Always a Thief Part 26

In the meantime, she tried not to think too much about it. She'd burned her bridges, and whatever was meant to happen would. She'd deal with it.

"So even with Nightshade safely out of action," she said as she stood near the guards' station with Storm, Quinn, and Wolfe, watching the first of the day's visitors beginning to trickle in, "the exhibit will continue to run."

"Yeah, Max considers that a given," Wolfe said, more resigned than anything else. "Which means we can't let down our guard."

"Still a lot of thieves out there," Quinn said. "Trust me on that."

"And unanswered questions," Morgan reminded them. "The Jane Doe, the knife in the bas.e.m.e.nt-we still don't know what that was all about."

"Maybe we do," Keane Tyler said as he reached them. "Where's Max? And Jared?"

Morgan didn't like the look on his face. "What do you- Never mind. Steve?" she called out to one of the guards. "Page Mr. Bannister, will you, please? Private page. Tell him we need him and Mr. Chavalier in the lobby."

"Yes, ma'am." He immediately picked up the phone to call Max's pager.

Morgan looked back at the other men in time to intercept a glance between the police inspector and Quinn, and she abruptly realized something. "You weren't surprised to find Alex here last night," she said slowly. "You know, don't you, Keane?"

The men exchanged glances again, and Keane said in a lowered voice, "Max wanted at least one cop to know exactly what was going on. Two, actually. The commissioner and me. So, yes, I know who Alex is. And who Quinn is."

"Jesus, I'm surrounded by actors," she muttered. "I never guessed you had a clue about Quinn. You hunted down all the information for me, and-"

"Information?" Quinn said curiously.

"Never mind." Somewhat dryly, she added, "An awful lot of people seem to know your secret ident.i.ty. I'd watch that if I were you."

"You might have a point."

"We could all wear decoder rings," Wolfe suggested, deadpan. "Or have a secret handshake just so he can keep up with who knows."

To Morgan, Quinn said, "Thanks so much for helping him to take me even less seriously."

"Happy to oblige."

"I couldn't possibly take you less seriously," Wolfe told his brother.

Keane said, "I thought it was Jared who was mad as h.e.l.l at you. Do you p.i.s.s everybody off?"

"He tries," Morgan said.

"I have a host of friends," Quinn murmured.

Jared and Max arrived then, and Max lifted inquiring brows at Keane. "You have the look of a man who's having a very bad day," he noted.

"The worst." Keane had at least smiled faintly at the byplay between Morgan, Wolfe, and Quinn, but now he was serious again. His face was strained. "The forensics people finally pulled a usable print from Jane Doe. We ran it against the criminal and police databases and got a match. She is-was-Gillian Newman."

It was Morgan who spoke up first, saying, "Wait a minute. Inspector Inspector Gillian Newman?" Gillian Newman?"

"Yes."

"Then who was that with you all this time?"

He shook his head. "Whoever she was, she left her desk to get coffee about four this morning and vanished. After the I.D. came in, we checked her apartment. Empty. Boxes everywhere, which means the real Gillian at least had time to move her stuff in. But not to unpack. And there was no sign anybody ever lived there."

Quinn took a step toward him. "A cop. She impersonated a cop."

"Looks like," Keane agreed grimly. "Did a pretty G.o.dd.a.m.ned good job too. Presumably to get inside the department. And inside this museum, on the pretext of investigating the very murder she committed. She killed the real Gillian and then left us all those nice, clear signposts pointing here. Ever since we found that body, she's been cleared to come and go here as she pleased. We rolled out the f.u.c.king welcome mat for her."

"Jesus Christ," Quinn said. "The collection."

Ten minutes later, with the Mysteries Past Mysteries Past exhibit closed to the public and guards stationed at the doors, Keane and the others watched Max and Quinn, the two most familiar with the Bannister collection, move from display to display, studying the individual pieces. exhibit closed to the public and guards stationed at the doors, Keane and the others watched Max and Quinn, the two most familiar with the Bannister collection, move from display to display, studying the individual pieces.

Not surprisingly, it was Quinn who found it.

"Here," he said. "s.h.i.t."

The others joined him immediately.

"The Talisman emerald?" Morgan said. "But it's here. It looks-"

"It looks real. It isn't. Storm, the display alarms?"

"Off. Just a second." She opened a concealed access panel in the display's base and punched in a code. There was a soft click, and the case opened. "Okay, that kills all internal alarms as well. You can pick it up."

Quinn reached inside, using his handkerchief in lieu of gloves. "I guarantee there are no prints," he said. "Still . . ." Carefully, he lifted the wide gold bangle with its oval emerald and held it up so they could all examine it.

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked. "It looks real."

"It's a good copy. A d.a.m.ned good copy." He turned the bangle slightly to see the underside of the setting. "The workmanship is too new; the genuine piece showed faint hammer marks in the gold." He turned it back so that the "emerald" flashed green fire. "And the stone is just one shade too pale."

