Dirty Thief

She nods her head as her eyelids begin to droop. I kiss her shoulder and slide to the end of the bed. Stepping into the bathroom, I dampen a towel and use it to clean up. I step out to the bed, but Ava is already dozing. Tossing it back in the basket, I pull on my pants, not even bothering with the boxer briefs.

Walking down the hall, I enter the study and take out my phone. It only takes a moment before my brother answers.

“Zelda says you had an interesting dinner,” he says before I can ask a thing.

“Mother saved you a seat,” I say, and he laughs.

“I heard she was on a hunting expedition.”

“No secret is safe with her around. But enough of that, what’s happening on your end?”

“Nothing,” he answers fast. “Not a god-damned thing.”

My brow furrows, and I walk over to the window. “Nothing?”

“I’ve been sitting outside this Monte Cristo hotel for hours, and Elvis has not left the building.”

Reaching back, I scrub my hand through my hair. “Are you sure? Is Freddie monitoring the bug?”

“Freddie can see Vega’s phone on his app, so unless he turned invisible and walked out without it, he’s still inside.”

“How can we be sure he’s still inside?”

My brother and I are quiet for a moment, thinking. “André isn’t well-known as a guard. Send him to the room and have him knock,” I say.

“Give me a few minutes.”

We disconnect, and I drop into the satin-lined armchair beside a small table to wait. Placing my face in my hand, I rub my eyebrows trying to understand what went wrong. I run our conversation through my head again, and the only thing I can think is somehow seeing that wallet and counterfeit bill diffused his mania.

He said he’d stolen it from the first girl. Could Ava possibly identify which one was first? She said there were three of them in addition to her, and I know the money wasn’t hers. I also know two of them are dead.

My phone buzzes, and I answer it quickly. “What happened?”

“He’s still there. André said he answered the door seeming drunk and groggy.”

Considering this, I lean back. “I think you can come on in. Keep André on watch tonight and have Freddie monitor Vega’s phone. We can reconvene tomorrow and post-mortem.”

“Figuratively,” my brother adds.

“Right.”

Chapter 24

Ava

Zelda goes with me to the orphanage the next morning to collect Suad for our meeting with the German ambassador. I’m nervous she won’t come with me without crying, and we hope Belle might be an incentive for her to trust us.

Clare is waiting when we arrive. “Here she is, Suad,” the gentle teacher says, smiling and holding the little girl’s hand.

She’s wearing a white, pin-tucked dress, with white ankle socks and black Mary Jane shoes. Clutched in her arm is that worn bunny, and I kneel in front of her.

“Suad?” I say gently. “Will you come with me?”

The little girl only blinks, and her hand tightens in Clare’s. Looking up at Clare, I ask, “Does she speak any English?”

“A little,” Clare says, and she lifts her hand toward me. “Yes, Suad?”

The little girl blinks those bright green eyes at me, and I hold my breath as her little hand twitches in Clare’s before finally letting it go. I reach my hand out, and as she carefully takes it, my eyes heat.