Well, she had a week, but she also knew postponing often meant things wouldn’t get done. So she set to cleaning, envisioning what Penelope would notice—which details would catch her eye when she gazed around her home.
Halfway through, her phone rang.
Francesca.
She sighed and picked up. “Hey. What’s up?”
“I need you to come over tonight. We have some…concerning news.”
“Oh, OK. What time?”
“Come by at eight.”
“Will do.” She glanced at the time, 5:15p.m. She would still be able to finish her cleaning, eat a little something, and head over.
By the time she made it to Francesca’s, Skye and Jules were already there, seated and unusually quiet. Lucia slipped into the chair beside Jules, bracing herself.
Francesca sat down as well.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice. We’ve talked about retrieving theMadonnafrom the warehouse. It’s still there for now. But according to my sources, there’s a new shipment scheduled, and Varnelli intends to move theMadonnaout of the country.”
“When?” Lucia asked.
“This coming weekend. We need to act before then.”
“What if it’s a trap?” Skye said. “They had access to our communications. Who knows what else they know?”
“No one has used the devices since the ball, and I assume you haven’t discussed any of our plans elsewhere?”
Skye gave a sharp shake of her head.
“No,” Jules and Lucia said at the same time.
“Then it shouldn’t be a concern.”
“And you trust your sources?” Jules asked.
Francesca’s gaze sharpened, but Jules didn’t flinch.
“It’s not an accusation, and I know you’re not careless. But this is personal, and when things get emotional, we sometimes miss the warning signs.”
“I haven’t missed anything,” Francesca said tightly. “The intel is solid. But if you’re unsure, no one is forcing you to stay involved.”
Lucia clenched her jaw, her gaze darting between Francesca and Jules. She could only hope the cracks between them wouldn’t widen before the job had even started.
“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m in. I just don’t want us to get screwed over by emotions,” Jules said.
Francesca gave a curt nod. “Agreed.”
There goes my weekend plan.
Still, a part of her lit up at the idea of being done—one last mission, one last run, and then Francesca would finally have herMadonnaback.
And dare she even think it, Lucia would be done. She could move on, finally find her footing in a world free from clandestine jobs and art that wasn’t hers.
Chapter 31
Snake Pit
