“Hmmm,” Cash grunted as she stuck it to the door and picked the lock. “Are these something I need to worry about at the museum?”
“No,” Sable said. “These are meant for small jobs and residential houses. They wouldn’t work against the Fae tech you employ… doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry, though. I’m good at breaking into places I shouldn’t.” She winked as the lock popped free.
“Don’t I know it. But after your help to secure the Merveille De L’art, if you can still break in and steal something, you probably deserve it.”
“If you weren’t the head of security there, I just might try. Shall we?” She pressed her palms against the double doors, and together, they pushed them open.
“Decent collection,” Sable said as the walls of paintings came into view.
“I wouldn’t know,” Cash said.
“You work at the most famous museum in the world. How do you not know?”
“I’m security. I’m more interested in weapons and tech than sculptures and paintings. Not to say that I don’t love their beauty. I do. They just aren’t what make me tick.”
“We all have our things.”
“You are definitely one of my things.” Cash leaned over to kiss her, but froze halfway to her cheek. “Baby, speaking of paintings and sculptures, where’s the sculpture we’re here to recover?”
Sable followed his line of sight, and both of them stilled in the darkness. The center pedestal, the one that was supposed to bear the statue they’d been paid to steal, was empty.
“It’s gone.” Panic flooded Cash’s chest. “Did the family move it, or did other thieves beat us here?”
“I don’t know.” Sable scanned the room with wild eyes, but it was no use. It was bare save for the paintings hanging on the walls. There wasn’t even a hiding spot large enough for the sculpture in question.
“Shit,” Cash swore. “What do we do?”
“I’m not sure,” Sable said. “If we don’t return the stolen statue to my client, we don’t get paid, but he mentioned nothing about another team being involved.”
“So maybe your client’s relative moved it? Maybe they anticipated a break-in, so they hid it?”
“It’s possible,” Sable said. “They might be keeping it in their master suite while they sleep or could’ve transferred it to a storage unit. There’s a whole host of things that’ll keep us from finding it, and it’s impossible to know which theory to follow.” She ran her fingers over her silky ears. “Let’s examine the pedestal. Whoever took it might have left a clue.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Cash said, unconvinced. If the home's owner had moved it, what evidence could he have possibly left behind? But for Sable’s sake, he would check. He didn’t wantthis simple job to turn into a failure and cause her to lose her paycheck.
“Wait…” he stared at the pedestal in confusion. In the darkness, he hadn’t seen it when they first entered the room, but now he noticed something sat atop it. “What’s that?”
“What’s what?” Sable asked.
“This?” Cash picked up the thin sheet resting on the stone, wondering if it was a note. Had another thief stolen the statue and left behind a taunting letter? But then he spotted the slim object below the sheet. His heart stopped beating at the sight. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible.
“An ultrasound.” He whirled on Sable, the photo in one fist and the positive pregnancy test in the other. “Baby, why is there an ultrasound in this room?”
She smiled at him in the darkness and then walked to the wall, where she flipped the light switch. Her beautiful face turned back to gaze at him as tears streamed down her cheeks, but they weren’t tears of pain or sorrow. They were pure happiness.
“It’s midnight,” she said as she approached him. “Do you know what that means?”
Cash couldn’t speak. He just stared at her with wide eyes and a pounding heart.
“Happy Father’s Day, Daddy-times-two,” she continued.
“No.” It was all he could manage.
“Yes.” Her smile brightened.
“Tell me this isn’t a joke.” Cash started crying, but there was no mistaking what the photo depicted. It was a baby. His baby. “Sable, tell me you aren’t kidding.”
“I’m not.” She rubbed his arms soothingly. “I took the test, and it came out positive, so I went to the doctor to confirm. I’m having your baby.”
