12

‘I’m not going to tell Monroe.’

JT’s just gotten out of the shower. The white towel wrapped around his hips makes the tan of his chest look even deeper. Now I’ve told him my plan he’s frowning, looking unsure.

‘You think that’s wise?’ he says.

Sitting on our bed, I cradle the knight in the palm of my hand. It’s heavier than it looks and it sure is real pretty – solid gold, with a line of emeralds around the base. I stroke the smooth sides. Thinking. ‘Thing is, I’m not sure he’s telling us his whole plan.’

JT’s frown deepens. ‘How so?’

‘I can’t see how this exchange at the poker game will get him what he wants. The point of this operation is to catch Cabressa in the act of buying knowingly stolen goods. If he wins them, or is gifted them as I’m instructed to, we’re not fulfilling that brief.’

JT sits down on the bed next to me. Looks real thoughtful. ‘I can see that’s an issue, but surely Monroe would say something if he thought it was a problem. Could be he thinks the video from the micro camera is enough.’

I watch a trickle of water glide from JT’s shoulder, down his chest to the fluffy towel at his waist. Nod. ‘Could be.’

We sit side-by-side, not speaking for a moment. The only sounds are the slow drip of the shower in the bathroom and the hiss of the coffee maker.

I exhale hard. ‘I just don’t think he’s telling me everything, and that worries me. Most non-Bureau people Monroe works with have a tendency to wind up dead or in jail. I don’t want that happening to us is all.’

‘For sure,’ says JT.

I turn a little ways further towards him. ‘That’s why I think we need my back-up plan.’

JT runs his hand over the two-day-old stubble on his jaw. ‘So you hold the knight back from the deal at the poker game. Then what?’

‘When Cabressa realises it’s missing, I offer it to him for an extra fee.’

JT cusses under his breath. ‘That’s a real dangerous game, Lori.’

‘For sure, but if Cabressa is as obsessive about completing this set to keep alive the memory of the last time he saw his son, then he’ll pay. I’ll meet him somewhere public, do the exchange – dollars for the knight – and get it on film. That way Monroe will have evidence that’ll stick without doubt.’

‘Cabressa could get real pissed, Lori. He’ll think you lied to him.’

‘I’m pretty sure I can talk him around.’

JT holds my gaze a long moment, then nods. ‘Monroe will be pissed too, and that footage you’ll have of Cabressa will also show you selling stolen goods. Monroe could use that against—’

‘Monroe only wants the evidence on Cabressa, and we’ll have gotten it for him. He’s got enough bullshit claims against us already; he’s FBI for God’s sake – if he decides he wants us in jail he can make that happen. This way he gets what he wants and we’ll be free. We can be out of this city and back with our little girl.’ I clench my fists. ‘And we won’t ever have to work with Monroe again.’

‘I get that’s why you want to do this, for sure I do.’ JT looks at me all serious. ‘But I just don’t—’

‘You got a better idea?’

He shakes his head. ‘Can’t say that I have.’

I turn the knight over in my hand, thinking. He’s right about Monroe – there’s no guarantee he’ll keep to his word, and he could throw me in jail. My best chance to prevent that is to give him what he wants – a watertight case against Cabressa. I stand up, turning towards JT. ‘Well then, my way is the way it’s going to go down. Doubling down on getting Cabressa – it’s our best shot.’

JT nods. ‘I don’t like it, but you know I’ll support you.’

I smile. Feel relieved that he’s not going to fight me on this. Need to get this job done and get out of this city. I step closer and put my arms around him. Lean down and kiss the top of his head. His dirty-blond hair is damp against my lips. ‘I’m counting on it.’

*

I hide the knight in our hotel room. Standing on a chair, I use the screwdriver from the tool set in my go-bag to undo the screws holding the grill over the central air vent in the corner of the room, and remove it. With JT standing beside me, watching, I place the knight inside. I glance at JT. ‘Okay?’

He nods. ‘Yup.’

Taking the grill from him, I fix it back into place with the screws and step down from the chair. From the ground I can’t see that there’s a knight hiding behind the grill, but from certain angles I can see the light glinting off its golden body. Figuring that’s good enough, I put the chair back behind the desk and check my watch – it’s almost a quarter after five.

‘You want to have another practice game?’ JT asks.

‘Sure,’ I say.

Anything to help me kick ass tonight.