Thieves Like Us Part 23

Chapter.

Thirteen.

Rocky wasn't happy with his decision, but at least Janet would be safe. That was all that mattered. All that should matter, anyway. The ache in the center of his heart mattered, and that would take a long time to get used to. He missed her already. He drove home, trying to keep his mind on traffic and only partially succeeding. He couldn't get her stricken look-or the anger beneath it-out of his mind. He hoped like h.e.l.l it wouldn't take long to track down the jewels and diamonds.

He would find the jewels, but his priority was getting the criminals off her back. It was no less important to him than when he'd given up three years of his life to track down his grandparents' stolen heirlooms. With one exception-their lives hadn't been in danger if he failed.

The Colombians would only be patient for so long before they came for revenge. Drug dealers weren't the forgiving sort. Neither was the thief who was after the Pellinni Jewels. He was already desperate enough to kill Sleazy. It was d.a.m.ned inconvenient, too, since Sleazy was the only tie they'd had to the stolen jewels. No one else knew anything except Banner, who would rather see Janet die than give her information.

Finding the diamonds might not even be possible- they were untraceable and easily converted into cash. The Pellinni Jewels would be easier to find, if someone were dumb enough to brag about having them. But who would advertise the purchase of the hottest cache of jewelry to hit the black market in years? The thief might as well call up the FBI and surrender. Or hold an auction, since every thief in the world would be targeting him, waiting for their chance to- The idea hit Rocky with such force that he missed the light change to red and nearly rear-ended the guy in front of him. As soon as it turned green, he pulled his Lexus into a deserted strip mall, letting his pulse return to normal while his mind created a plan.

It would be dangerous. It would mean taking another dip into the local underworld cesspool of thieves and killers. It would mean dealing with Vasili and the Russian Mafia.

But it just might work.

Vasili raised one bushy eyebrow high enough to make it disappear under the wild tangle of hair at his forehead. "You want me play trick on customers? You crazy man." He leaned over the gla.s.s countertop, staring into Rocky's eyes. "I run business. You want ruin my reputation? I work hard, earn respect."

There was no way Rocky would tell a member of the Russian Mafia that he was full of s.h.i.+t, even if he was.

"Your reputation won't be ruined." How do you ruin a reputation as a brutal, conniving mob boss? It's not like Rocky was asking him to buy Girl Scout cookies. "In fact, it might be improved. You'd be the envy of every other"-he searched for a polite euphemism for Vasili's particular criminal activities-"dealer in used jewelry. Who wouldn't want to host a bidding war on the Pellinni Jewels? How often do you get an opportunity like that?"

"Never. Is not my business." The Russian straightened, crossing his burly arms across his chest. "I buy jewelry. I export jewelry. Simple. What you think this is, Sotheby's? You think I sell to highest bidder? Pfft. You know better." Vasili's scowl said Rocky should at any rate. "Someone want buy from me, they pay my price. No auction." He made a cutting motion with the side of his hand, a visual aid more convincing than his blunt words. "No deal. Bad what you call it- example?"

"Bad precedent?"

"Precedent." He thrust a finger at Rocky. "Right."

He'd known Vasili wouldn't like the idea, but it was the only way Rocky could think to draw out the thief who had trashed Janet's place. As much as he wanted to believe the guy wouldn't hurt her, he knew it wasn't true. This guy had already killed once looking for the Pellinni Jewels. He would do it again.

"It wouldn't be an auction, Vasili. You'd just pretend it was in order to lure the guy in. It's like a sting. You put out the word that you have the rest of the Pellinni Jewels and that you'll make them available for the right price. He'll contact you."

Vasili snorted. "Him and ten others."

"No, I don't think so. Most of them don't want something they might have to hold onto for a long time before they find the right buyer. I wouldn't have. They want a fast turnaround, the faster the better." He was telling Vasili what he already knew, but he needed to be persuaded. "But one guy out there will be interested, because he already has a buyer. I figure it's the person they were stolen from in the first place, but it doesn't matter who, it only matters that someone wants to get their hands on the rest of the Pellinni Jewels."

"And if he comes here, so what? I got no jewels."

"If he comes here, he's mine." Rocky wasn't sure what he would do with the thief, but it would probably include some persuasive martial arts. He couldn't involve the police or FBI in their sting, and not just because Vasili would have him sliced and diced and lost at sea. Their mark wouldn't be breaking any laws; expressing an interest in stolen jewelry wasn't a crime.

Vasili looked intrigued with his answer. "You want beat c.r.a.p out of this guy?"

"Yes." That, and give his name to Ben and the FBI. A little unofficial hara.s.sment couldn't hurt.

"Sounds personal."

"It is."

