Page 2

CHAPTER TWO

MONTY

“ A re you sure you want to do this?” Madison Montgomery, Monty, leaned back in her chair. “Seems like you guys are a little short on details for this one, not that it’s any of my business.”

Alex let out a little huff and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sure.

” She glared at Monty and then dropped her arms. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten defensive with you.

You’re right. Leo was a little light on details.

He says a friend of his asked him for this favor, and I have to accept that, but if I’m being honest, I’m feeling like there’s something off about it all. ”

Monty raised an eyebrow. “I certainly don’t know much about this sort of thing, only what I learned from you the few times you’ve come to Europe and asked for help. But if you’re not feeling one hundred percent on this one, maybe don’t do it… or at least put it off?”

“I would, but Leo said it has to be done quickly.”

“Huh. Well, that’s not helpful.”

“What’s not helpful?” Mitch asked as he entered the room.

Alex shrugged. “The speed of this job. I would like more time, but I’m stuck because… I mean, it is Leo.” If Monty recalled accurately, Leo was Alex’s handler, mentor, and something of a father figure for her.

Mitch wrapped his arms around Alex. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

“I must say, you and Gage are taking this well,” Monty commented.

“We’ve learned to deal with it. Logan, on the other hand, will freak out if he finds out what you two are up to.”

Alex chuckled. “He’s a wee distracted because of the wedding on Saturday, isn’t he? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so wound up.”

“It’s true,” Mitch agreed. “He’s a nervous wreck. Never thought I would see Mr. Smooth, Calm, and Collected being so jumpy, but he wants everything for the wedding to be perfect.”

Mitch sat down. “We talked to Jake. You just missed him, by the way.”

“I know. He’s exhausted. If he saw me, he’d stay up and hang with me discussing business.

He needs a solid twelve hours sleep, and deserves a break in general.

The paperwork is killing him. His brain is on fire, I swear.

He really needs this time in the field to put him right again. Thanks for that.”

“Our pleasure,” Gage said as he re-entered the room.

“He’s saved our asses more times than we can count and we owe him.

You were wise to reach out. He’ll never tell us he needs a break from running things.

He would see that as letting us down. So, thanks for filling us in.

We want to talk about job expansion for him and, by expansion, I mean time in the field. ”

Monty frowned. If they mentioned their desire for him to work out of the office, he would probably figure out she’d reached out to Mitch and Gage. That would go over like screen doors on submarines. She started to shake her head.

“Don’t worry,” Mitch said. “The way we’re envisioning it, he’ll work with each guy randomly to see how they do. A day here, two days there. Just enough to give him a better sense of each person on the team and how the whole system is running. He won’t know you gave us the heads up.”

“Thanks for that,” Monty offered. “He takes his responsibilities very seriously and always gives one hundred and ten percent.”

“We’ve noticed,” Gage agreed.

Alex stared at the blueprints, seemingly lost in thought.

Monty pursed her lips. “Back to tonight: If you’re really feeling some trepidation about this job, is there a way to get Leo more involved so that he realizes what’s at stake? That it will take more time than he imagined?”

Alex pursed her lips. “I wish I could, but Leo is in Europe. This operation is a favor to him, and I owe that man so much. He said his friend needs the statue back ASAP. Something about a will and her father wanting to be buried with the statue. Leo’s friend should never have given it away.

Apparently, it wasn’t hers to give so when her ex donated it to the museum along with a pile of other stuff, she was screwed.

Monty shuddered. “That’s just…icky somehow. Burying a piece of art with someone.”

“Yeah, I know. I think it’s a complete waste, but it’s not up to me.

In this case, it’s just bizarre. The statue looks like some sort of garden gnome carved out of wood.

I have no idea why anyone would want to be buried with a creepy gnome, but everyone’s got a thing.

Anyway, I have to get this done. Besides, to be honest, breaking into the Met is a bit exciting.

I haven’t had a hard job in a long while.

I will say I’m glad it’s just the storage area.

No way in hell would I attempt to steal something from one of the galleries. That would just be insane.”

“And breaking into the Met itself isn’t insane?” Monty asked with a grin.

“Okay, maybe a little… but not full on insanity.”

Monty shook her head. Jake was right. He always said working with the Callahans was entertaining and hair-raising. She was seeing it in full force. It was also kind of fun.

“Do you have everything you need?” Mitch asked.

“Yes. My go bag is packed with my tools. Dani is set to guide me and take care of the cameras, etc. You and Gage are on standby to pull me out if I need help. That’s all I need.”

“Okay then. Just make sure to watch yourself. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. Get in, do your thing, and get out as quickly as possible.”

“That’s the plan.” Alex stood. “I’m going to grab a shower and something to eat. I won’t leave for a few hours yet.”

Monty nodded and watched her friend as she left the room.

They had become closer over the few jobs Alex had done in Europe, and she greatly admired the woman.

But this whole setup twisted her stomach into knots.