"How did she get into the case?" Storm demanded. "None of the alarms has been tripped."

"I don't know. Christ, Max, I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault, Alex."

"No? I asked you to risk the collection. I told you I'd keep it safe."

"You did keep it safe-from the threat we knew about. None of us saw this coming."

"I should have," Quinn said. "I should have."

It was after midnight when Morgan woke to see Quinn standing at the window gazing out on a chilly, foggy San Francisco night.

"Alex?"

He stirred slightly and then returned to the bed, sliding in beside her and drawing her into his arms. "Go back to sleep, sweet."

"Alex, stop blaming yourself. You did everything you could to safeguard the collection."

"Everything except keep it safe."

"The only piece missing is the Talisman emerald. It's valuable, sure, but look at what the thief didn't didn't get." get."

"I knew there was someone working behind the scenes after the police found that body. I knew, knew, Morgana. But all I could think about was trapping Nightshade." Morgana. But all I could think about was trapping Nightshade."

"Which you did."

"And cost Max the emerald."

"And saved lives, Alex. We'll never know how many lives you saved. If the price was the emerald, then so be it. You heard Max. He doesn't care."

"Maybe not, but-"

"He doesn't care."

After a long moment, the tension seemed to leave Quinn and he pulled her even closer. "Yes. I know."

Feeling the effects of the previous night without sleep, Morgan yawned and snuggled closer. "Besides, you'll be able to find that other thief and the emerald. Set a thief to catch a thief, remember?"

"I remember. Go to sleep, love."

Halfway there, Morgan chuckled drowsily. "That's the first time you've ever called me that. I like it."

"So do I." He kissed her forehead. "Good night, love."

When Morgan woke late the next morning, Quinn was gone. She knew it the instant she opened her eyes. She knew he wasn't in the apartment. She doubted he was even in the city.

"Set a thief to catch a thief," she murmured. "Me and my big mouth."

He'd gone after the emerald.

Bantam Books by KAY HOOPER.

Once a Thief Whisper of Evil Touching Evil Out of the Shadows Hiding in the Shadows Stealing Shadows Haunting Rachel Finding Laura After Caroline Amanda On Wings of Magic The Wizard of Seattle My Guardian Angel And coming this summer from Bantam Books Sense of Evil

PRAISE FOR KAY HOOPER'S.

STEALING SHADOWS.

"A fast-paced, suspenseful plot . . . The story's complicated and intriguing twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the chilling ending."

-Publishers Weekly "The first book in a 'thrillogy' which will feature back-to-back suspense novels by the awesome Ms. Hooper. If Stealing Shadows Stealing Shadows is any indication, readers are in for a terrific thrill ride." is any indication, readers are in for a terrific thrill ride."

-Romantic Times "This definitely puts Ms. Hooper in a league with Tami Hoag and Iris Johansen and Sandra Brown. Gold 5-star rating."

-Heartland Critiques HAUNTING RACHEL.

"A stirring and evocative thriller."

-Palo Alto Daily News "The pace flies, the suspense never lets up. It's great reading."

-The Advocate, Baton Rouge Baton Rouge "An intriguing book with plenty of strange twists that will please the reader."

-Rocky Mountain News "It pa.s.sed the 'stay up late to finish it in one night' test."

-The Denver Post FINDING LAURA.

"You always know you are in for an outstanding read when you pick up a Kay Hooper novel, but in Finding Laura, Finding Laura, she has created something really special! Simply superb!" she has created something really special! Simply superb!"

-Romantic Times (gold medal review) (gold medal review) "Hooper keeps the intrigue pleasurably complicated, with gothic touches of suspense and a satisfying resolution."

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-Rendezvous AFTER CAROLINE.

"Harrowing good fun. Readers will shiver and shudder."

-Publishers Weekly "Kay Hooper comes through with thrills, chills, and plenty of romance, this time with an energetic murder mystery with a clever twist. The suspense is sustained admirably right up to the very end."

-Kirkus Reviews "Peopled with interesting characters and intricately plotted, the novel is both a compelling mystery and a satisfying romance."

-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Kay Hooper has crafted another solid story to keep readers enthralled until the last page is turned."

-Booklist "Joanna Flynn is appealing, plucky and true to her mission as she probes the mystery that was Caroline."

-Variety AMANDA.

"Amanda seethes and sizzles. A fast-paced, seethes and sizzles. A fast-paced, atmospheric tale that vibrates with tension, pa.s.sion, and mystery. Readers will devour it."

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-Publishers Weekly "I lapped it right up. There aren't enough good books in this genre, so this stands out!"

-Booknews from The Poisoned Pen from The Poisoned Pen "Kay Hooper has given you a darn good ride, and there are far too few of those these days."