Page 28 of The Prize

From where I sat there was a good view of his iPad set to a news article about Icon. I wondered what he must think to be in the public’s consciousness like this. He seemed indifferent and when his steely gaze rose to meet mine, he quickly swept away the evidence of what he’d been reading.

If my best friend, Clara, had any idea of what had happened to me she’d be worried sick. I needed to reassure her I was safe. I had to get a message to her.

Tobias hung up and set his phone down. “That was my lawyer.”

“Oh?”

He cupped his coffee in his hands. “He’s made a few calls on your behalf. Explained to Adley I hired you to track down a unique piece—”

“Perhaps I should call—”

“Not necessary. Not yet, anyway.” He slipped off the bar stool and came closer, bringing his coffee with him. “Reynard Linde has implemented a stay on a police search of all my properties.”

“Reynard?”

“My senior lawyer. He’s also prevented the police from searching your flat. I’m afraid we can’t stop them from searching your office.”

“They won’t find anything.”

“I’ll do everything I can to protect your privacy. I have a wall between me and whoever wants access to my business. My resources are at your disposal.”

“Aren’t we just holding off the inevitable?”

“Inevitable?”

“I failed to return to work.” I caressed my brow to ease the tension. “I fled the FBI back at The Wilder.”

“As far as I recall the officers walked away from you.”

Ran from me, actually. Right before they tried to bring me in for questioning when a hologram of an African lion appeared and chased them down the hallway of The Wilder Museum. I’d bolted in the opposite direction and right through the fire exit to the roof where I’d hopped into Tobias’s helicopter and been whisked away. My getaway wouldn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Tobias gave a reassuring smile. “Did you come up with a better plan?”

I reached out my hand for his phone. “I’m going to call the FBI.”

He slid his phone across the granite toward me.

I picked it up. “Will they be able to track the call?”

“Keep an eye on the front door. That’s ayes, if you’re wondering.”

I swiped my finger across his screen. “What you accessed on Burell’s computer can be given to them—”

“Hacking is illegal.”

I tapped the Google app to search for a number. “We can submit the information anonymously.”

“Which helps us how?”

“They can use what you found to obtain a search warrant for all his properties—”

“The FBI can’t touch him. They need more. Look, the moment he believes his art collection is under threat he’ll move them. Your paintings will be lost forever.”

My shoulders slumped in resignation. “What if we try to get our lives back? Forget all this ever happened?”

“Forget this ever happened?” He sounded incredulous.

“Yes, you go back to inventing gadgets and me to Huntly Pierre—”