[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
less than fifty yards away. Shadows cloaked the facade.
Without warning, the sound of a heavy-caliber rifle cracked through the radio
frequency. An instant later, it rolled over the ground.
Look out! one of the snipers warned. They ve got a rocket launcher set up
on the second floor!
Get us out of here! Garin ordered. He slammed a fist against the metal plate
that separated the front seats from the cargo area. He slammed against the
side of the van as the driver took evasive action.
THE SAFE WAS LOCATED behind the entertainment center. Ilse Danseker had given
up the location quickly after she d seen her lover killed.
Salome tripped the electronic locks with the same remote control that operated
the television, surround sound, DVD player and other entertainment devices.
Evidently the woman s husband liked having everything linked to the same
controller.
After Salome keyed in the special code, the entertainment center slid away to
reveal a safe built into the wall. The safe was the size of a regular door.
Another key code spun the tumblers inside the lock. They fell into place with
loud clicks.
When she glanced at Drake, Salome saw the man was grinning in anticipation.
Excited? she asked.
Positively brimming, Drake assured her. A man builds a safe like that, he s
not casual about what he puts in there. I expect to find a few other things to
pick up besides the painting you re after.
Ilse Danseker sobbed at the foot of her bed. Disposable cuffs bound her wrists
and ankles. She rocked on her knees, unable to keep still. A whispered prayer
poured from her lips in a litany. Please don t kill me, please don t kill
me.
The temptation to put a bullet through the woman s head was almost more than
Page 62
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Salome could bear. But until she had her hands on the painting of the
Nephilim, she wasn t going to lose her only avenue of information.
Drake nodded at one of the men in the room. He stepped forward and started to
pull on the door.
Wait, Drake said. He looked at the sobbing woman. When he aimed his pistol
at her, he depressed the trigger just enough to bring the targeting laser to
life.
The ruby beam was steady between the woman s eyes. The reflection turned her
tears pale scarlet.
Are there any booby traps on the safe? Drake demanded.
No, the woman whispered.
Because if there are, if something happens to my man or if the police
suddenly decide to arrive, Drake said, I m going to kill you.
There aren t. I swear. The woman closed her eyes and ducked her head so she
couldn t look at him.
Drake turned back to the door and nodded to the man at the door. The man went
inside and found a light switch. Illumination filled the safe.
Salome entered. It almost looked like a bank vault. Stacks of currency from a
handful of countries sat on a shelf in neat bundles.
Drake stripped a pillowcase from the bed and swept the cash into it. Nothing
wrong with walking away with a little extra.
Salome barely noticed. Her eyes locked on to the painting that sat inside a
protective case. She took a small penlight from one of the many pockets in her
Kevlar vest. She shone the beam directly on the painting.
The brooding figure of the angel glowed.
Carefully, Salome took a reagent from her pocket, applied it to a handkerchief
and knelt to swab it on a corner of the painting. She waited patiently. For a
moment nothing happened and her hope remained intact.
Then, slowly, paint lifted from the canvas.
She cursed as she took the reagent from her pocket and upended it across the
painting. Applied in greater volume, the paint bubbled from the canvas in
strips.
What s wrong? Drake stood nearby in the midst of helping himself to the
jewelry in the boxes on a shelf.
It s fake, Salome snarled. This isn t the original painting.
Drake finished adding the jewelry to his bag and glanced at the painting.
You re sure?
Of course I m sure. Salome gazed at the painting in disgust. It s a very
good copy, but it s forged.
You said it was a copy, Drake stated.
It is.
Not merely guesswork on part of the forger?
In an instant, Salome saw where Drake was heading with the question. You
think the forger painted this from the original painting?
Drake shrugged. You said yourself that no one had seen this painting in
years.
Yes. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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less than fifty yards away. Shadows cloaked the facade.
Without warning, the sound of a heavy-caliber rifle cracked through the radio
frequency. An instant later, it rolled over the ground.
Look out! one of the snipers warned. They ve got a rocket launcher set up
on the second floor!
Get us out of here! Garin ordered. He slammed a fist against the metal plate
that separated the front seats from the cargo area. He slammed against the
side of the van as the driver took evasive action.
THE SAFE WAS LOCATED behind the entertainment center. Ilse Danseker had given
up the location quickly after she d seen her lover killed.
Salome tripped the electronic locks with the same remote control that operated
the television, surround sound, DVD player and other entertainment devices.
Evidently the woman s husband liked having everything linked to the same
controller.
After Salome keyed in the special code, the entertainment center slid away to
reveal a safe built into the wall. The safe was the size of a regular door.
Another key code spun the tumblers inside the lock. They fell into place with
loud clicks.
When she glanced at Drake, Salome saw the man was grinning in anticipation.
Excited? she asked.
Positively brimming, Drake assured her. A man builds a safe like that, he s
not casual about what he puts in there. I expect to find a few other things to
pick up besides the painting you re after.
Ilse Danseker sobbed at the foot of her bed. Disposable cuffs bound her wrists
and ankles. She rocked on her knees, unable to keep still. A whispered prayer
poured from her lips in a litany. Please don t kill me, please don t kill
me.
The temptation to put a bullet through the woman s head was almost more than
Page 62
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Salome could bear. But until she had her hands on the painting of the
Nephilim, she wasn t going to lose her only avenue of information.
Drake nodded at one of the men in the room. He stepped forward and started to
pull on the door.
Wait, Drake said. He looked at the sobbing woman. When he aimed his pistol
at her, he depressed the trigger just enough to bring the targeting laser to
life.
The ruby beam was steady between the woman s eyes. The reflection turned her
tears pale scarlet.
Are there any booby traps on the safe? Drake demanded.
No, the woman whispered.
Because if there are, if something happens to my man or if the police
suddenly decide to arrive, Drake said, I m going to kill you.
There aren t. I swear. The woman closed her eyes and ducked her head so she
couldn t look at him.
Drake turned back to the door and nodded to the man at the door. The man went
inside and found a light switch. Illumination filled the safe.
Salome entered. It almost looked like a bank vault. Stacks of currency from a
handful of countries sat on a shelf in neat bundles.
Drake stripped a pillowcase from the bed and swept the cash into it. Nothing
wrong with walking away with a little extra.
Salome barely noticed. Her eyes locked on to the painting that sat inside a
protective case. She took a small penlight from one of the many pockets in her
Kevlar vest. She shone the beam directly on the painting.
The brooding figure of the angel glowed.
Carefully, Salome took a reagent from her pocket, applied it to a handkerchief
and knelt to swab it on a corner of the painting. She waited patiently. For a
moment nothing happened and her hope remained intact.
Then, slowly, paint lifted from the canvas.
She cursed as she took the reagent from her pocket and upended it across the
painting. Applied in greater volume, the paint bubbled from the canvas in
strips.
What s wrong? Drake stood nearby in the midst of helping himself to the
jewelry in the boxes on a shelf.
It s fake, Salome snarled. This isn t the original painting.
Drake finished adding the jewelry to his bag and glanced at the painting.
You re sure?
Of course I m sure. Salome gazed at the painting in disgust. It s a very
good copy, but it s forged.
You said it was a copy, Drake stated.
It is.
Not merely guesswork on part of the forger?
In an instant, Salome saw where Drake was heading with the question. You
think the forger painted this from the original painting?
Drake shrugged. You said yourself that no one had seen this painting in
years.
Yes. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]