Delilah returned the smile and extended her hand.
We shook.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said.
"Likewise.”
"Thank you so much for coming. We have some priceless jewelry here tonight, and I would feel a lot better with someone from the county on hand. Sheriff Daniels says you boys are the best. We have the best private security money can buy, but it never hurts to have more. Catalina wants the evening to go off without a hitch."
"I'm sure it will," I replied with a reassuring smile. “Who’s Catalina?”
“She’s hosting the event.” Delilah pointed to a sultry brunette in an elegant gown with a slit on the side that showed off her sumptuous legs. The dress was full of daring cuts that drew the eye and sparked sinful desires. The glimmering necklace she wore gave one a good excuse in the event of a failure to maintain eye contact. The V-neck was one twist away from a malfunction.
Delilah then pointed out the current security staff, which we had already located. Four in total. "I’d like to get your assessment of the situation and talk about potential threats and weaknesses."
“Well, to be honest, we’re probably a little short on manpower. We’ll have to break the ballroom into zones. According to the law, none of the exits can be locked during occupancy. That means the main doors, the side doors, the staff entrances, and the French doors all need to remain accessible. I’d put one of your guys on each wall, covering the entrances and exits. Jack will take the jewelry tables, and I’ll roam.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll introduce you to the boys.”
“I take it your security staff has been fully vetted.”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Ideally, background checks on hotel staff have been done.”
She lifted her brow with a bit of surprise. “Oh, I hadn’t even considered that.”
This should have been taken care of well in advance. I wasn’t sure thebest money could buyactually bought a lot. These guys probably thought they were just babysitting a bunch of rich socialites. “Who hired the security staff?”
“Well, I did?”
“Have you worked with them before?”
“Yes, of course.”
“It’s a little late now, but if you can get me a list of hotel staff, I can have them checked out.”
“You don’t really think someone in the hotel staff would pose a threat?” Delilah said, dismissing the notion.
“Probably not. But we’re talking millions of dollars. I’ve seen people killed over fifty cents.”
A look of dread washed over her face.
"Well, the most important piece here is the egg," Delilah said, pointing to the hypnotic emerald. "40 carats. That alone is worth $2 to $3 million. But we're expecting it to go for more this evening.”
"Impressive.”
"If you need anything at all during the evening, just let me know. Like I said, I don't anticipate any trouble. I just think it's best to be prepared."
I didn't have the heart to tell her she didn't prepare as well as she should.
"I’d like to introduce you to Catalina," she said. “Then I'll take you around to meet the rest of the guys.”
I was not opposed to meeting Catalina at all.
Delilah escorted us across the ballroom to introduce us to the alluring vixen. An older gentleman and his wife were chatting her up. The man couldn't keep his eyes off her cleavage, much to the dismay of his wife. If that kept up, we might have another homicide on our hands.
Delilah waited until their conversation ended, then made introductions. We shook hands, and I didn’t mind holding Catalina’s. Her nails were manicured to perfection, and hermakeup flawless. She looked at me with those sultry, hypnotic eyes. Those were the real gems of the evening.
