Page 25 of The Picasso Heist

OF COURSE THE IT guy sports a ponytail.

“Here he comes now,” I whisper.

“How does he look?” asks Skip.

“You mean besides his Men’s Wearhouse suit that’s two sizes too big for him? I can’t tell yet.”

I watch as the IT guy weaves his way through the last of the Echelon members entering the room to take their seats.

He’s heading for the very anxious trio of Terrance, Pierre, and Waxman, although it’s Waxman who’s hiding it best, which is a bit counterintuitive, given that as CEO of the auction house, he has the most to lose with this sudden crisis.

It’s near impossible to fetch a hundred million dollars for a Picasso if most of Europe and Asia aren’t in the game.

I glance over at Bergamo, who’s seated with his wife. They’re chatting with another couple. Bergamo’s doing most of the talking. He looks calm.

“What about now?” asks Skip.

I look back at the mini-conference of Waxman and company. The IT guy is still talking. Terrance and Pierre are nodding. Waxman is still putting on his best fake smile: Nothing to see here, folks. Nothing at all.

“You’d think they’d have the sense to step out of the room,” I say.

Skip chuckles. “It’s too late for that. The optics are worse if Waxman suddenly disappears. The auction’s supposed to have started by now.”

“Any chance the IT guy didn’t figure out the solution?”

“He’d have to be the most incompetent nerd in the world. I all but teed it up for him,” says Skip. “No, right now he’s explaining the fix, and Waxman is contemplating the risk.”

“It’s taking too long,” I say.

“It’s a big risk.”

“We may have misjudged him.”

“Waxman? His last marker at the Bellagio was for three million. Give him another minute.”

I feel my heart begin to race again. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon. Look around the room, dude. Everybody’s waiting, excited. You can’t shut this down, right? You’re the CEO, make the call.

He makes it. With one quick nod of approval, Waxman takes the bait.

“We’re on,” I tell Skip. “Do your thing.”