Kieran, are you there?
Yes, yes, and I want to hear the end of the story.
Julie laughed softly. Its good. I promise you, its good.
A sense of unease began to stir in Kieran. Julie, just tell me, what did you do?
Did I mention that whoever hes fooling around with left her thong in the bed? My bed?
Yes, I know, and thats deplorable. But what did you do?
I got over the crying. I dont want you to think I did anything crazy because I was crying hysterically or out of my mind with grief or anything.
At that, Kierans reaction went from unease to real concern. She looked up, forced herself to flash a smile to Bobby, refilled his glass and asked Julie to hang on for a minute.
She stopped trying to do anything useful; she had to concentrate on this conversation. She headed to the end of the bar, out of earshot of everyone else, and leaned against it. Julie, what did you do? she asked again.
I was very nice, actually. His boss called the house, asking if I knew where he was. I said I didnt. Then I went and bought doughnuts and take-out coffee, and brought them down to the store.
That sounded nice so far. In Garys business, client and coworker relationships were important, because the amounts of money clients spent and the employees commissions were so high that cooperation literally paid. After all, better that the proceeds were shared than never earned at all. Julie was well liked by Garys friends and coworkers. She was quick to assist when asked and enjoyed role-playingpretending keen interest in a piece of jewelry when a possible buyer was studying it. In the process, shed learned a fair bit about how to judge the quality of diamonds.
But Julie hadnt gone down to the store to be nice; Kieran was certain of that. Julie, what exactly did you do after that? she asked.
I handed out doughnuts. I apologized to his friends and coworkers for the fact that he hadnt been showing up when he was supposed to, and I explained that theyd have to find whatever woman he was sleeping with to know where he was. I saw his boss last. I asked him to save one glazed doughnut with a hole in it so Gary would have a place to put his dick in case one of his new girlfriends got wise to him.
That was it? Kieran asked.
Julie giggled. Oh, no. I want him to really hurt.
So then?
Well, then they acted all awkward and said how sorry they were. I just said, well, it was over, and how much I liked all of them, but I wouldnt be able to come in and pose as a potential customer anymore.
And that was it? Right?
Well...almost, Julie said. You have to understand, Kieran. I wasnt stupid about this. I was calm and charming. Im so ready for all of this to be over.
And thats good. Close the door. Start fresh.
You remember, dont you, how I didnt even want to get married right away?
Yes, I remember.
I wanted to go to California and earn my masters. Take some time. He talked me into getting married.
We all make mistakes, Julie. But back to what you did... Kieran hesitated. So you left the shop and that was it, she said hopefully.
Well...
Oh, Lord. Julie, if you wanted to hurt him, you shouldve just called animal control or the police. Im sure they would have taken action for what he did to the dogs. You might have gotten him fired just for that. In any case, he wouldve been in trouble somewhere with someone.
Trust me, hes already going to be in enough trouble, Julie said.
And why is that?
Theyre going to find out that the Capelleti Diamond is gone. And Gary was the last one to handle it.
Kierans heart slammed against her chest. No! You didntdid you? Did you steal the diamond, Julie? Tell me you didnt. Thats grand larceny! Did you steal that diamond?
No, dont be ridiculous, Julie said.
Thank God, Kieran murmured.
Im no good at stuff like that! Id never try to steal anything. I was just setting Gary up. Making sure his boss and everyone there knew he had a reason to steal it, what with a new girlfriend and an expensive divorce.
Get to the point!
Well, the point is... I had your brother take the diamond for me. I admit I dont know that many, but Daniels the best thief Ive ever metbesides you, of course.
* * *
Craig Frasier headed down the hall to the office of assistant director Richard Eagan and ran into Mike Dalton, who was approaching their bosss office from the opposite direction.
Mike grinned at Craig. Im baa-ack! he said happily.
Glad to see it. Craig grinned in return and couldnt help asking, So, hows the ass?
Mike gave a nonchalant shrug. Every part of me is doing fine. As for you, youre just a wiseass kid, he said.
