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Cole set his laptop on the little table by the window, angling his chair so he could see both the screen and Isabelle’s window. He clicked on the link Isabelle had emailed him to access the digital feed from the cameras she’d set up.

Cole turned as Lars lowered into a chair behind him, his camera in hand. “I don’t think you’ll be able to get many good shots with your camera now that it’s dark.”

“I got some great ones of the Eiffel Tower.” Lars held out his camera so Cole could see the view screen.

Cole stared at the photo, the Eiffel Tower illuminated, the branch from a tree framing it on one side. “That’s incredible. You could print and sell that.”

“Thanks.” Lars scrolled through before he turned the view screen toward him again. “I think this is my favorite though.”

In it, the Eiffel Tower rose above the bridge, but somehow, Lars had captured the exact moment Cole had kissed Isabelle in the center of it. Warmth swelled inside Cole, the depth of his feelings expanding uncomfortably. For the first time, he had someone in his life who was more important than anyone or anything else. A burst of clarity pulsed through him as his future unfolded before him, Isabelle at the center of it.

He didn’t know how it had happened, but sometime over the past few months, he had fallen in love with her.

Lars shot him a quizzical look. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Maybe. He motioned to the photo. “Can you send me a copy of that one?”

“No problem. I’ll email it to you as soon as I download these.” Lars retrieved his laptop and returned to his seat. “Too bad I chased after the guy who took Marit’s purse without taking his photo.”

“Seeing as he was wearing a hat, the back of his head probably wouldn’t have told us much.” Cole narrowed his eyes. Why had the thief gone for Marit’s bag instead of Lars’s camera? He shook that thought away. He was probably looking for quick cash, not an expensive item he would have to pawn.

Grateful for a distraction from his newfound feelings for Isabelle, he glanced at his computer screen again. Isabelle and Marit had done a nice job of placing the cameras. One covered the window of a bedroom. Another revealed the back half of the living space, including the window they had looked out a short while ago. His other two views were of the door, one from inside the kitchen and the other from the hall.

Cole pulled up the link on his phone so he could access it on that device as well.

A new email from Jasmine popped up on his screen. The police reports. Finally.

While Lars downloaded his photos, Cole scanned the report on the robbery. Everything lined up with what Ralph had told him, right down to the timeline of when the suspected theft had occurred. Two links to security footage were included, each of them spanning a forty-five-minute segment.

“Who’s taking first watch on Marit and Isabelle’s flat?” Lars asked.

“You pick.” Cole motioned to his laptop. “Would you rather watch their building or view security feed?”

As expected, Lars pointed at the window. “I’ll keep watch. There’s no way I want to get roped into watching security feed.”

Cole suppressed a smile. He had hoped Lars would say that. He pulled up the feed of a hallway. The image began with Ralph walking out of his office.

Cole sped it up to eight times speed, slowing it to normal only when someone came into view. James arrived only moments after Ralph left. He didn’t emerge again until after Marit arrived eleven minutes later.

Marit left the room, her bag over her shoulder, and James gripped his messenger bag in his hand.

After they disappeared from view, he sped it up again until the custodian entered Ralph’s office. As reported, he went in only long enough to empty the trash.

According to the police report, no one else was spotted for the rest of the night.

Cole checked the other security footage, this one of the lobby. He watched this one more slowly, at only four times normal speed so he could identify everyone who came in and out. But no one came in except for Marit, when she went to the elevator to go back upstairs. After she exited, James appeared. He had his bag with him when he walked out, so where was it now?

Cole scanned the rest of the footage. Again, nothing of note occurred after James left.

“I can see why the police questioned Marit,” Cole said. “She was the only one who didn’t work there who entered Ralph’s office. Besides her, only James and the custodian went in during the time frame when the theft occurred.”

Lars looked up from his camera, which was once again on the tripod and aimed at Marit’s window. “You think James is the thief?”

“It had to be him unless someone overrode the security feed, but the police didn’t find any evidence of it,” Cole said. “I didn’t either.”

“If he’s the one who stole the designs, then who killed him?”

“I don’t know. A partner maybe.” Cole pulled up the crime-scene photos from the murder scene. “But if that’s the case, those designs might still be out there.”

“What do you mean, they might still be out there?” Lars asked.

