Thank you for reading Enjoy
Chapter 4
The last thing Sam wanted to do was get dressed up and go to the ballroom at the resort to look at the Graft Venus knowing that Knox would be there watching her every move. But she didn't have a choice.
To do this right, she enlisted someone who could pull off the job almost as easily as she could. Almost. She was the best when it came to jewels, any jewel. No one came close to her expertise. She has been planning for the Graft Venus for years, but not at this location.
This was her home. And Samantha Midnight didn't exist here. Sam is determined to keep it that way, even tonight. Knox might think he has his girl in the bag, but he's going to find out that he's very much mistaken.
Not having prepared for this job as she normally would, Sam had to think on the fly. She recruited the one person she knew could do the job with the least amount of information and with as little assistance as possible. Most importantly someone she knew she could trust, that list was very, very short.
Without a fake stone made up to replace the original to buy her time after the stone is taken, the escape has to be flawless. Sam doesn't have her tools with her, those are never brought to the island. Nor are any of her disguises that she uses for her work. She doesn't even have a floor plan of the resort to get a layout of where it will be located tonight. They will be going in blind.
Alex Mason is the best safe cracker she knows. She is the queen of getting in and out of buildings without being seen. She is also the best at working a room. Alex can do the meet and greet talk to anyone about anything and no one can ever really remember her. Only if she wants them to remember her. That's her stage, that's her skill. She is a true artist at heart.
Tonight Sam and Alex will need that. The Graft isn't going to be in a safe tonight, it is going to be in plain sight. There will be the elites in droves at this event. Everyone who has heard of the Graft Venus will be here to get a glimpse of it. Alex is going to have her work cut out for her. Sam will simply be playing with the FBI as a decoy.
'I'm here. See you tonight.' Alex sent the text as the ferry approached the dock. It was the only message she was going to send until after she was long gone.
Alex Mason was the best for a reason. She works alone. Teaming up with anyone on a job is a big no no. In this case, she didn't see it so much as teaming up but as doing a job as a favor. Besides, how often do you get asked to steal one of the rarest diamonds in the world? It was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.
And Sam is a friend. Or as close as a friend one could have in this line of work. She felt honored that Sam thought of her, of all the thieves she could have called on, to help her. And she understood the bind she was in. It's not easy when the FBI is breathing down your neck. Alex has been there too.
Flying in overnight meant she had time to research the location. She found a map of the island, the resort, the floor plan of the resort, and a picture of the rock she would be stealing. 118 carats raw uncut diamond, heart shaped. Absolutely stunning. She was impressed.
And she understood why Sam needed help. There's no way Sam would be able to pull this off without help. This is definitely a two, if not a three, person job. Not knowing a third person to help this late notice, Alex figured they would just have to make due.
When Alex arrived on the island, she didn't meet with Sam. It would give both of them away for them to meet if she did that. With the FBI already on to Sam, Alex would just have to use that to her advantage. Their meetup would have to take place later and not on this small island, where they could get caught.
Alex looked at the dock and the line of shops then longingly looked at the Mexican restaurant at the corner, vowing to stop there before she left. For the moment she was all business. Going straight to the resort she started to check into her room. She was cutting it close as it was. Sam didn't exactly give her much notice. And she wanted time to walk around the property before she had to get ready for tonight.
Walking into the ritzy hotel, Alex looked around and took in her surroundings. Upscale accommodations, granite countertops, slick and shiny floors, a piano playing in the lobby with a fireplace and leather chairs for seating arrangements in secluded corners. Sam was footing the bill for a very nice hotel.
Walking around instead of waiting in line to check in, Alex found a spa, a gift shop and a quaint dress shop. A nice upscale restaurant, and she silently thanked Sam, a lovely bar. Dimly lit, a few people having their pre-dinner drinks, a couple of older ladies probably enjoying time while their husbands finish on the golf course. A couple of younger friends looking for a weekend of fun away from their boyfriends. And two single bachelors with their heads together at the bar. The odd couple stood out from everyone else.
Ah-ha! She would put money down that these were the two Sam warned her about.
A beach bum blonde is sitting at the bar, who looks like he would fit in more comfortably at the docks and his buddy, who looks a bit more uptight and probably picked the resort for the accommodations, are talking quietly over their beers.
Alex is betting the stiff is the one who is giving Sam the hard time. He looks like the straight laced, by the book kind of cop. The other guy looks like he should be on the boat with a margarita in one hand and a bottle of sunscreen in the other. She just couldn't see anything about him that said cop.
