Page 12 of Donovan Blake: Passion

“You bet. You know me. I love doing this shit. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Waiting nervously at a side entrance with Donovan and Phoebe, Jane wondered how she could have been so foolish. Looking back it was obvious Jimmy had never cared about her. He’d just wanted to use and manipulate her so he could steal something of great value from the family home. Though she did her best to swallow back a surge of emotion, a rogue tear escaped and slipped own her cheek.

“Jane, what’s wrong?” Phoebe asked softly.

“I feel so stupid. Why did I believe all his lies?”

“Because you were vulnerable, and people like Jimmy know how to exploit that,” Donovan murmured. “Trust me, you weren’t the first to be conned, and you won’t be the last. But your father will soon be hanging that portrait back in it’s rightful place, Jimmy will be caught, and hopefully so will the crooks he’s dealing with.”

“My phone,” she suddenly muttered, lifting it from her pocket. “It’s him. He’s parking. Oh, my gosh. What if he senses I’m up to something?”

“He’ll be too hungry for the money to worry about you, and even if he sees you’re nervous, considering the circumstances you should be. “And remember,” Phoebe interjected, “we’ll see everything on our phones behind that door, and your father’s watching the monitors. If anything happens we’ll be out like a shot. But it won’t. We’re turning the tables on this dirtbag. Once he gets to London he’ll be in for the shock of his life. That will be him coming through the gate?” she added, glancing outside then ducking back.

“Time for us to disappear,” Donovan said urgently.

As he and Phoebe slipped into a nearby room, Jane took a long deep breath, then watched Jimmy and his friend jog across the lawn towards her.

“Is everything set?” Jimmy asked quietly, panting as he reached her.

“Yes, but stay behind me just case.”

With her heart continuing to pound, she led him and his friend through the hall, past the library, then through the door and down into the basement.

“Hey, thanks, you sure covered it up good,” Jimmy remarked, grabbing her around the waist. “I’ll have to find a very special way to reward you. Maybe I’ll bring you back a new makeup kit. I miss seeing you with all that eyeshadow and red lipstick.”

“I can’t wear it in the house.”

“I don’t want you to wear it here, I want you looking that way just for me. But I need to hit the road. Come on, Nigel. Grab that other side. Keep a look out, Jane.”

Hurrying back up the stairs, she waited as Jimmy and his friend carefully carried the large painting up the steps and into the hall, then ran ahead to open the door leading outside.

“I’ll call you from London,” Jimmy promised as he passed her.

“Okay,” she muttered, not knowing what else to say, then watched them cross the lawn and disappear. Moving back inside, she leaned against the wall and let out a heavy breath.

“Jane, you were great,” Donovan exclaimed as he and Phoebe reappeared.

“I feel shaky,” she muttered. “When he grabbed me around the waist I wanted to scream and run.”

“And I wanted to storm down there and punch him in the nose!” her father declared, striding down the hall towards her carrying a small basket.

“Then I was scared when they were carrying it up the stairs,” she continued. “I kept thinking they might drop it. What a disaster that would have been.”

“But they didn’t. Everything’s going according to plan and it won’t be long before they’re both behind bars,” Donovan assured her.

“It occurred to me you might like a thermos of tea and something to eat on your drive,” Peter offered, handing him the basket. “I asked one of the kitchen staff to have it ready before they went up for the night, and please stay in close contact,” Peter added solemnly. “I’m sure some very bad actors will be waiting in London.”

* * *

Walking quickly to the front of the house, Donovan and Phoebe climbed into the waiting BMW SUV. While Donovan sped from the home and turned into the country road, Phoebe began watching the small red dot on her phone.

“What’s in that basket?” Donovan asked. “I suddenly feel like a quick bite.”

“Let me check.”

Placing the phone into a holder on the dashboard, she lifted the basket onto her lap and opened the lid.

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