Page 65 of The Devil Wears Orange
My laughter abruptly muted, I turn to Rashid. “You have to be kidding.”
“I have a crew nearly in place,” says Rashid, “but I’m down two.”
“Where’s the target?”
“Jack!” His name explodes from my lips.
“I’m just asking,” he says. Then, he shakes his head after a brief contemplation. “This is crazy,” Jack says, prickling. “If Banning has what you claim, he’d have cameras, an impenetrable security system, armed guards.”
“We can penetrate his vault,” says Rashid.
“Vault?” repeats Jack. “I think I need a drink.”
“I have a plan,” Rashid says, “for us to break into Banning’s home to retrieve the stolen artwork.” Rashid stands taller, his chest puffed out slightly as though proud of his big announcement though I can’t understand why.
“You want us to do what now?” I say.
“Break into Banning’s…”
“Yes, we heard that part, but how exactly?” says Jack.
Rashid flicks the remote and a stunning, heart-shaped diamond necklace appears on screen.
“Woah,” I breathe. “Diamonds. Now we’re talking.”
“This,” continues Rashid, “is The Heart Diamond. Flawless. 6.07 carats in a rare blue color that will be up for auction. My source tells me Hector Banning will bid on it for his wife. Charlotte and I will also be in attendance bidding on the same necklace.”
I swallow hard. “You’re buying me that necklace?”
“I’ll pretend to buy you that necklace. It will certainly get Banning’s attention, and from there, we’ll engineer our way into his upcoming Black and White ball which will be held at his castle.”
“Where the stolen art resides. When do I come in?” asks Jack. “Am I bidding on the necklace, too?”
Rashid shakes his head. “You won’t be at the auction, Professor.”
“Where will I be?”
“Joining his household staff.”
Jack’s face flushes. “Oh, I see. I’m being removed.”
A tight smile lands on Rashid’s face. “No, you’re needed at Banning’s home. I know about his employees, his men, daily delivery schedules, but you, Professor, your job is to get the four-digit code, be our inside man, confirm the accuracy of my source’s intel.”
Jack nods, swinging his index finger back and forth between me and Rashid. “And while I’m out of the picture, you two will be together.”
“Yes, Jack, bidding on the diamond necklace,” I agree. “Keep up.”
“Pretending to bid,” corrects Rashid. “And while at the auction, Ms. Milton and I will retrieve Banning’s fingerprints.”
“What for?” Jack and I simultaneously pipe in.
“As a back-up plan to open the vault.”
I sigh, “Again with the vault. This is beginning to sound likeWho’s on First.”
“The vault,” says Rashid as he exits the slideshow and clicks on a 3-D image of a vault door. “Through my source, I discovered that Banning had a vault custom-made. It’s equipped like a fortress and guarded by a series of titanium locking bolts. It’s fire and drill proof, with military-grade ballistic armor able to deflect bullets, and a bio-metric fingerprint entry with a four-digit code. It’s also, booby-trapped with hand grenades contained to destroy the outside of the vault.”
I’m startled by the exploding animation that follows on screen.