"Huh." Angling his head, he contemplated Rocky before speaking. "I heard about guy at Treasures store." Another lift of his bushy eyebrow. "Shot dead."

"Yeah, I know. I found him."

"Yeah?" His interest rose. "That personal, too? You do him?"

"h.e.l.l no!"

Vasili gave a dismissive snort. "No loss to human race if you did."

"I didn't."

"Okay, I believe you." He patted Rocky's cheek as if he were a small child. "You good boy now, eh? Obey laws?"

"Absolutely." Especially the ones about murder, which he'd never considered breaking. Maybe Vasili couldn't conceive of refraining from killing someone simply because it was illegal.

"So who did him?"

Rocky shrugged. "Whoever wants the rest of the jewels. The same guy I expect will contact you if you put out the word that you have them."

"So I should try get murdering, sc.u.m-sucking b.a.s.t.a.r.d to come here? This is your great plan?"

He gave him a hard look. "Why not? This guy murdered a fence."

"Like I said, no big loss."

"You don't want to know who he is?"

Vasili shrugged. "Why I care? He knocks off my compet.i.tion. Plus I got plenty protection. No one stupid enough to try kill me."

No one without a death wish, which was why Rocky needed to arouse the Russian's pride. "So this guy looking for the jewels gets to decide who lives and dies? I don't know . . . seems bad for business, Vasili. Intruding on your turf, deciding he can eliminate someone if he wants to." He shrugged. "Sets a bad precedent."

Vasili squinted at him over his fat cheeks, his eyes calculating pools of darkness amid acne-scarred skin. Rocky tried to look unconcerned.

"You do this because of girl, eh?"

Where'd that come from? "Like I told you last time, she's a friend and she got dragged into this."

"More than friend, maybe?"

Vasili's hard look said this was important, although Rocky couldn't tell if it was good or bad. Either way, he preferred to keep Janet out of it-and far away from anything to do with Vasili. "Maybe."

"Maybe you got hots for this girl, eh? Got it bad."

The crudeness of it irritated him, making him respond a little too abruptly. "Hey, what do you care? That's my concern, not yours."

He expected to see Vasili's eyes go cold, ruining his only chance to lure the man who was after Janet into the open. Instead, Rocky was startled by a burst of laughter.

"Yes! I am right!" Vasili grinned, his caterpillar eyebrows wiggling up and down. "Girl is special, eh? She have you by b.a.l.l.s." He reached over the counter to slug Rocky's shoulder with a beefy paw. "Admit it."

Rocky sighed, knowing he was backed into a corner. "I love her, okay? I admit it. Does that make a difference?" It sounded belligerent, even to his own ears. He must be out of his mind, allowing his frustration to get the better of him around Vasili. The man could make people disappear forever-had made them disappear- just because he didn't like what they said. If Rocky didn't get a grip, he'd be of no help to Janet at all.

"Yes. Makes difference," Vasili intoned, suddenly serious. "You take risk, try to catch criminal, because you love this girl. Makes very big difference."

Rocky rubbed at the spot on his temple that seemed to be the source of a perpetual throbbing pain lately. "Look Vasili, I swear my judgment hasn't been compromised. Just because-"

"I do it."

He paused, unsure he'd heard correctly. "You will?"

"I help you by doing sting. We trick thief into coming here to buy Pellinni Jewels. That what you want, yes?"

"Yes. But . . . why?"

Vasili's heavy hand landed on Rocky's shoulder, drawing him closer to the counter. "Rocky, I tell you important truth. Russians very romantic people. Money, jewels, power . . . all good. Very good. But nothing without love, eh?" The hand lifted from his shoulder, then pounded him in a friendly slug. "You must have Russian blood, my friend. You take big risk for love."

Rocky would do whatever it took to keep Janet safe. Risk hardly factored into it.

"Just promise Vasili one thing."

"Uh, sure. What is it?"

"I meet this girl who wins heart of my friend. You bring her here after."

Rocky didn't like the idea, but if Vasili would help him catch the a.s.shole, how could he say no? He didn't have a choice. "Sure. You can meet her." For a quick h.e.l.lo. G.o.d help him if Ben and Elizabeth ever found out.

Vasili beamed. "Good." He added a nod and a sly smile. "She is beautiful, yes?"

"Yes." Rocky smiled back.

"s.e.xy?"

The smile slipped. "Yes."

Vasili was looking at the ceiling, deep in thought, and didn't notice Rocky's discomfort. "Long blonde hair?"

"No. Short and brown."

He clicked his tongue. "Too bad."

"Works for me."

Vasili's sudden laugh nearly made Rocky jump. "That's all that matters, yes?" Another punch landed on his bruised shoulder. "Yes," Vasili answered his own question. "Now. We talk details. You tell to me what you need. We catch little f.u.c.ker and teach him lesson, so I can meet your girl."

