Page 72 of A Real Good Bad Thing

But a sexy one too. And I needed to focus on the immediate tasks, not the many reasons I was attracted to Ruby Ashley.

With the order confirmed, we left the alley and returned to a main street, headed toward the church I’d scoped out earlier. We walked past a sandwich shop boasting Caribbean-themed panini served on the patio under a red-checked awning.

I stopped there, since we were getting close to our destination. “Let’s review,” I said. “You’re my lookout from the church. If you see or hear anything, or if anyone outside the gallery or inside starts to move, text me.”

“I’m so ready.” With a purr, she slipped her hands around my back, sliding them down to my butt, patting me down. In the same husky tone, she murmured, “Just making sure you have your phone with you.”

Who didn’t?

“I’m always prepared,” I said, then gently removed her hands from my ass. Sure, I couldn’t wait to touch her again, but I also couldn’t get distracted before a critical mission. “Let’s save all that for later. I promise as soon as we finish today, I will deliver a well-deserved trio of your favorite things.” Then I tipped my head to the sandwich shop. “And I’ll take you there for lunch if you want. I think the look in your eyes says you’re lusting after a panini.”

“No. Just you,” she said, all flirty and dirty.

I resisted the bait this time. “You’ll need these,” I said, reaching for my high-tech shades. She watched intently as I took the binoculars from my pocket.

I flicked them open and set them on her face and then explained how they worked, where she should station herself in the church, and my expected timeframe. “You’ll be safe there. No one will know you’re involved.”

“Don’t you get yourself caught,” she warned.

I saluted her. “I’m like a cat. My job is to be invisible.”

Twenty minutes later, we were in place. Ruby watched the gallery through the church window while I ambled along the street, checking out souvenirs of seashells at a shop kitty-corner to the gallery. As I pretended to consider a conch shell keychain, a white Subaru with an orange logo on the door pulled up and parked—my cue to stroll casually toward the gallery.

A woman in chef whites emerged from the Subaru, yanked open the hatchback, and grabbed a tray full of gourmet food. I smiled in satisfaction as she headed to Willow’s Island Gallery.

A lunch ambush.

Who didn’t love free food? That should give me a few minutes of distraction while everyone converged on the goodies, especially since Lynx O’Malley had spared no expense when he’d surprised the gallery staff with lunch out of gratitude for their hard work.

As soon as the caterer was inside, I slipped into the alley and made a beeline for the gallery’s back entrance, picked the lock, and opened the door a crack to listen for anyone nearby.

Silence. And when I peered inside, there was no one in the narrow hall.

So far, so good. I let out my held breath along with a quick prayer.Let me find the diamonds.

While Willow and the staff appreciated lunch in the main gallery, I slid inside the door labeled “office” and left it ajar behind me. Then I stared, slack-jawed, at the walls, turning in a slow circle to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.

There was no art.

There were no frames.

The walls were entirely, indisputably bare.

35

REVERSE CON

Ruby

He was inside.

So easily.

Because that was what he did. Slipped in and out and stole.

I was damn near ready to just let him dangle in the breeze.

Hell, he was probably going to do the same to me. While we were together, it felt like we were working together. But as I stood lookout, my worries from earlier resurfaced. We wanted different things from the jewels. I wanted to help my mom—he—wanted to help the investors. Jake could steal the gallery gems, then give me the slip. He’d have all the diamonds and I would have none. No down payment on what Eli owed to my mom, and no leverage to make him do the right thing by her.