Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“I know. But I’ve got it covered. I swear. Just don’t tip her off or it won’t work.”
“I won’t,” he assures me quickly. “But I hope you know that anything you do to cut her out of the plan is going to royally piss her off. Be ready.”
“I know,” I murmur. It’s a tradeoff I have to be sure I’m willing to make.
Because she’s not just going to be pissed.
Sin is going to hate me for it.
CHAPTER 24
Sin
With a bit of gentle manipulation, I’m able to quietly pop the air vent from the frame. I hold still for several seconds, listening intently to make sure no one is coming before I lower it to the floor. It’s a painstakingly slow process as I don’t want the vent to bump against the wall or clatter against the wood flooring. I’m proud of myself when I complete the task in near silence.
Without a word to Saint, who waits patiently behind me in the air duct, I slither out of the vent and move to the side so he can exit behind me.
We’re dressed head-to-toe in black, including thin nylon face masks to hide our identities. While our goal is to disable all security equipment, we can’t take the chance we’ll be identified if something goes wonky. We’re traveling light, carrying only the bare essentials needed to get the job done. Most important is the equipment to disable the sensors and cameras, as well as the lightweight collapsible backpacks meant to carry the loot out. I also have the robotic scope, which is fairly lightweight and folds into a small unit that easily fits in my pack.
Our entry point into The Diamond Warehouse is the second-floor office that Mercier’s inside man has been renting for the past year. He’s long gone now that he’s completed his job, of course. I wonder what Mercier paid him… or if the man is even still alive. I’m thinking probably not.
We’ve memorized the building’s layout—each light switch and motion sensor accounted for. Hell, the man who scoped the place even listed areas where the floorboards tended to creak so we could avoid them.
We also roughly know the security guards’ routines as the inside man pulled faux “all-nighters” at the warehouse so he could observe. We know there are two at night, with one posted in front of the vault door at all times. If he needs a break to eat or take a piss, the other guard relieves him. Whoever isn’t guarding the door patrols the second floor but will often come down to talk to the other. The tricky thing is they don’t have too much of a definable pattern other than when they take their half-hour ‘lunch’ breaks around one and one-thirty AM respectively. There’s a breakroom upstairs where they eat, and one of the guards is in there now.
We decided to strike right after that, even though it’s usually when one guard will do a perimeter walk on the second floor.
Tasked with dispatching that guard, Saint will inject the man with a sleepy-time drug William provided. Because of that, he will stay up here to wait on his chance.
Silently, Saint pulls a small device that came from Bebe out of his utility belt. It’s rectangular, no more than four inches in length, and has a thin, rubberized antenna. There’s a button on the side. When Saint depresses it, a red light starts to blink, which means the security camera feeds have been frozen. Neither guard watches the feeds as they seem to prefer to walk around, so unless one changes up their routine, it shouldn’t be noticed. As of this moment, the cameras have ceased recording. Our heist will not be memorialized if all goes as it should.
More importantly, though, is its ability to jam the motion sensors as well, although we’re going to hit them with rubberized spray as an added protection measure.
Saint’s eyes catch mine, and I can clearly read his plea. Be careful.
I nod and start to turn away, but his hand on my arm stops me. I shift his way, only to find him right in my face… and then his mouth is on mine. Saint presses a hand to the back of my head, holding me in place for a fierce but short kiss, which speaks volumes. Please be careful. I don’t want to lose you.
Bringing my gloved hand to his cheek, I take a chance and mouth, “I love you.”
Saint’s eyes warm, but I don’t give him a chance to respond. Silently, I pull away and leave the office we’re in.
I’m not sure if he would have said the words back, but I can’t worry about that now. All I know is I can’t live my life with a single regret, and nothing is guaranteed. I could be killed or arrested before the night is through, and I need him to know how I feel.