Page 33 of Hidden Dane
She shrugged him off and headed to the door. “I want you safe, too. Besides, I’m better at self-defense—you need me.”
She marched out the door. He rushed after her and stopped her at the limo. “Emily, this isn’t a joke.”
Henry passed them both and got inside the limo without interrupting them. She swallowed her coffee and didn’t back down. “I’m not joking and we’re wasting time here.”
She bypassed him and scooted inside the car. He glanced around and saw no one following them. He got in, forced himself to relax, and drank his coffee.
No one said much as they drove into Paris. By the time they’d finished their beverages, the Champs De Elysee came into view. Dane held Emily’s hand the whole way. Henry broke the silence when he said, “Brady is checking the bank. Nothing unusual has been detected around the perimeter.”
Emily smiled at him and patted his arm. “Let’s hope the Paris authorities have already stopped Ted and tossed him in jail. Then getting out of here will be no problem.”
Nothing about Ted struck him as easily caught. Perhaps he was being overcautious, but the silence just amped up his apprehension as they drove toward the bank. He simply said, “I don’t like it.”
“Get over it.” They parked. Emily reached for the door like she didn’t care about danger. She looked over her shoulder and said, “We’re here. So let’s go.”
He quickly jumped out as he remembered the last time he hadn’t kept her close and how he’d thought she’d died. He scanned the area—nothing but sunshine on a nice autumn day. His rigid spine warned caution. He held Emily closer to him and despite her display of confidence, she accepted his arm without complaint. Henry joined them and continued to talk into his headset to Brady.
He led Emily to a shady spot under a tree. The first person he saw crossing the street was Brady, who had stayed in the hotel across from the bank.
For now, all four of them were fine. Brady shook Henry’s hand, then Dane’s. Dane told Emily, “Have your jewels ready when I say to get them.”
“Fair enough.” She smiled like they were going to a picnic rather than on a mission to recover stolen jewelry.
“Let’s go.” They arrived at the bank within minutes and Dane held the door for her and his friends, checking the street one more time.
The quietness scratched at his skin worse than a shirt with its tag still on.
Inside the bank, customers milled around the lobby or waited in line. Dane headed toward the special counter. This bank could easily blend in with any bank in any country as nothing specific about it made it special, despite its long history. He took out his wallet and greeted the attendant. “Bon jour. We’re here to open my safe deposit box.”
The clerk was dressed in a black suit, like the other employees, and sported a goatee. “Do you have the bank key?”
“Brady, the key.” Dane opened his palm toward his friend, and Brady dropped it in. In turn, Dane gave it to the banker, who scanned the code and then handed the key back.
“Thank you, sir.” The clerk typed something onto his computer and read the instructions. A split second later, the banker asked, “Do you have your identification and the mark needed to open the box?”
The jewelry again. He hugged Emily closer, ensuring no one could see her, and whispered, “Emily?”
She wiggled so no one saw her reach into her bra and then slipped the necklace and earrings into his hand. “Here you go.”
He stepped back—Emily had been so smooth that he doubted even his friends had seen her slick move. Dane glanced around the bank one more time.
Still nothing.
Dane handed the jewels to the banker, who scanned the necklace into his computer like it had a secret bar code. He peered over the counter—the clerk had taken a digital picture. The banker returned the necklace and Dane handed it to Emily. “Can I have my box now?”
Emily hardly moved a hair as she slipped the necklace back into her hidden pocket like she was getting her phone from her pocketbook.
The banker walked around the desk and motioned for the group to follow him as he said, “This way.”
Henry held his hand to his ear like he was listening for something but then said, “Let’s go.”
Dane lifted his eyebrow as he guided Emily forward.
Henry nodded like he understood the silent question. “The coast is clear so far.”
Still, Dane’s muscles were tight and braced for defense.
The banker went into a room full of silver metal boxes and took one off the shelf, handing it to Dane as he said, “This is your box, sir.”
