Page 65 of The San Marco Heist

“I’m starting on the small one.” Jayce could crack just about any simple wall safe without pre-planning. The ‘small one’ must have been something in her wheelhouse.

Declan let out a long breath. “Standing safe has biometrics. Thumb or fingerprints required. It’ll take more time.”

“Use the magnetic case to attach the phone next to the keypad,” said Will. “Hook it up so it can start processing, then do the other wall safe.”

“Copy that,” said Declan. “Plus, there’s a bank of displays. I think it’s the security desk.”

“That’s probably why it’s easy to get in,” said Brie. “Show me video.”

Hugo Albrecht strode across the dance floor with a few men in his wake, fast enough I only caught a snippet of their conversation. “…bottle of DRC 2015 that I picked up for this occasion. It’s downstairs in the…”

“Hugo’s headed inside,” I said. “The rest of the family’s still out here.”

“Working as fast as I can,” said Jayce. “Any chance he’s headed up here, you think?”

“The men nipping at his heels are likely business prospects. They’ll make a beeline for the lower floor and the wine room.” Malcolm’s thumb stroked my back. “Song’s almost done.”

As we pivoted in the dance and other couples shifted in position, I glimpsed Thomas Maguire, still watching me. “Thomas is going to pounce. We should sneak off.”

Malcolm spun our dance more forcefully, navigating us farther away from Thomas. “You told him one dance and you were his.”

“I was hoping he’d find someone else to slobber over.”

“We’ll have to sell it.” His fingers flexed on my back. “Permission to move to level four?”

“Granted.”Bad choice, Scar.

Malcolm’s hand trailed down the side of my hip, barely brushing my ass. If that weren’t enough to sell it, his mouth neared my ear—the one without the earpiece—and he breathed, “We should head to the light well behind the garage. There are stairs down to the bottom floor, entering close to the glass-walled lounge and the stairs to the safe room. We’ll be out of Maguire’s view and can help Jayce and Dec if they need it. Plus, if Albrecht is going there, we have an excuse.”

“Good idea.” Anything to end this dance and separate myself from his body. “We can—”

Before I could finish, Malcolm hauled me off the dance floor, between other couples, in the opposite direction from Thomas Maguire.

“You see that USB connection at the bottom right?” said Brie. “Plug the phone into that one and let me see if I can get into the security feed.”

“We’re on our way.” I lifted the hem of my skirt to prevent it from tangling in my shoes as we crossed the stone patio toward the pool by the garage. “We’ll sneak up the stairs and keep an eye out for security.”

Malcolm grinned over his shoulder, eyeing me like a mischievous teen sneaking off with his girlfriend. “How does getting thrown out of a black-tie wedding fit into your master plan?”

Don’t look at me that way. No one’s watching.“Good point. We can stand guard by the safe room. If security winds up there on patrol or Hugo wanders too far from the wine cellar downstairs, we play it by ear. If either of us suspect they’d be heading into the control room, we need to ensure they escort us to the front door.”

He slowed as we passed the final guests and wrapped his arm around my waist. Surely, in case anyonewaswatching, he leaned in, making it look like he was nipping at my ear while we walked. “Dec and Jayce, be ready to grab your equipment and run if that happens.”

Chapter 26

Malcolm

HowScarlettmovedsofast in those shoes was a mystery. She kept up with my rapid pace across the patio, only slowing briefly when we crossed a patch of lawn she should have sunk into.

“Biometrics is proving difficult on the large safe,” Will said over the comms. “Brie, I think it’s wired into the security system. How’s that coming?”

“Almost into the system.”

“Safe one is open,” said Jayce. “No ring.”

“Dammit.” Scarlett’s hand clenched around mine on her waist. “Dec? Any progress?”

“Safe two’s being a little bitch. Give me another minute.”

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