Theyd been partners for five years, and at thirty-four, Craig hardly considered himself a kid. But he and Mike were more than partners; they were friends, as well. Although they could joke about it now, theyd been chasing a suspect in the murder of an up-and-coming politician in the Poconos when Mike was injured. Hed dodged behind cover to avoid a bullet from the Beretta the supposedly unarmed suspect had suddenly stopped to fire and caught the bullet in the left buttock as he took his dive. Craig had taken down their suspect, winging him in his right shoulder. The Beretta had gone flying, and the suspect had been arrestedin pain but alive. Hed provided information on his coconspirators in the murder, and the crime had been solved. It had been a good day for their unit, but Mike had spent several days in the hospital after that, and then a month at home on forced medical leave.
Mike had informed Craig that it was his fine solid ass that had saved the day. An embarrassing injury, Craig had pointed out, one that had resulted in all the inevitable remarks.
Naturally, even as they teased him, his coworkers were grateful that his injury wasnt worse and that he would easily recover.
Good to have you back, Craig said, and he meant it.
In Mikes absence, hed been paired with Marty Salinger, the new nerd on the block, a by-the-book-until-the-pages-ripped kind of nerd. Craig had just about crawled out of his skin every time Marty insisted on backup when the clock was ticking or refused to make a move without direct permission.
Craig had made it through some hard situations, situations in which going by the book was no help. Hed worked undercover in narcotics, and more than once, fast thinking had saved his lifeand the lives of others.
Marty would learn. Sometimes the book was important and gave them what they needed; sometimes, a good agent was better off making split-second decisions without it.
But hell, Craig himself had learned from Mike. Mike had been with the agency twelve years; he had experience and resolve. At five-eleven, he was shorter than Craig by four-plus inches, but he was lean and fit and determined to stay that way. He and Craig spent hours training. They both ran, and participated in the various sports events the agency sponsored.
They both spent long hours at the gun range, too; shooting skills had to be kept sharp when you worked in the field.
Mike had been offered desk jobs over the years. He didnt want them. It would happen soon enough, hed told Craig, but he still had work to do making sure he had Craig trained properly. It wasnt entirely meant as a joke.
Now that memory made Craig think about Marty. One day he would probably be a good field agent; Craig just didnt want to be the one stuck teaching him. He liked knowing that Mike had his back. He was always afraid Marty would be checking some manual to see if it was all right before he entered the fray.
Luckily, everything had been straightforward during the weeks Mike was out recuperating. Craig and the new kid had been assigned to a gang shakedown. Intelligence had been good, and theyd made a number of arrests without a drop of blood being spilled.
Craig had recently come off that detail, and with Mike newly returned that day from medical leave, they were being called in to see the assistant director.
You know what this is about? Craig asked.
Not a clue. Hey, this is New York, Mike said. Could be anything.
The New York State office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation was the largest in the country, and since New York City had such a massive population, most of the agents were assigned to the city and its environs. The New York office had agents assisting with cases across the country. However, since 9/11, the delegation of duties had changed somewhat. There were now special divisions in the New York office that handled practically everything, from fraud and income-tax evasion to organized crime, gangs, kidnapping, murder, terrorism and more. The units worked together to assess a situation and strategize the best approach. After all, as people often said, Al Capone had been brought down not by a hail of gunfire but by the brilliance of an accountant.
Within the different divisions, there was a small group of agents whod earned a place in one of Eagans special task forces. Craig and Mike fell into that category, so a trip to Eagans office was always intriguing. They never had any idea what the assignment might be, except that it was usually in conjunction with another law enforcement agency.
The directors assistant indicated that they should go on in. Hes waiting for you, she told them.
Craig opened the door for Mike. After you, my friend. Ive got to watch out for the elderly and the injured.
Dont you mean you should step aside for maturity and experience? Mike said. But never mind. You go first.
Ah, but I dont want the door catching you in the assthe back, I meanif you go in last, Craig said.
Low blow! Mike protested.
Craig inclined his head. Okay, well call it maturity and experience. He held the door and followed Mike in.
