Hidden Agemda (Kate Diamond Adventure) Read online

  Kate nodded. “Impressive.”

  “Oh, and the best part?” Gideon flicked a switch and Kate saw the belt start to move. “It’s completely silent, so you can make your getaway without anyone knowing.”

  “That’s perfect. So, all I have to do is figure out how to steal the ruby, and then jump on this cycle and ride off to … where?” Kate scrunched her face at Gideon.

  Gideon waved his hand dismissively. “That’s one of the details that needs to be worked out. Assuming Max can get you an invite, I figure the best thing is to have someone waiting in a boat. Cruise ships and yachts are not uncommon in the waters there, so no one will be suspicious of a boat trolling around the water. Then you’ll need an accomplice to bring the cycle to you once you’ve secured the ruby. If you’re lucky, no one will be the wiser, and the two of you can make a quick getaway and be safe on the boat before Crowder even knows the ruby is gone.”

  “You make it sound so easy,” Kate said.

  “Well, it can be if you get the right people to help. You’ll just need a cruise ship or yacht and someone who can drive it. Plus, someone who doesn’t mind speeding across the Antarctic snow at ungodly speeds.” Gideon grinned at her. “Oh, and your accomplices should be good at evasive maneuvers, be crack shots and have nerves of steel.”

  “Well, if that’s all,” Kate said, “then I think I know just the people to help.”

  Chapter Four

  Kate parked her rental car in the parking lot of the Golden Capers Beach and Yacht Club. Jumping out, she stretched, turned her face to the sky and let the Florida sun warm her face.

  Her flip-flops slapped against her heels as she walked over to the fence that hid the community pool from sight. For once, her five-foot-seven height was an advantage and she only had to stand on her tiptoes slightly to see over the top of the wooden fence, which was ringed with plastic party lights.

  Empty lounge chairs in turquoise and lime green surrounded the pool. The aqua-hued water winked at her in the sunlight. Two large stainless steel barbecues sat on either side of a grass Tiki Hut bar. Kate could see the remnants of last night’s (or was it this morning’s?) drinks in blenders that sat atop the bar.

  “Kate!”

  Kate looked up to see her mother leaning over the second floor balcony. Carlotta Diamond was an exotic beauty that looked twenty years younger than her age of sixty-eight. Looking up at her mother’s tanned face, wide smile and thick chestnut hair piled high on her head, Kate sighed, wishing for the millionth time that she’d inherited her mother’s good looks.

  “Hi Mom,” Kate shaded her eyes from the sun, “Where is everybody?”

  “Probably sleeping it off.” Carlotta spoke with only the slightest hint of Italian accent as she gestured excitedly toward the open door of her condo. “Come on up!”

  Kate sidestepped a small brown gecko that skittered out of her way as she skirted the edge of the pool. Reaching the stairs, she stopped for a second to marvel at the bright red flowers of a hibiscus shrub that ran the length of the building. Beyond the shrub, she could see the clear waters of Lemon Bay.

  She grabbed the wooden banister and started up the steps of the Spanish style stucco building that housed half the condos belonging to that Golden Capers Beach and Yacht Club—the most unusual retirement resort that Kate had ever heard of.

  Most people would have never thought Golden Capers to be unusual. It certainly looked like any other Florida retirement community. Made up of two buildings set in an ‘L’ shape with a pool in the center, it had Lemon Bay in the back and the Atlantic Ocean across the street in the front. The people were just your normal everyday retirees … on the surface.

  What most people didn’t know about Golden Capers was it was filled with ex-thieves and con men. Not just your garden variety, either—the real pros in the field. The ones that had been wildly successful and retired before they got caught.

  Kate’s parents were no exception—her mother had been a jewel thief, her father a legendary con man who planned hundreds of successful heists. The place was filled with retired folks who all had unique talents—lock pickers, explosive experts, masters of disguise. Kate had known most of them since she was a child and they were like family to her. That’s how she’d picked up most of the skills that had made her successful in the FBI—she’d been schooled by the best and her unique knowledge on how the criminal mind works gave her an edge in catching the bad guys. Now that she worked for the Ritzholdt, the knowledge and resources were invaluable.

