Icy Control (17 page)
“So you’re not interested in having a say on where you get to spend the rest of your life rotting away.” El shrugged as she turned to face the door.
Thaddeus sighed. She tilted her head to look at him, but didn’t move back to the table. El waited, patiently. Their gazes met. El showed nothing but self-confidence. Deep inside, she burned with a fire, knowing she was determined. She’d come out on top, regardless of how she made it there.
The air in the small room seemed to crackle with tension once again. Thaddeus was the first to glance away.
He sighed. “Kent and Luke didn’t have the picture when you picked them up?”
“I wouldn’t be here enjoying your company and asking you useless questions if they did,” she pointed out reasonably.
Thaddeus shrugged. “I never laid a hand on the picture. How can I know where it ended up?”
“Why don’t you make a guess and hope it pans out? Where do you think they might have kept it?”
Thaddeus frowned further, creases showing on his brow.
El remained still, frozen as she gazed steadily, taking in every inch of the criminal’s posture and body language. He seemed to genuinely consider her question. When he licked his lips and lifted his eyes to her, she could see he’d decided to make an effort.
“Ask me something I can speak about,” he said in a slow, clear tone. “Like those piece of shit weapons you’re wearing—I can go on for hours offering solutions for better holsters, equipment or ammo. Talking about a painting I never personally laid eyes on isn’t doable. What’s so special about this picture, anyway? Kent never did tell me what the fuss was all about and why there was so much interest in it.”
She wouldn’t trust a word out of his mouth until she’d verified it, but at least this was something she could act on. Silence usually wasn’t.
“Fuss? What kind of fuss happened over the piece?” El asked.
Thaddeus licked his lips again, a glint of something she couldn’t label in his eyes.
“Thirsty work, talking,” Thaddeus said with a smirk. “Any chance I can get some tea?”
El weighed the situation for a moment, then lifted her gaze to catch Rob’s eyes. She nodded. He pushed away from the door again, opened it and stuck his head into the corridor. She heard the soft murmur of his voice, most of the words indistinguishable but ‘tea’ and ‘plastic cup’ letting her know her partner had the situation under control.
Robert finished, pulled himself back into the room and closed the door once again. He caught her gaze, nodded, and she threw a quick smile at him, thanking him silently. Knowing this could take a while, El pulled out the chair near her, opposite Thaddeus, and sat.
“So what kind of fuss brewed up over this painting and who else was interested in the Cezanne, Thaddeus?”
Thaddeus crouched, half standing in a bent over position so he could drag the chair closer to the table. This was difficult owing to the restraints chaining him hand and foot, but in a slow process he managed. El’s body had tightened, her senses sharply aware as she watched him carefully, making sure he didn’t palm a weapon or position himself in a manner that could let him spring on her or take advantage.
Satisfied when he sat back down and met her gaze again, she nodded for him to continue.
“I don’t know who Kent—and Luke, I suppose—were going to sell the Cezanne to,” he stated up front, his tone daring her to question him about it. “I overheard a number of conversations and phone calls, though. There was plenty of interest, and at one stage about six weeks ago I had the feeling there might have been another crew out there, wanting to get a jump on us and take the glory for themselves. As far as I’m aware, the plan was to sell the piece via silent auction after they’d gotten what they needed from the picture itself.”
El’s mind quickly jumped on the few important facts. If there had been another crew after the painting, Chelsea and David—the undercover agents they’d had on the inside of
this
team—had not been aware of it. Additionally, it appeared that the painting itself, while incredibly valuable and one of a kind, was not the final goal. Thaddeus had said ‘once they got what they needed from it’, which indicated that the painting itself held secrets.
The entire situation continued to grow more complicated.
Appearing to mistake her silence for annoyance, Thaddeus spoke again after a short pause.
“I’d guess the silent auction was to get the best price, or, hell, for all I know it was to offer the possible other group out to steal it a chance to recoup their reputation.”
A knock interrupted. Rob blocked the entrance with his body, but opened the door to take the single disposable cup from another agent then closed it once again. Without a word, Robert placed the drink in front of Thaddeus, within reach of his chained hands.
El waited for their prisoner to carefully get hold of the cup, lift it to his lips and take a drink. It wasn’t steaming, so El guessed it was the lukewarm tea available at one of the refreshment stations around the office. When Thaddeus had returned the tea, she started again, asking the same questions from a variety of angles— When had these calls taken place? Were they at specific times? International? From known associates or through third party contacts?
With patience she wrung Thaddeus dry. She leaned back only when she was confident he didn’t have anything further to add. They had come up with a depressingly slim amount of new information, but she felt Thaddeus could add no more to their knowledge. Rolling her head back, El glanced at Rob, silently offering him a chance to jump in. If she’d missed something, forgotten to cover a point adequately, or if Rob had an idea on how they could gather more information, she wanted to give him the chance to get his bit in.
Rob’s dark gaze met hers. He seemed to consider his thoughts for a few seconds, then gave a tiny shake of his chin, indicating that he couldn’t think of anything to add.
El let the seconds draw out for a minute. Thaddeus didn’t say a word, seeming happy to sit there until hell froze over. She was done, and Rob didn’t want to add anything further. She stood.
“Either I or another Agent will let you know if this comes to fruition. Thank you for your assistance, Mr Brown.”
About the Author
Elizabeth Lapthorne has been writing professionally since 2002. She has a number of books released and is continually surprised by how much fun she has starting a new book and discovering new characters and situations that they put themselves in. She enjoys going to the gym (usually to chew over her latest problem scene), is rarely without a partially read book and has a weakness for chocolate.
Email:
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Elizabeth loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at
http://www.totallybound.com
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Also by Elizabeth Lapthorne
The Agency: Flirting With Danger
The Agency: Passionate Immunity
The Agency: Passionate Vengeance
The Agency: Intimate Knowledge
The Agency: Unearthed Treasure
Totally Bound Publishing