This is what she does well besides cracking safes, she reads people. Alex holds off on checking into her room and goes into the bar. She could use a drink after the travel time. Setting her bag at her feet, she smiles at the bartender and waves her finger at him.
"Hi there cutie, how about an old fashioned neat, please?" Smiling as he gets her drink ready, she checks her phone and listens to the odd couple next to her.
"So you're telling me you think your Samantha Midnight is not only on the island, but that you were elbow to elbow with her at lunch and you didn't arrest her? What the hell, Knox? I thought that was the whole point here!" Okay, so beach bum isn't that much of a bum. And the stiff is Sam's trouble she was talking about.
Knowing the players is all part of the game. Now that she knew who she was looking out for, it made her job just a little easier. And Sam's a bit harder. FBI boy isn't alone either. Sam didn't know that. She will now.
When Alex got her drink, she got an idea. "Thanks, sweetie. Can you do me a favor?"
Enlisting the bartender to help her out, she gave him the instructions and finished her drink. As soon as she was done, Alex picked up her bag and headed out to check into her room. Stage one of her plan is in motion.
"Let's see just how good you boys are?" She laughed as she got her room key and stepped into the elevator to head up to her room. Knowing that right about now the bartender was serving them her little treat.
"We didn't order these," Knox looked at the dirty martinis confused about why the bartender was serving them.
"The lady who was in earlier asked me to give them to you after she left. Her treat. Oh, with this," he passed the folded napkin to Knox and laughed. "You should have been paying attention, man. She was right there," he pointed to the seat right next to Knox. "She was hot."
Furrowing his brow, Knox opened the napkin and read the message:
"Hope you boys have a good night on duty! S.M.❤️"
The bartender laughed as he walked away shaking his head at them. As if it was an inside joke on them, Knox felt the frustration build. How could he have missed her? How could she have sat right next to him and he not notice her?
"She was here?" Marcus looks around the room, hoping to catch sight of her. Catching the bartender's eye, he waved him over. "Hey! What did she look like?"
"Stunner, absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful, long red hair, bright blue eyes, how did you miss her? She was sitting right next to you?" The guy asked as if the two were blind.
"She was... seriously?" Marcus looked flabbergasted at Knox, who just rubbed his face. "You didn't see her?"
"No! She was in disguise. She had to be in a disguise. That's not what she looks like. Sam's not a redhead." Knox had to think about it.
"Okay, then what is she? Blonde? Brunette? Knox, come on! How hard is it to remember her hair color?" Marcus didn't understand, why didn't he know this?
"She wears a black cap. A hood. Her hair is never shown when she works." Knox slowly goes over it in his head.
She wears all black, like a cat suit but with a hood on it. And rigging, she has rigging to keep her off the floor or something because of the alarms. Frowning as he goes over her body in his head, from head to toe, he closes his eyes and brings her into focus from each time he has seen her.
Her face, he's seen her face several times now. Dark eyes, tan skin, nothing that makes her stand out. Nothing that makes her look special. Nothing that's memorable. Is that done on purpose? No birthmarks, no outrageous makeup, no tattoos, no long eyelashes, nothing too much.
"You don't remember what she looks like? Knox, didn't you just say you saw her at lunch?" Marcus probed further, wondering if his friend had lost his mind.
"I met Samina Atlas at lunch. Brown hair, brown eyes, lightly tan skin. A few freckles across her nose. Jewelry maker and gemologist. She lives in San Diego and works there and helps her aunt here with their jewelry shop on the boardwalk. I bought Kendall earrings, sapphire and silver earrings from her." Knox explained in detail what he knew from earlier.
"And you think that this Samina Atlas is Samantha Midnight?" Marcus doubted his friend's story too.
"I know it sounds crazy..."
"Because it is crazy. Knox, you have literally lived and breathed Samantha Midnight for two years. Don't you think that maybe this is just your mind working overtime?" Marcus wasn't even going to consider that she might be one and the same.
"I ran a background on her," Knox admitted. Marcus said nothing while waiting for him to tell him what he found when Knox said nothing Marcus had to push for more.
"And?"
Frustrated, Knox tossed the napkin on the bar, "She checked out."
"Then we need to follow a new lead. The redhead. I like redheads, let's go see where that leads us," Marcus picked up the crumpled napkin and tossed some money on the bar before the two men walked out of the bar and headed for their rooms.
They had a party to get ready for.
Please remember to vote comment and share