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“Jennifer promised me all sorts of sexual favors if I buy her one of those” Chad Ward jerked his thu at a sleek convertible Jaguar that was pulling in across the street “She got pretty inventive with her suggestions Inspired me to look one up online”
Jake Monroe’s gaze narrowed as he eyed the red sports car, awareness rippling down his spine
“You have to custo his attention to topping off Jake’s coffee “I’d do it for Jenn, if I could; but the diner doesn’t bring in that rand on a car?”
“Rich, paunchy bald guys who hope to get laid by wohters” Jake knew someone else ould Knew her as well as any man could know his woman Which hy he was certain she wouldn’t have coing trouble with her
As the driver’s side door of the Jag swung open, his attention re the occupant, but he knew exactly as going to step out by the flare of heat that raced over his skin “And someone like her”
One long, black trouser-clad leg extended to the asphalt, then the driver unfolded in a graceful rise Her blouse was black, too,a stark contrast to the wild red curls pulled back at her nape She looked cool and restrained, but he knew the wo but His body tensed and hardened with prihtly quickened
“Well, well,” Chad“Can’t ht in front of Tilly’s shop I haven’t seen Ana in Shit How long’s it been now?”
“Almost ten years” Nine years, five months, and a couple weeks It just pissed Jake off that he was still counting down the damn days since Anastasia Miller had driven out of his life without looking back
“Hot what she was after when she left”
Had she? Was it possible she’d found what she was looking for with souy in some other place in the world? “Good question”
Ana pulled a satchel out from behind the driver’s seat, then shut the door of her expensive toy She paused, her head turning as if she sensed Jake’s gaze on her She wore big dark sunglasses, effectively shielding her eyes
Her lips were just like he re his mind He’d felt those lips all over his body, still felt theht, stiff and aching fro her
Rolling her shoulders back, she moved toward the entrance to Tilly’s Yarn Shop with a swift, deterh the door and not five ossip can on the door flipped over to read Please Call Again and the shade that covered the inset glass was yanked down
Jake picked up his coffee, considering “I’ll need the check, Chad”
“Anastasia! My god, baby, I had no idea you’d be co home”
Ana stared hard at herthat lie, but Tilly Miller acted as if she didn’t notice her daughter’s frustration and suspicion
“Let me see you” Tilly approached with her ar “You look like you’re heading to a funeral”
“I rimly
“Are you talking about your work?”
“I’ about your work, Mom Your life’s dream I’m just here to clean up after you”
Tilly stepped back and smoothed a hand over hair that had once been the sahter’s, but was now a faded strawberry, sprinkled liberally hite strands She looked the part of a srifter would recognize her for what she really was
“I made a new pot of tea just before you arrived Why don’t you sit and we’ll talk? It’s been so long since you’ve been home”
“We don’t have tier sier, Mom”
Like their parents, her brother Frank had the saht and shiny and illegal Ana supposed it was in their blood Inevitable, considering she was named after a famous identity con and Frank was named after an infamous con artist
“Is it?”
What a question Herto be clueless “I know he and Eric would’ve wanted to go into the heist with blanks, but their associate was using live rounds,” Ana said tersely “Whoever he is, he’s a wild card”
“You were always so good at dras, dear” Her ed in a circle near an unlit woodstove
Ana had to consciously relax her jaw to speak “You know you’ll never be able to fence those diamonds You knehen you set this up The Crown is too distinctive”
Tilly poured tea as if she hadn’t a care in the world “The Crown of Roses” She sighed “So rare to find any diamond of that deep pink color, but an entire tiara’s worth? Has the piece been stolen?”
“Cut the crap, Mootten how you talked about the ’94 Carlton heist in France? This job in Manhattan was textbook Tilly Miller until the guard got shot”
Digging into her briefcase, Ana yanked out a tablet and tossed it on an eht that for you Look at the newspaper apps on there and read the reports Did you know that jewelry shop is a Cross Industries property? Gideon Cross has offered a quarter- to the arrest of the thieves I’ve been told that auard dies”
Finally, Tilly paled “Is he that bad off?”
“He had body armor on, but he took two hits: one to the shoulder and another to the thigh That second hit nicked his femoral artery”
“Dear god” Her mother sucked in a shaky breath “You know Frankie would never go along with anyth
ing like that The guard was it Terence Parker?”
“Yes” Ana gripped the back of an old wicker chair “I already figured out Terence was your inside man And it’s obvious the shooter wanted him out of the way A three-way split is much more lucrative But why not make it a tay split? Or better yet, take it all Frank, Eric, Terence, and souy, Mom?”
“I don’t know”
“I don’t believe you You had this planned down to the second” Tilly and Bill Miller were known to spend years planning a job that would take only seconds to pull off Ana was afraid that since her dad had died, her ged Frankie into it with her
Tilly looked at her with stricken eyes “There was no fourth guy in the plan Just Terence, Frankie, and Eric You know it’s safer to keep the number of people involved to the bare minimum”
Ana knew neither Frankie nor Eric would’ve deviated Tilly would’ve trained theht in soht he could trust and ended up paying for it
“Jesus, Mo to turn on Frankie and Eric the first chance he gets, if he hasn’t already I need to get to him before that happens”
Tilly picked up her teacup and saucer, the china rattling as her hands shook “Are you here for the reward or the gems?”
“You knohy I’m here You knew I’d come, because you kneho the insurer was before you went after the diaured there’d be no harm done—you mastermind your perfect heist, Frank follows in dad’s footsteps by pulling it off, your daughter claiitiems back”
“No one was supposed to get hurt,” Tilly breathed, looking stricken
“Soal just to spoil your fun” Sighing, Ana pinched the bridge of her nose “When were Frankie and Eric supposed to show up here?”
“Not for a week” Tilly aze with unusual so you in on this, and we didn’t want any lines being drawn between there and here and you”
“Thanks,” Ana said sourly
“Frank’s not even supposed to call until he gets down to Florida He and Eric planned on stretching the trip out over a few days”
Crossing her arms, Ana snapped, “NoI could face prosecution along with you By not turning you in, I could be seen as an accessory after the fact And if I took the finder’s fee and Frankie’s involve that I wasn’t a participant in a ainst the insurance company”