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"Please, Hale"

But he didn’t answer He was too busy walking down theKat into a diht cascaded through the s that lined one wall There were bookshelves and leather sofas, brandy decanters and the stale sars and even older money There was no doubt in Kat’s mind that it was an important room For important htuntil she saw the painting

Stepping toward it was like approaching ainto another country, another century She studied the rich colors and strong brushstrokes "It’s beautiful," she whispered, staring at the work of an Old Master in the ht

"It’s Verered in the doorway "It’s stolen"

"What can I say?" Hale eased behind her and studied the painting over her shoulder "I met a very nice man who bet me that he had the best security system in Istanbul" His breath arm on the back of her neck "He was mistaken"

Kat stayed perfectly still as Hale walked to the desk in the far corner of the massive room, picked up a telephone and said, "Marcus, we’re hoet some-- Yeah The library" He held his hand over the receiver "Do you like corned beef?" Kat glared at hi up and collapsed onto one of the leather sofas as if he owned the place, which, Kat had to remind herself, he did

"So," Hale said with a slow, easy grin, "did you reat liar It’s part of the skill set, the tools, the craft And at thatshe’d walked away from the life, because when she said, "No," Hale just sood to see you, Kat"

"You ht want to remember who I am before you try to con ht want to rean, is that it? After I saved you froan wasn’t so bad I could have been norhed "Trust an"

"I could have been happy at Colgan"

"They kicked you out, Kat"

"Because you frah" He stretched his arot a e for you"

"Doesn’t your family own a cell phone coers an inch apart to illustrate his point "Besides, it’s htto" She trailed off Hale shook his head And suddenly Kat understood everything a little better She dropped onto the couch opposite hiood" Hale nodded "He sends his love He says the Colgan School will rob you of your soul" She started to protest, but Hale stopped her "But that’s not theweary

"Kat," Hale e or not?"

"Yes"

"He says he’s got to give them back"

"What?" Kat was sure she hadn’t heard correctly "Uncle Eddie’s got to give what--"

"No That is the ive them back’"

Kat shook her head "I don’t understand"

"There was a job, Kat A week ago In Italy"

"I haven’t heard about any jobs," Kat insisted before re that she’d been out of the world The loop The life She knehat the Colgan cafeteria was serving every day this month, but this

"Private collection," Hale continued "Very high-end paintings Very high security Very high risk Two--maybe three--crews in the world could have done it, and--"

"My dad’s at the top of the list?"

Hale shook his head "There is no list There’s just--"

"Dad" Kat sat for a hed "So?" she asked Suddenly it all seemed preposterous "So what? This is what he does, Hale This is e all do What makes this time any different?"

She stood and started for the door, but in a flash, Hale was standing; his hand was around her wrist

"It’s different because it’s different, Kat This guy--this guy with the paintings--he’s a bad guy"

"I’uys"

She tried to pull away, but Hale’s chest was pressed against hers His hands arency in his voice as he whispered, "Listen to uy like your dad and Uncle Eddie are bad guys" He took a deep breath "Like I’uy? His name’s Arturo Taccone, and he’s a whole different kind of bad"