The Final Cut (A Brit in the FBI 1)

“Tell me you’re going to get it back before the government falls or declares war on America. Better yet, I should find the Lord Chamberlain and put you on with him. He’s already been crowing about his plans to boil you in oil when he gets his hands on you.”

“Good to speak to you as well, Miles.”

“You’re embroiled in the scandal of the century, mate, and from what I’ve heard, it was of your own doing. Don’t expect rose blossoms when you get back.”

“I’m aware,” Nicholas said. So Penderley was talking about his insubordination. Not good.

“Miles, I’m flying to Paris right now to stake out a meeting the thief arranged. Have you ever heard of the Fox?”

“You mean, Teddy the Fast Fox, the kids’ cartoon

character on the telly?”

“Wrong fox, but never mind. When did you strike the deal with the Yanks to send the jewels to New York?”

“Let me think, we were deep into the plans for the queen’s jubilee, and the Met approached us for a single event in the U.S. I believe it was more than two years ago. I’d have to check the exact date.”

“Please do. I need to know everyone who was in on those discussions, and who would have firsthand knowledge the Koh-i-Noor was under consideration to go to America.”

“Whatever for?”

“There was a leak, someone who knew the negotiations were under way and talked about it.”

Miles sounded horrified. “You don’t believe someone on my staff is responsible?”

“It must be someone in those initial talks, yes. Whether it was purposeful or not remains to be seen. In any case, word got round to one of the most successful jewel thieves in the world that we were sending the crown jewels to the States. You can do the math from there.”

“Bugger me. All right, I’ll start putting together a list.”

“Thank you. And Miles? Hurry.”

They hung up. Things should come together quickly now. He hoped. He looked over at Mike, dead to the world. Within two minutes he was asleep himself.

• • •

Mike woke with a start. She’d been dreaming, chasing Timmy, ready to smack him because he’d stolen her tennis racquet and she couldn’t catch him. She hoped it wasn’t a portent. She sat up and stretched. Nicholas heard her stir, opened his eyes and gave her a big smile. “Have I some interesting news for you.”

“Oh, yeah? You had a vision?”

“Not quite,” and he told her about Victoria Browning being two years old. He didn’t mention hacking into the records of the University of Edinburgh, but of course she knew. He recognized it in her eyes the moment she decided to give him a pass. She got up, got them some bottled water and some sandwiches.

The ham sandwich tasted good—that or he was starving. Same with Mike, since she was on her second sandwich, this one egg salad. He said, “Like I said, Browning’s identity was created two years ago, at the very beginning of discussions to bring the Koh-i-Noor to America, long before Elaine was chosen to mind the exhibit. Whoever orchestrated this has a contact high up in Her Majesty’s service.”

“It’s hard to keep secrets, Nicholas. Especially of this magnitude.”

“True. The Fox must have been engaged to steal the diamond when it looked like we would cut a deal with the Met. She created the Browning identity, came to America, and was hired on at the Met. It’s her specialty, assimilating into the fabric of the piece she’s tasked with stealing. She’s done it before.”

“So who is she? Wonder Woman?”

He had to grin. “Funny, that’s what I was thinking as well. I keep circling around both who she is and who hired her. Paris, London, New York. A plot at least two years in the making. Too many threads, too much time has passed. We must figure this out,” and he stood and walked the short length of the plane, stretching his legs, his back, rotating his shoulder. Better, definitely better.

He pulled another bottle of water from the small fridge in the galley. “I’ve been thinking. Elaine’s laptop must have had details of the museum’s security protocols. The blueprint for the theft, so to speak.”

“So? Browning worked at the museum. She already had access. So why would she need Elaine’s computer?”

“She wouldn’t.”

“Yet it was stolen from Elaine’s apartment. Someone thought it was important. But who?”