“Someone tore through James’s hotel room, and Marit’s room was searched. It makes sense that whoever killed James was looking for something important.”

“Something like the designs.” Lars leaned back in his chair. “I don’t like this.”

“Me neither.” He eyed his cousin. Lars needed a distraction. “I’m going to run out and grab a piece of cheesecake.” Cole stood. “Do you want anything?”

“I thought you were going through security feed.”

“I was. I finished.”

“Already?”

“I guess I didn’t mention that it was only forty-five minutes’ worth.”

Lars scowled. “No, you didn’t.”

“I’ll bring you back a dessert. We may need fuel if we’re going to stay up all night.”

“I’m not staying up all night. As soon as you get back, I’m going to bed.”

“After dessert.”

“Right.”

Cole chuckled and grabbed his room key, cell phone, and jacket. When he reached the lobby, he called Isabelle.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Except for the three little words that were now burning on his tongue. He swallowed them. He couldn’t tell Isabelle he was in love with her. No way was he going to risk scaring her off. No, he’d have to wait for her to say “I love you” first. He walked outside and made sure no one was nearby before he continued. “Is there any chance you can pull the bank records for Brinton James? They weren’t included in the police report.”

“What are you looking for?” Isabelle asked.

“A payoff. I think he may have been hired by someone to steal Ralph’s designs.”

“I’ll take a look.”

“I’m heading down the street to grab some dessert. Do you or Marit want anything?”

Isabelle repeated the question to Marit before answering. “Marit said no thanks.” Regret carried in her voice when she added, “I’d better skip, too, if I’m going to try this modeling thing this week.”

“You’re naturally gorgeous. A piece of cheesecake isn’t going to change that.”

“That’s sweet of you to say,” Isabelle said. “But if I were to indulge, I’d go for a berry tart.”

“Good to know.” Cole headed toward the p a tisserie down the street. “Call me if you find anything.”

“I will.”

Cole pocketed his phone and strode down the sidewalk. He reached the p a tisserie only minutes before closing time and scanned his options, the selections limited because of the late hour. He smiled when he spotted one berry tart left in the display case.

He pointed at the tart and held up one finger. With no cheesecake in sight, he used his limited French and hand signals to order an assortment of pastries, from custard tarts to chocolate é clairs to some fancy pastries he couldn’t pronounce. With far more food than he and Lars could likely eat over the next twelve hours, he headed back down the street to his hotel.

He was approaching the door when his phone chimed.

Careful to keep the pastry box level, he pulled his phone from his pocket and read the text from Isabelle. Meet me outside my building .

Cole looked up at the same time the door opened, and Isabelle emerged. Cole moved toward her, and she met him halfway.

“You were right to suspect a payoff,” Isabelle said. “There was a ten-thousand-euro deposit made into his account two weeks ago.”

“Can you trace the source?”

“I’m afraid not.” She shook her head. “The deposit was made in cash.”

“Ten thousand isn’t that much.”

“I agree. It was likely intended to be a down payment on the theft,” Isabelle said.

A couple approached them, and Cole fell silent until the passersby moved out of earshot. “We have to find out who hired him.”

“It has to be someone from one of the other design houses,” Isabelle said. “Maybe you should put in a request to headquarters. If you can pull any of the designers’ financials, I can look over them to see if anything looks off.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Cole held up the pastry box and opened it. He pulled out the berry tart. “Here. This is for you.”

Isabelle shook her head. “I shouldn’t eat this.”

“But you’re going to.”

“You’re right.” Isabelle took the offered pastry from him.

“Want to pick something for Marit?”

“No thanks. I can split this with her if she wants something.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind, let me know. We have plenty.”

“You have too much,” Isabelle said. “If you and Lars eat all that, you’re both going to have stomachaches tomorrow.”

“We’ll be fine.” Cole leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, drawing out the kiss. Forever hovered on the edge of his mind, and he had to fight to keep his thoughts on their conversation. He held up the pastry box. “Trust me. We know how to pace ourselves.”

“If you say so.” Isabelle gave him another quick kiss. “Thanks for dessert. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Cole waited until she disappeared inside before he headed back to the hotel. With any luck, offering Lars pastries would be enough to bribe him to take the first shift so Cole could get some sleep. At least, he would get some sleep after he tried one of those custard tarts. He wasn’t trusting Lars to eat just one.