Richard Eagan was looking out his window when they entered. Take a seat, he said, turning toward them. File folders are in front of you.
Eagan was a ramrod of a man. Fifty-plus, he was as fit as a teenagersomething he worked at with the same discipline he observed in the office. He was a decent man, but he hadnt kept one of his six wives for more than a year; none of them had truly grasped his overpowering dedication to his work.
Craig knew that because the last two had cried on his shoulder. Marleen, wife number six, had warned him, Dont let this happen to you, Craig. When you find the right woman, find a balance between work and life. I was all for Richard saving the world. What I didnt realize was that he never meant to save himself.
He knew that Marleen had been genuinely worried about him. Too many casual relationships had lasted only until he was working around the clock again. Truth was, he had his own reasons for not pursuing a serious relationship. Hed actually begun to explain, but then hed stopped.
They just dont make them like the one I lost anymore.
He sat quickly and Mike did the same, and they picked up their folders, scanning the material.
Jewelry store robberies? Mike said. Ive been following this on the news, but
Theres been a change, Eagan said. Two thefts in the past two days. And now, two dead.
Craig glanced at him in surprise. The NYPD had been dealing with the rash of jewelry store robberies. Every one of the five thefts that had taken place during the previous weeks had been within the five boroughs of NYC and fallen under the jurisdiction of the city police. Even with the two deaths, it still seemed to be a situation the NYPD should be handling.
Theyre killing people now? Mike asked. I hadnt seen that on the news.
It hasnt been on TV yet. Im having a press conference with the chiefs of police and the mayor in an hour. Weve been holding off, pending notification of next of kin. And, of course, to coordinate efforts between agencies.
Were in? Mike asked.
Yeah. State lines and all, since now New Jerseys been hit, too. Twice. Anyway, its all hands on deck. You two will be lead, but you wont be the only special agents involved. Hell, every law enforcement officer in New York and the tri-state area will be alerted and working on it. The last two robberies took place right over the bridge in Jersey City. The elderly gentleman who owned one of the stores was staying late, doing his books, when he was shot and killed.
You said there were two murders? Craig asked, flipping through the folder hed been given.
Eagan nodded gravely. There was a murder at the next store that was hit, too. A night manager was there, and a cleaning woman was working in the showroom. She was abducted, then murdered in the alley behind the store.
What about the manager? Any idea why he was left alive? Did he see anything? Craig asked.
He was in a back office. When he came out, they grabbed the woman as a human shield and dragged her away. They shot at him and missed, and apparently were in too much of a hurry to care, Eagan said.
Video surveillance? Mike asked.
Yes, but the thieves wore hoodies and ski masks, Eagan said.
Are we sure that these thieves and the ones who hit the Diamond District are the same? Craig asked.
Same MO. Breaking in after closing time, they wear gloves, so no prints. And all the security footage shows the thieves wearing the same disguises, Eagan said.
But its not the same MO anymore, Craig muttered.
What do you mean?
I mean its changed, Craig said. Escalated. Five robberies with no one hurt. And now we have two dead. Seems odd to me that theyve suddenly become violent.
Maybe they got desperate for some reason, Mike suggested. The pressure of time or whatever.
Craig shrugged. Maybe these are copycats. Copycats who kill.
Could be, Eagan said. Get up to speed, see what you can find. And lets hope to hell were not looking for two different sets of thieves. Jewel heists are one thing, but murder...
* * *
What is the matter with you? Kieran demanded. Her voice was harsh, even though her words were almost whispered.
She wasnt meeting with her best friend and her miscreant youngest brother at Finnegans. No way could she have done that without Declan getting wind of it. Didnt matter that he wasnt at the bar right now. The customers, the servers, everyoneeven the damned wallsseemed to have eyes and ears.
Shed met them at a nondescript chain coffee place down the street from Finnegans instead.
Daniel looked sheepishly at Kieran, turned to Julie, then back to Kieran. Julies like a sister to me, he said defensively. And her scumbag husband deserves the worst. Kieran, he couldve killed those poor dogs, not to mention the emotional crap hes been putting Julie through!