Page 51 of Barbed Wire and Burglary
He’d known Diamondback ran a highly profitable firm, but this felt like overkill. Why Wall Street? Why not pocket the money and work out of an unmarked storage unit somewhere? Nothing about the address impressed him as low-key. It was lavish and exclusive.
“I know,” Aurora murmured at his side. “It makes me uncomfortable, too.”
Her comment surprised him. “You mean the location?”
“That, and everything else about it.” She bit her lower lip. “Given the opportunity, it’s not what I would choose.”
It was an interesting statement coming from someone who’d grown up in the lap of luxury—nannies, private schools, the whole enchilada. There was nothing low-profile about the street they werestanding on. Then again, they were surrounded by so much luxury that none of the buildings really stood out. It was a bit of a stretch, but one might actually consider it the pinkies-up version of keeping a low profile.
Aurora continued speaking in a low voice. “As soon as we’re inside, I’ll log into the mainframe and start the download. I’m not sure how long it’ll take. While it’s running, you’ll get the pretend tour.” During which he would sweep the place for bugs.
“No pretending necessary,” he assured, adopting a snaky hiss on the S words. “I can’t wait to see Diamondback’s inner sanctum.” Unbeknownst to her and her brother, he was still investigating a number of firms on behalf of the JSA, including Diamondback, so getting eyeballs on the inside was like killing two birds with one stone.
“Cute!” She flicked her tongue at him like a serpent.
“I aim to please.” He reached for her shoulders and twirled her in his direction for a quick, hard kiss.
“Mmm,” she murmured dreamily against his lips. “If anyone is watching, they’ll assume we’re two tourists necking on the street.”
He grinned. “Wearenecking on the street.” It had nothing to do with keeping up appearances. He found the woman in his arms irresistible all hours of the day and night and honestly didn’t care who knew it.
“Time to get this over with,” she finally sighed, reluctantly towing him toward the entrance. They passed through security and rode the elevator to the top floor. She had to type in a code on the wall panel to access the penthouse suite.
“What a view!” He didn’t have to feign his admiration as they stepped into the office. Though it was onlya four-story building, ornate windows offered a bird’s-eye view of the hustle and bustle of Wall Street below them. While Aurora moved to the nearest desk to plug in her zip drive, he used the scanning device he’d brought along to sweep everything he got close to—desks, bookshelves, lamps, and artwork.
Since Diamondback kept its address a secret, they weren’t accustomed to entertaining guests. Every stick of furniture and decor appeared to be designed for either utility or security.
The L-shaped desk Aurora was seated at had to be where Elise Hathaway worked. The black-and-white checkered figurines dotting it, along with a heavily be-gemmed lamp, felt like they were her style. Her workspace was separated by a glass wall from the executive desk where Cary Cannon worked. His nameplate rested on the edge of it, which felt noteworthy. For a guy who claimed he didn’t want the job and didn’t plan on being there for long, he’d sure moved in. His framed MBA certificate was mounted on the wall, alongside plaques boasting his various memberships in various elite organizations.
Also worth noting, Mr. Cannon’s desk faced Elise’s desk, while her desk faced away from his. Due to the glass wall between them, Elise’s computer screen was visible to him at all times, where his was visible only to himself. It was an interesting setup, one that made A.J. wonder if Cary Cannon trusted his personal assistant.
A.J. discovered only two hidden cameras in the room, one of which was aimed at the entrance to the office. The other was aimed at Cary Cannon’s desk. Quite by accident, Aurora had chosen the ideal spot in the room for downloading company files.
Now that his task was completed,he launched into a list of innocuous-sounding questions about how long the Cannons had been working on Wall Street and how she’d enjoyed growing up in the bustling business district of such a large and famous city.
Aurora held up her end of the conversation, complaining a little about what it was like to be a poor little rich girl. “It’s true what they say about it being lonely at the top,” she declared in a long-suffering voice, “but nobody pities the girl who lives in a mansion.” She went on to reveal how her parents had sold her childhood home shortly after she’d moved out. “They always joked about retiring to a French villa overlooking a vineyard.” Her voice grew sad.
He studied her expression for a moment and decided that she sounded authentic because she was being authentic. “I bet it was culture shock working in so many small towns over the years.”
“At first, yes, but it was a welcome one.” The smile she gave him over the top of her uncle’s computer screen made his heart pound. “Otherwise, I would’ve never met you.”
“Hey!” He pretended to scowl at her. “Army officers have been known to get invited to some pretty big shindigs, big enough for hot-shot princesses like yourself to be in attendance.”
“Just stop,” she grumbled good-naturedly.
Watching her work, he imagined her breaching firewalls and picking her way through encrypted files like a female ninja. Because he was watching her so closely, he didn’t miss it when her face grew white.
“Are you getting thirsty?” he asked quickly. It was the question they’d come up with ahead of time that meant he was asking if she was okay.
“A little,” she confessed in a breathy voice, which meant something was wrong.
He tensed and inched his fingers toward his holster. “I could run to the nearest cafe and grab you something to drink,” he offered.
“No, that’s alright.” She looked like she was about to break into a sweat. “I’m almost finished checking my email.” Moments later, she ejected the zip drive and dropped it into her pocket.
“All done,” she announced in a more cheerful voice. “If your offer of a drink still stands, I’m ready.”
“Let’s roll.” He stayed close to her as they returned to the elevator. Just for kicks, he backed her up against the elevator wall and gave her a very thorough, very satisfying kiss during the short ride to the main level. “I’ve always wanted to do that.” He ran a finger down her nose and over her lips.
