Bene chuckled into my mind.These sisters are more devious than they look.
I preferredclever. But, yes. Gen’s plan could work.
She handed me my phone. I took a deep breath, reviewed what I wanted to say, and turned the sound back on, waiting.
“He’ll call back,” Mina said. “I guarantee it.”
She’d barely uttered the words when Gordon did exactly that. This time, I answered.
“Yes, it’s me.” I winced and held the phone away from my ear at his reply. “Sorry I couldn’t get to the phone in time. Good to have you on the line now, though.”
Bene rolled his eyes, but I knew it wasn’t in my interest to antagonize Gordon. He would be antagonized enough as things stood.
“Yes, sir. Mission accomplished. We have the painting. No, sir. No trouble. Grepper wasn’t at home, and there was no sign of those vampires,” I lied.
Silence fell over the line. A long, stunned one.
“No trouble at all?” Gordon finally asked, loud enough for his voice to carry to the others.
Marius snorted. “He sounds so hopeful.”
Mina shushed him while I replied. “No, sir. An easy in-and-out operation.”
Bene made a face, rubbing his sore shoulder, while Marius grimaced.I doubt Celeste would see it that way.
Well, she was dead, though I wasn’t going to be the one to spill the beans to Gordon.
“Yes, sir. I’ll deliver it to you later today. Or perhaps you’d prefer Gen and Mina to.”
Gordon practically tripped over his own tongue to answer. “Not necessary.”
Gen frowned at Mina, who shrugged back.
“I want you and that painting on the first train to Paris,” Gordon ordered.
Gen held up her phone, having already pulled up the train schedule.
I nearly saidThe next train leaves in an hour,but Bene tilted his empty mug toward me.
“The next train leaves in two hours, sir,” I reported.
Bene grinned and passed me a croissant.
“Yes, sir,” I continued to Gordon. “That will get me to Paris by noon.”
Us. That will getusto Paris by noon,Gen whispered into my mind.
Yes, that was the plan. But Gordon didn’t need to know that.
Gordon didn’t need to know a lot of things.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
GENEVIÈVE
“Geneviève,” Gordon stammered when I appeared at his door with Roux. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“She insisted on coming,” Roux said in reply to Gordon’s dark look.
