. And I hadn’t thought about it during our call. There was a lot going on.”
Izzie nodded, picked up her phone, and made a three-way call to Myra and Annie.
“Hey. What’s up? Everything alright?” Annie asked hurriedly. Myra asked the same question.
“Yoko and I are on speaker. She has an idea she wants to run past you.”
“Shoot,” Annie urged.
Yoko explained what she had in mind. “I got a good look at the surrounding area. I think I can pull it off in less than ten minutes.”
Myra was the first to speak. “I have every confidence in your ability to do this, but we know very little about this operation.”
It was Annie’s turn. “How about this. Izzie, you drive Yoko to a spot where you won’t be seen, and Yoko can get back and forth easily. Yoko, is that a possibility?”
“Absolutely. There are groves of trees at the end of the property. A service road runs along it.”
“Alright, then. Have at it, girls. And remember”—at this, everyone joined in with: “Be careful out there.”
“Ping us and let us know how it went,” Myra said.
“Will do, and will upload photos as soon as I take them,” Yoko replied.
The call ended with Yoko bouncing to her feet. Izzie issued a word of warning. “We haven’t seen this place at night. We don’t know if there is a motion detector somewhere. A trip wire?”
“That’s what night goggles are for,” Yoko replied.
“Where are we going to find night goggles at this hour?” Izzie questioned her.
“Dear friend. How you underestimate me.” Yoko sipped her tea.
“You brought night goggles with you?” Izzie smirked. “Why am I not surprised?”
“And I brought a backup pair. Just in case.”
“Just in case what?” Izzie closed one eye and tilted her head.
“Just in case I needed a night-shadow buddy,” Yoko jested. “Too bad Maggie’s plane doesn’t get in for another few hours. She’s going to miss the fun.”
“We could wait for her,” Izzie suggested.
“I’ll send her a text. See when she’ll be back.”
Maggie was dozing on and off in the lush passenger seat of the Gulfstream jet. She was stirred awake by the buzzing of her phone. She had to think where she was for a second before realizing she was on Annie’s plane. The next thought was, which direction was she headed? Back to Florida, right.
“Hiya. What’s up?” she yawned into the phone.
“Mag, when do you think you’ll get in?”
Maggie checked the time. It was almost eleven. “What are you guys doing up so late?”
