Page 22 of The Diamond Thief

10

Jade

Elena meets me the next morning for coffee at a nondescript little hole in the wall in Brooklyn.

“Your hair,” she says, sitting across from me. “You cut it!”

I touch the chin-length bob self-consciously. I’m back to blond, but I haven’t had it this short in years. “Yeah, I needed a change.”

“It’s adorable.”

“Thanks.” I push the caramel latte toward her. It’s her favorite.

“You are such a doll!” She cups her hands around it. It’s raining outside, and her cherry hair glistens.

“Where’s your umbrella?”

“Some kid stole it from me on the subway!” she says. “Nabbed it as he walked off the train. The irony!”

We both laugh.

“So what did you learn?” I ask.

“Elliott himself is doing this job,” she says. “Can you believe it? He pissed me off totally while he was presenting. Called me honey.” She tosses me an angry look. “But then afterward he came right up to me, and oh my God. I think my panties fell off just talking to him.”

“So what are you more interesting in doing? The job or the man?”

“Both!” she says.

“So are you in?”

“Weare, my dear. He said he was looking for two incredibly beautiful women.” She sighs. “He thinks I’m beautiful.”

“Why would he do a small job like this himself?” Elliott was right up there with Jacob. If it wasn’t ten mil, he didn’t bother.

“He told me there was a ring in the collection that he has particular interest in.”

“And he wants to steal it himself?”

“Yep. You know it’s going to run smooth as silk with him there. It’s like easy money.” She sips her latte. “That ancient tiara is as good as yours.”

“Did you talk to anyone else about the tiara?”

“No.”

“Did Elliott ask who you were bringing along?”

“Of course.”

“And you told him my name?”

Elena sets down her cup. “Of course I did. He has to know who is going. Is everything okay?”

Panic darts through me. “Was Jacob Holt in the Den?” I had to know.

“Yeah, sort of lurking in the corners.”

“Is he going?”