Glenn was taking it all in stride, though, so maybe this was normal?Ross hadn’t been around many thieves, so really, how would he know?
Shaking his head, he texted Jarek that their thief had arrived and they’d meet them on site.Ivan had an older Mercury Mountaineer that he slid into, waving a hand and saying he’d meet them on site.
Ross slid into his new SUV and waited for Glenn to hop in before putting it into reverse and backing out.“So, uh…Eidolon seems interesting.”
“Ivan is perfectly insane.”Glenn chuckled and shook his head.“We met right after he escaped a Siberian prison.Both of us wanted out of Russia, and between the two of us, we managed.Then he went straight to a casino and basically robbed them blind at the tables.I watched him do it for a few days before my nerves couldn’t take it anymore.That, and I had my own people to get back to.But as crazy as he is, I’ve never met a more talented thief.And I’m very glad to hear he’s got family now.He was too alone, before.”
“He doesn’t seem to know about the clan?”
“No, I never told him.He might have guessed a few things, and it’s alright if he does.Ivan’s not the sort to bring trouble to us.”Glenn shot him a look.“You’re dying to ask about the bedsheet, aren’t you?”
“I havesomany questions.”
“Short answer is, while Ivan is a very good thief, he’s also a very unconventional one.He does not use the standard tools for the trade, shall we say.But I’m confident that we’ll have everything back in an hour or so.He moves quick.”
Ross trusted Glenn’s judgement.He just really wanted to see the thief in action because trying to imagine this right now was making his brain cramp.
They pulled into the parking lot behind the museum.Ross felt leery about doing so, but there was no other place to park that wouldn’t put them in line of sight of some other business’s security cameras.At least back here, they weren’t easily visible from the street.
Ivan of course had beaten them there, and he leaned against his car with his phone in hand.His voice was lively as he spoke.“—just those?Then da, no problem.Do not worry, my solnishko, some things are out of your control.”
There was an aggravated sigh from a lighter, more feminine voice.“Why did they have to tie the motion sensors into the lights?And not connected to the security cameras like normal people?Makes me mad.”
Ross slowly closed the car door, doubting his ears.Was that a little girl’s voice?Seriously?Eidolon had said a hacker-in-training, but achildwas his support on this job?His feeling of surrealness doubled and then slowly expanded.
“Is fine,” Ivan assured her soothingly.“I have my bedsheet.No problem.”
How the hell was a bedsheet supposed to defeat motion sensors?This logic literally hurt Ross’s brain.
Another male voice abruptly joined the call.“Eidolon, why the hell is Widow hacking something for you?And why are you in Salem?”
“It is after five o’clock, you are supposed to be stalking your boy right now,” Ivan retorted.
“My earlier question still stands.What the hell are you up to now?”
“I do small favor for a friend.”
“In Salem.”
“Right.”
“At night.”
“Da.”
“Which somehow involves hacking a local museum.”
“Was there question somewhere?”
“What are you stealing?”
“Mm, something that belongs to him got accidentally donated.He wants it back.”
“It’s fine, Uncle K, I got this,” the little girl assured him.“The security is simple, it’s just the motion detectors not connected in.They’re on a separate system and linked to the lights.”
“The two of you are determined to give me ulcers.Alright, fine, I’ll monitor from here.But Eidolon, if you screw this up somehow and land in jail, I’m telling Lollipop.I will not help get you out.”
“Why you so mean to me,” Ivan whined.“First you insult, then you threaten me with my husband!”