Rocky exhaled, releasing the tension that had built up. "Yes, first we catch him. Then-" heaven help him "-you meet her."

He sincerely hoped Janet was speaking to him by then.

The Westfield mansion was huge-twenty-two rooms by Janet's count, not including bathrooms. Janet had torn apart each one today. Just like in her previous searches, she found no trace of Banner's diamonds. There had to be someplace she hadn't looked.

She was allowed to go wherever she wanted around the house and yard, but everyone got twitchy whenever she went outside. She could almost hear red alert sirens as the two security guards suddenly popped out of the bushes, keeping a vigilant eye on the perimeter while she batted tennis b.a.l.l.s or swam. It was easier on everyone if she stayed indoors.

She had no idea where else to look, though. Frustrated, she'd asked to go back to her condo, if only to clean the place up, but Ben had uttered such a forceful "No!" she didn't press the issue. There was already enough tension in the house when it came to him.

It had Elizabeth on edge, too. Janet had never seen her composure slip so often, even when Banner's crimes had been exposed. She'd held her head up through the public embarra.s.sment and handled her grief in private. But the continual friction with Ben left her jumpy and irritable-and so self-absorbed she didn't seem to notice Libby's manipulations.

"Can I call Grandpa Ben and invite him over for dinner?" Libby asked from her lotus position on the ottoman in front of Elizabeth. Janet paused in the doorway where she'd overheard the question, waiting to see what excuse Elizabeth would come up with this time.

"May I," Elizabeth corrected.

"May I ask him?"

Her grandmother lowered her book. "I think he's busy tonight, honey."

It sounded weak to Janet, and Libby was equally unimpressed. "But I could ask, couldn't I?"

"Not while he's at work. Being chief of police is an important job, and you can't interrupt him just to ask him to dinner. I'm sorry."

Slam. End of discussion.

Or it should have been. But the threat of being a pest has never deterred a thirteen-year-old.

Libby waved the argument aside. "That's okay. Grandpa Ben said I can call his cell anytime. It'll go to voice mail and he'll call me back as soon as he gets a chance." When the tight lines around Elizabeth's mouth didn't soften, she rushed to add, "Pretty please, Grandma? With Dad and Ellie in Europe, I really miss having family around."

Janet stepped closer, astonished. Libby must be off her game; Elizabeth would never fall for that "poor me" shtick.

Libby appeared suddenly shy beneath her lowered lashes. "It's all still kind of new to me, you know. Having a family." She actually looked slightly embarra.s.sed as her shoulders trembled with an apparent s.h.i.+ver of delight over so many newly discovered relatives. Janet imagined teenagers everywhere gagging in response.

It shouldn't have worked, but Libby's vulnerable eyes. .h.i.t her grandmother's guilt dead center.

Elizabeth's resistance crumbled. Janet knew her soft gaze was seeing the semiorphaned waif of eighteen months ago, unwanted by one set of grandparents, unaware of the existence of her father and his parents. Never mind that the waif had been a tough kid well in touch with her self-sufficient Payton genes. To Elizabeth, Libby had been a child without the all-important benefit of a stable family, a family with connections to the best schools and opportunities. In Elizabeth's privileged world, those advantages were Libby's birthright. And here she was, depriving the poor girl of that very love and support by preventing her from seeing her grandfather.

Keeping Libby from spending time with Ben was only part of it. Libby's touching plea had no doubt reminded Elizabeth of all the years she'd deprived Jack of a family, never telling him that Ben was his father. Tons of guilt to tap into there.

Double whammy. The kid was good.

Elizabeth smiled in defeat. "Fine, give him a call. Tell him dinner is at seven."

Libby unfolded her legs in one fast move and bounced to her feet, giving Elizabeth a quick hug. "Thanks, Grandma. He knows when dinner is, but I'll ask him to come early so I can spend more time with him, okay?"

Elizabeth gave a helpless nod before Libby raced off to call Ben. From the floor beside the ottoman, Freddie jumped up and bounded after her.

Janet's chuckle from the doorway caught Elizabeth's attention. "You are such a sucker for that kid," she said, walking over and dropping onto the couch beside her. "It's kind of cute."

To her surprise, Elizabeth set her book aside and turned concerned eyes on her. "I've been wanting to ask you something. Do you think Libby seems different lately? Rather . . . needy? She always seems to want Ben around, and I don't know if it's because Jack has been away. Do you suppose it's some sort of phase teenage girls go through, needing a constant father figure?"

Janet laughed. "You're asking the wrong person about teenagers and father figures. Libby's the family expert on psychology." She paused, knowing she couldn't pa.s.s up this chance to talk to Elizabeth. "But I can tell you that's not what's on Libby's mind."