Page 143 of Smoke Screen
This from Rohan. Mr. Mary Sunshine.
Ignoring his brother, Phin pointed to an X near the bottom of the map. “This is the other entrance at the rear. There’s another guard stationed there. Video monitoring is done from within the gate houses. The guards can see interior and exterior footage. Nobody inside at this location. Just cameras. So, we need a distraction in front. Keep that guy occupied while we talk our way into the back.”
Cruz cocked his head. “Delivery truck.”
Last year, thinking a truck would come in handy for moving larger items, they’d purchased a used step van when a local company went bust.
It turned out to be a solid investment. They’d already posed—multiple times—as uniformed delivery guys to gain access to airports, distribution centers, storage facilities, and even private residences.
“Exactly,” Phin said. “We’ll throw a piece of furniture in the back. Act like we’re delivering it. Bob claims there’s all kinds of items stored in the warehouse. A piece of furniture wouldn’t shock anyone. All we need is to get beyond the gate. Then our diversion at the front escalates and guard number two has to see what the hell’s going on.”
“And if he doesn’t go?” Mary Sunshine again.
As much as Mr. Dark Side Rohan sometimes irritated the crap out of Phin, he’d saved their asses countless times. They now depended on him to find holes in their plans.
Still standing in front of the screen, Zeke shrugged. “We detain him. One of us keeps watch while Phin goes in and finds the jewels. If we do it right, we’ll be in and out in minutes.”
“Just like when they broke into the Thompson Center.”
They all swung to Maddy, quietly sitting at the table. Preoccupied with planning, Phin had forgotten she was even there. Now she had their attention. Particularly his.
She’d pulled her wild hair into a loose ponytail, but a few tendrils broke free, framing her face.
That crazy, happy feeling surged and Phin fought to refocus his mind on priceless jewels.
But, dang, he loved looking at her.
“I’ll go with you,” she said.
Had she been ingesting hallucinogens after her ordeal earlier? “Uh, no,” Phin shot before his good sense kicked in and made him shut his mouth.
Maddy tilted her head, drilling him with a look, and he put his hands up. “Sorry. That came out too quick. I’m not telling you what to do.” Yeah, he was. “This is dangerous. You’ve been around gunfire twice in the last two days. The guards are armed. Someone could get hurt.”
A long pause ensued. Finally, she sat back, casually folding her hands over her belly. “All right. You all go in and possibly grab the wrong items. Or,” she mused, “maybe not all of them. That’s a definite possibility, since none of you have ever actually seen these pieces.”
“Maddy—”
She threw her hand up. “I get it. I’m an amateur. It’sdangerous. I don’t know what I’m doing, blah, blah. Save your breath. What it all comes down to is that I’m the only one in this room who knows these pieces intimately. We all know that as soon as Ash and Walker get Louis Junior talking, it’s over. The FBI will lock down every building associated with the Veras. They may be working on warrants as we speak.”
“IfLouis talks,” Rohan said.
Maddy met his gaze. “Oh, he’ll talk. President Thompson refuses to travel with him because he constantly complains at five-star hotels. Gentlemen, Louis isn’t built for prison. As soon as he admits his part in this heist, the FBI will arrest anyone involved, including members of the Vera family.”
“And then they move the jewels,” Cruz said. “Gotta give it to her. She’s right.”
“I hate it,” Zeke admitted. “However, it’s not a bad idea to bring her. She can identify all the pieces and we’re done.”
What?
The one obsessed with security, withsafety,wanted to put Maddy in the middle of an op they’d had no time—zero—to plan and practice? Normally, they’d be erecting walls in the shoot house out back and running the plan over and over and over while Grams and Mom timed them from the catwalk above.
NowZeke decided to go rogue?
“Absolutely not,” Phin said. “We’ll do the camera thing again.”
“Right,” Maddy said. “Because that worked out so well the first time.”
Phin whirled back to her, gritted his teeth. “You’re not coming. If anything happens to you, I’ll lose my mind. Not doing it.”