  They weren’t bad people, really—most of them wouldn’t hurt a flea. Of course, the people they stole from might not see it that way, but that had been long ago. Now, they’d pooled their resources to buy the retirement complex and they all lived on the right side of the law—most of the time.

  The people at Golden Capers were really just like any of the other senior citizens in Florida except they had special knowledge … knowledge about art, antiquities and gemstones as well as knowledge of how to get into and out of any type of secured environment. And, of course, they also knew how to use evasive maneuvers if they were being chased and were expert shots, which was the main reason why Kate was there.

  Kate tapped on the open condo door and Carlotta whirled around from her task of arranging grapes on a platter. She ran to Kate, her arms wide. Kate bent down to hug her mother, who was almost a foot shorter. Her heart flooded with warmth as Carlotta returned the hug and pecked a kiss on both of Kate’s cheeks. The scent of her perfume—Chanel No. 5—flooded Kate’s nostrils, stirring up happy memories of childhood.

  “It’s wonderful to see you.” Carlotta held Kate at arm’s length. “You look great.”

  “Thanks Mom, so do you,” Kate said truthfully—somehow Carlotta managed to looked better with each passing year. Even the thin strands of silver that had worked their way into her hair made her more attractive.

  Carlotta’s almond-shaped deep brown eyes twinkled with excitement as she pulled Kate further into the condo. “I’m dying to hear about your new assignment.”

  Carlotta let go of Kate and swooped up the platter with the grapes. Balancing it in one hand, she grabbed a pink liquid filled pitcher with the other. “But, I’m sure you’re hungry from your long flight so I figured we could snack out on the lanai.”

  “I sure am.” Kate reached out to relieve her mother of the pitcher, then picked a grape off the tray and popped it into her mouth while she followed Carlotta past the breakfast bar and through the contemporary style living room toward a wall of sliding glass doors that opened onto the lanai.

  The lanai was a twenty-foot wide balcony that ran the entire length of the condo. The view of Lemon Bay was breathtaking. The table had already been set with small plates and glasses. The two women pulled out seats and settled in.

  Kate took a deep breath of salt-spiced ocean air and let it out slowly. Glancing out toward the peaceful blue waters of the bay, she felt a sense of calm.

  “It’s so great to be here,” Kate said talking not only about the scenery but also about being with her parents. She didn’t get down here nearly enough and loved spending time with them … especially if that time included thinking up ways to retrieve pieces for the museum.

  Carlotta nodded while she nibbled a grape. “Your father and I love it. So peaceful and relaxing.”

  A gentle warm breeze ruffled Kate’s hair as she looked out at a small sailboat that was navigating the channel leading to the open ocean.

  “Lemonade?” Carlotta held up the pitcher.

  “Love some,” Kate said. She grabbed some grapes, crackers and cheese from the platter as her mother poured the lemonade.

  “Where’s Dad?” Kate peered back into the condo just as she heard a door slide open from behind her.

  “Oh, I’m right here, Kitten.” Vic Diamond came onto the lanai fresh from a shower and rubbing his hair with a towel. Like her mother, he looked much younger than his age. Even though his dark hair was now mostly gray, his tall, muscular fra
me and tanned skin gave him a youthful appearance. The stress-free active lifestyle must agree with them, Kate thought.

  “I had a big tennis match today … had to shower up.” He leaned down and pecked Kate’s cheek before settling himself into a chair.

  Carlotta pushed the tray of grapes toward him and he picked a few off.

  “It’s great to see you Kate, but I know you didn’t come here just to see us.” Vic leaned across the table, a sparkle of excitement in his eyes. “Tell us about this new job and how we can help.”

  Kate’s parents listened intently while she told them about the Millennia Ruby and how it would be auctioned off at the ice hotel.

  “So you’re going to steal it back?” Vic narrowed his eyes at Kate. “Is that legal?”

  “Well, technically, the ruby belongs to us, so taking it back really isn’t stealing.” Kate nibbled on the corner of a cracker. “Besides, what’s Crowder going to do? Call the police on us?”

  Vic and Carlotta laughed.

  “But surely, the museum has the police looking for it …” Vic said.

  “Yeah, of course. But we all know how slow they are,” Kate answered. “They’ll probably still be looking for it in Boston by the time I’ve gone to Antarctica and come all the way back.”

