Page 48 of Remote Access

“You don’t return those feelings?”

“Nah. I like her. She’s funny, but she’s not really my type.” He chuckled and leaned close to whisper. “Mine’s a lot more like yours.”

“Back off,” Lane growled. “Mine.”

“Oh, that was fucking obvious instantly.” He winked. “I’m kidding anyway. You’re more my type.”

Quincy, who’d hopefully missed that exchange because he’d been staring at the roof with binoculars, lowered them. “The guard keeps looking at his watch and the door back into the house. I think he’s about to take a break.” He lifted the binoculars. “Yep. He’s got his back to us now, talking to another guard. You ready to run?”

“This would be so much easier if it was dark,” Lane muttered again.

“We either do this now or not at all.” Helix pointed to a shed. “I’ll go first. Wait a couple of seconds, then follow.” He didn’t hesitate, shooting out to dart between trees and crouch behind the shed.

“Hold up,” Quincy whispered, still looking up.

“Did they spot him?”

“Nah, but they’re facing our way. When I say go, go.”

Lane held his breath, every muscle in his body tightening as he waited.

“Go.”

He ran, following the same path as Helix, then knelt with his back to the shed. By the time Quincy reached them, his nerves were under control and he was more than ready to get this out of the way. His usual adrenaline kicked in and he waited for Quincy to give the signal, then he booked it to the door along with Helix. Quincy was right behind them. The door was unlocked as promised and they filed into the house and quietly shut it behind them.

They were met with considerably cooler air and a wide, dim hallway. Dark, polished wood floors and expensive-looking paneled walls stretched out in either direction with sunlight streaming into rooms on each end. Helix pointed and they slowly moved right, Lane listening for any sounds that would alert them to another’s presence. Again he wished for night, being much more used to working under the cover of darkness. And also not under such dangerous conditions. The houses had mostly been scouted out ahead. And he’d never had to hit a place with armed guards before.

Helix pulled them close to whisper, “The basement is where he keeps everything and the stairs are off the kitchen through that breakfast room. He has that particular door wired to the new security system.”

“I’ve got that covered,” Lane whispered, knowing he was about to give away something Quincy had wanted to know from the beginning. He moved ahead of them, ears still peeled but there was no movement in the house. He wondered where Shelli was just as they reached the kitchen. Oak beams decorated the high ceiling, earth-tones in everything from the wide tiles to the dark, granite countertops. The place was really too warm and beautiful for someone like Hayrick Letsen.

Helix pointed to a wide door off to the side of the room. Sure enough, one of the security panels was next to it. He keyed in a code and hurried through the door and down the stairs, Helix and Quincy at his heals. Quincy shut the door behind them.

They couldn’t afford to speak but he knew the man was burning with curiosity—he could almost hear the questions. And the first one came the moment they reached the basement and Quincy made sure it was clear.

All he did was raise one eyebrow.

“I promise to tell you as soon as we’re out of here,” he hissed.

“I can’t wait to hear this,” Helix said quietly. He turned and whistled. “Holy shit. I knew he had all this here, but I had no idea it would be so much.” He cursed and pointed to a shelf that held vases and various knickknacks. “I lifted two of the items right there, dammit.”

Trunks and shelves filled the walls of the massive room. Tables covered in various items were crammed into every available space and the room branched off into several others that looked to be just as full. It was going to take some time to find the damn poster. Lane sprang into action, going to the framed paintings stacked against the wall first.

“I’m looking for a gold robot poster, right?” Helix asked.

“Yeah. It’s bound to be here if he doesn’t have it on display upstairs.” He hurriedly went through the paintings, recognizing two other posters he’d lifted. He knew exactly where those belonged and he burned to take them as well. As it was, getting out with the one poster would be tricky enough.

Quincy stayed by the door, gun drawn as he kept watch. Lane and Helix dug through piles and every so often, Helix would exclaim quietly when he recognized something. “Surely he hasn’t sent out this many fakes. He’s had us stealing more for himself than I realized. And what’s the point of keeping it all in a damn basement?”

“He’ll sell all of this at some point. Either that or he’s a hoarder.”

“But if he sells, even in that underground market, word will get out that he’s double-dealing.”

“Who knows what kind of twisted plan he has then,” Helix answered as he glanced into another room. “Voila. There’s a lone computer in there. How long would it take you to hack the thing?”

Lane shrugged. “No way to tell. Is it a laptop? Take it?”

“It’s not.”

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