Alex wasn’t happy about this job, and, above everything else, that made Monty nervous for her friend.

“You okay?” Gage asked. “You look kind of upset.”

“I’m just worried about Alex. I don’t know how you two do it.”

Mitch let the smile fall off his face. “We hide how we really feel. Alex needs to do this. It makes her happy and she isn’t hurting anyone. I can usually get onboard with it, but I’ll be honest, this job is stressing me out as well.”

Gage nodded. “I feel the same way. My senses launched into high gear when she first broached the subject and haven’t de-escalated yet.”

Monty winced. “And there’s no way for her to get out of this?”

Mitch rubbed his face with his hands. “It’s a favor for Leo. He was the driving force in her life for a long time. He kept her safe and gave her a life that she never expected. She owes him and would do anything for him.”

“Hey,” Dani said as she strolled in, one hand on her growing belly and the other holding a slice of pizza.

“Hey, yourself,” Gage commented as he rose from the chair. He gestured for Dani to sit. “Why don’t you take a load off and put your feet up.”

Dani’s gaze narrowed at him. “Are you implying that I’m fat?”

A look of horror crossed Gage’s face. “Oh, God, no! I just thought it might be more comfortable for you to sit in your condition. I know your ankles are bothering you.”

“So, I have fat ankles?” She continued to glare at him.

“What? No, that’s not what I meant at all.” He glanced at both Mitch and Monty with a pleading look.

Monty struggled to keep a straight face.

Suddenly, Dani cackled and sat down in the chair Gage offered. “Dude, you are so easy to harass sometimes. This pregnancy thing has you so far off center it’s just entertaining as hell.”

“Woman, you are going to be the death of me,” he said and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Mitch, let’s go look at the schedule again. See what we can do to fill some holes.” Gage turned to Monty. “See you at the wedding, if not before.”

“Yeah,” Mitch said. “See you at the wedding.” The two of them left the room.

Dani pulled the chair next to her out and lifted her feet onto it with a hardy sigh. “I feel like I’m eighty weeks pregnant and I still have a couple of months to go.” She took another bite of pizza.

“You look good,” Monty commented truthfully.

Dani was glowing. It was so cute the way Gage doted on her.

The two of them were more in love than ever, and it was noticeable.

A pang of envy swept through Monty. She was mad about Jake, and she wanted to have kids, but they hadn’t really discussed moving forward in their relationship.

She had no idea how he felt about kids. What if he didn’t want any?

Wait, did she know for sure she wanted some?

She immediately knew the answer to that question.

She wanted kids, but no random baby daddy would do.

She wanted children with Jake. Only Jake.

Dani finished her slice of pizza. “I know I don’t know you as well as the others do, but you’re worried,” she commented as she took a napkin out of her pocket and wiped her hands.

“This”—she gestured to the blueprints on the table with a sigh—“worries me.”

“You don’t think the plan will work?” Dani asked with a pointed stare at the notes around the blueprints.

“I have no idea. Not my line of expertise. You will have to tell me. Do you think it’s a good plan? Do you think it will work?” Monty countered.

Dani sighed, and Monty’s stomach rolled. That wasn’t a good sign.

“I think more time would be better. There are a few unknowns that worry me. If she were going for a piece of artwork that was hanging in one of the galleries, I would say absolutely not. But, she’s just going for the storage room and not even one of the high security ones with temperature and humidity control.

The garden gnome statue she’s after is about eight inches high with a large belly.

” She patted her own tummy with a rueful smile.

“Honestly, it’s the ugliest thing and of no real value except sentimental.

I think with all that factored in, it should be okay. ”

Dani gave a small shrug. “I did talk to Gage, though, and he and Mitch are going to be on standby near the museum in case she needs help getting out. We have a plan.”

Monty’s stomach knotted tighter, but she remained silent.

Dani sighed again. “I know. I feel it too. I tried talking her out of it, but she’s insistent. Leo never asks for anything, so when he asked for this, she felt she must do it.”

“Yeah, I heard that too,” Monty said.

Dani leaned back in her chair. “I’ll do my best, and I know Alex will as well. It’s the best we can offer.”

“I know. It will all go fine. I’m just overreacting. This isn’t my area, so it all makes me super nervous.”

Dani offered a small smile. “I think we’re all on edge.

This is a tough job, and a lot can go wrong.

” She glanced at her watch. “Either way, we’ll know soon enough.

” She lumbered to her feet. “I’m going to have a nap before tonight’s adventures.

There’s pizza upstairs in the kitchen if you want some.

” She turned and shuffled toward the doorway.

“Don’t wait too long to get some or it will be gone.

You know what vultures the boys can be.”

Monty grinned as Dani left the room. She was not wrong.

She’d seen Jake and the Callahan men in action.

They could eat like no one else. The grin slid off her face.

replaced by tension. No one felt good about tonight.

which is a sure sign that Alex shouldn’t do it to Monty’s way of thinking, but it was none of her business.

All anyone could do now was cross their fingers and pray.