Liam didn’t spot anything out of the ordinary. He glanced over at Boone. “Anything?”
The man shook his head.
“Dammit.” Aspen kicked a brick. “Jake’s life is on the line. It has to be here.”
“Hey.” Liam hugged her. “We aren’t done yet.”
“I can’t let his kid grow up without a father. My friend without her husband.”
“Aspen, we aren’t giving up.”
She nodded and swiped her arm across her face. “Okay. Okay. There, I’ve had my breakdown. Let’s keep looking.”
They continued their search.
“The diary mentioned a sword.” She glanced around. “What could that mean?”
Boone frowned. “No idea.”
“Wait.” Liam said. “There was a picture of the warehouse at Simon’s.”
She nodded.
“It had a billboard on top.” Liam crossed the roof and came across old brackets attached to bricks. The billboard itself was long gone, but its base remained.
Excitement crossed Aspen’s face. “Yes. In the picture, there was definitely a billboard, and I think it had a picture of a sword on it.”
Liam pulled out his phone. “I’ll call him.”
“It’s late—”
“I’m pretty sure he’ll take my call.”
“Hello?” Simon’s voice was sleepy, cautious.
“Simon, it’s Liam Kensington. I’m sorry to be calling so late.”
“Mr. Kensington, how are you?”
“I’m not bad. I have a question for you. You had a picture of your grandfather’s warehouse in the Bronx. There was a billboard on top advertising something.”
“Yes. Cammilus Knives. They were one of the oldest knife manufacturers, and popular at the time. They used crossed swords as their logo.”
Knives. Sword.
“Thank you, Simon.”
“Does that help?”
“I hope so,” Liam said.
“All I ask is that you show me the treasure when you find it.”
“Count on it.”
Liam slipped his phone away. “The billboard advertised Cammilus Knives. They used swords as a logo.”
“Bingo.” Aspen grinned. “It’s here, somewhere.” They circled around the old brackets where the billboard would’ve been.
Liam pondered. Where would I hide a lockbox of treasure?
Somewhere sturdy. Somewhere safe.
He studied the bricks under the billboard brackets. They were all made of the same red brick.
Wait.
On one pillar, some of the bricks were a paler color. Discolored. Or perhaps not as old.
He crouched.
“Liam?” She crouched beside him.
“Look at these bricks.”
“They’re different,” she breathed.
“Move back,” Boone said.
The man lifted a boot, then he kicked at the bricks. He kicked again.
The bricks crumbled inward.
Liam flicked on his flashlight. A second later, he saw the gleam of metal inside. “Hold this.”
Aspen held the flashlight for him, and Liam reached in…and pulled out a lockbox.
“Holy cow,” she breathed.
Boone shook his head. “Here.” He pulled a pair of bolt cutters from his backpack, and cut the old padlock off.
Liam opened the lid.
The box was full of wads of cash, gleaming coins, and glittering diamonds.
Aspen
Wow.
I stared at the diamonds as they glinted in the beam of the flashlight.
They were brilliant, lit by an inner fire.
I met Liam’s gaze.
“Call Doyle,” he said. “Have him meet us here with Jake and the photos.”
I nodded.
“You gonna wear a wire?” Boone asked.
I nodded again. “Doyle isn’t getting anything out of this, except for a jail cell.”
I thumbed the screen of my phone.
Doyle’s voice came over the line. “Time’s almost up, Chandler.” The man’s voice was as hard as stone. “Knox is a dead man, and those photos of that sick fuck Kensington Senior will go out online first thing in the morning.”
“I have the lockbox.”
Silence.
“I found Schultz’s treasure,” I continued.
All I heard was heavy breathing. “You’re lying.”
“I’ll text you a picture. Meet me at the warehouse, and bring the photos and Jake. And none of your goons.”
A long pause. “Have you been playing me, Penn?”
“Yes. My name isn’t Penn. I was hired by Erica Knox to get her husband back. So, let’s all get what we want, Doyle. You give me Jake, you give Kensington the photos, and you get what you really wanted all along. The lockbox.”
“I don’t take kindly to being lied to.” His voice was icy cold.
“That’s rich, considering you’re a criminal. Just get here. No goons. You play me, Doyle, and your precious diamonds will end up in the bottom of the river.”
“I’ll be there.” Doyle hung up.
I blew out a breath. “He’s coming.”
We all headed downstairs. I was alive with nerves. If anything went wrong…
We reached the bottom level.
Boone scanned around. “I’ll make myself scarce. Signal if you need me.”
“Thanks, Boone,” Liam said.
He shot us a small salute, and melted into the darkness.
I turned to Liam. He took a small case from his pocket and opened it.
“Mav gave me these.” They looked like simple, silver stud earrings. “They’re high-tech recorders. They also transmit. They’ll record everything Doyle says and upload it to the cloud.”
I slipped the studs into my earlobes.
“Liam, I don’t suppose I can convince you to wait in the car?” Or better yet go home. Get somewhere safe.
He shot me a sharp look. “Fuck, no.”
“Fancy British billionaires are not supposed to get their hands dirty.” Or put themselves in danger. My stomach skittered.
“Your billionaire rulebook is different than mine.” He smoothed my hair back. “It’s going to be fine, Aspen. It’ll be over soon.”
I didn’t feel fine. I couldn’t bear it if he got hurt. My stomach turned over and left me jittery. I knew Boone was somewhere, hiding in the darkness, but it didn’t calm me.
We waited, and finally, I heard the screech of a metal door opening.
Liam held the flashlight pointed downward, and I held the lockbox.
The dark shadow of a man strode in, gripping a leaner, stumbling man beside him.
Doyle stepped closer to the pool of light from a flashlight, yanking his captive with him.
Jake’s face was battered and bruised. The assholes had beaten him. His hands were tied in front of him.
“Jake?” I said, trying to keep my voice level.
He lifted his head and blinked. “Aspen? God, Aspen.”
“It’s going to be all right.” I looked at Doyle.
The leader of Nexus stepped closer, and I got a clear look at him.
Fit body, heavy features, brown hair and wide-set eyes. He was essentially nondescript. Nothing made him stand out. You’d pass him on the street and not give him a second thought.