  Carlotta’s brows shot up. “True. They always were pretty slow on the uptake.”

  “That’s why Max has sent me in to look for it. He knows I’ll actually get it back—the police are only added insurance, just in case. We don’t want them to feel left out if it turns out we really need them,” Kate said.

  “But this sounds like a tough job.” Vic’s eyes turned dark with concern. “How will you get in … and out? Do you know anything about the security? Is your boss providing you with a good cover?”

  “That’s why I’ve come here for help,” Kate said. “I know you guys are the best.”

  “Boy, I’d like to get my hands on that ruby,” Carlotta said teasingly, then quickly added, “just to see it, not to steal it. You know I’m out of that business and besides, I prefer my gems to be cut and polished and set into gold or platinum.”

  Kate narrowed her eyes at her mother. “I hope you’re not thinking of coming with me.”

  “Well, now that you mention it, that’s not such a bad idea.” Carlotta looked at Vic who nodded. “You’re going to need backup …”

  Vic must have seen the look on Kate’s face because he held his hands out to stop the two women from arguing before she could get her mouth open.

  “Let’s see what we’re up against first,” he said standing up. “Then we’ll know exactly who we need to send in and where to place them.”

  Kate watched her father duck back into the condo and come out with a notepad, pencil and laptop computer. He sat back down at the table, pushed the pad and paper over to Carlotta and then opened the laptop.

  “This will give me a chance to use my new software,” Vic said as he tapped on the keyboard.

  “They have software for planning heists now?” Kate asked in disbelief.

  “Not everyone does, but since we have our very own software geek right here at Golden Capers, we do,” Vic said, then at Kate’s look of alarm he winked and added, “We don’t use it to plan real jobs but we do like to keep our skills sharp and it’s fun to play around with.”

  Carlotta leaned forward, her eyes glittering with excitement. “Okay, spill all the details about the auction.”

  Carlotta scribbled in the notepad and Vic tapped on the keyboard while Kate told them about the ice hotel and the special auction.

  “Did you say your young man had satellite photos?” Vic asked without looking up from the computer.

  “Young man?” Kate’s forehead creased. “Oh, you mean Gideon? He’s not my young man.”

  Kate saw her parents share a look.

  “That’s too bad. You should find someone to share your life with,” Carlotta said. “It’s wonderful when you find the right person.”

  Kate’s heart warmed at the affectionate look her parents gave each other as Vic covered Carlotta’s delicate hand with his. She felt a wistful tug—would she ever find love like that?

  “I thought maybe that other FBI detective—”

  Kate held her hand up to stop her mother from saying more. She didn’t like the way the conversation had turned. She was still angry about what had happened thirteen months ago—angry with both the FBI and the other detective her mother was referring to.

  She felt her chest tighten as she thought about the case that had ended her otherwise stellar FBI career. She’d singlehandedly captured one of the most notorious thieves in FBI history and how had the FBI thanked her? By firing her. Sure, she’d had to use some unorthodox methods to catch the guy, but she didn’t think it warranted her getting fired. And in the end the bad guy, Damien Darkstone, had been released from jail on a technicality thanks to the other FBI agent, Ace Mason.

  “Let’s not talk about that. He wasn’t the right one and I have no desire to take up with anyone else right now.”

  “That’s right Kate,” Vic said. “Don’t settle, especially for a young yahoo FBI detective.”

  Kate nodded at her father, he’d never trusted Kate’s old partner and, as Kate eventually found out, with good reason.

  “Oh, well, you’re not getting any younger.” Carlotta looked at Kate out of the corner of her eye. “Benny’s son is single again if you want us to fix you up …”

  “Bangkok Benny?” Kate scrunched her face picturing the rotund man she knew as “Uncle Benny”—short, balding and overweight, she imagined his son looking much the same. “Umm … no thanks. Why do you call him Bangkok Benny anyway?”

  Carlotta and Vic exchanged another look and they both started laughing.

  “Oh, just something that happened on a job in Bangkok when we were younger.” Carlotta blushed. “It really wouldn’t be appropriate for us to say.”

  “Okay.” Kate let it go … the less she knew about her parents’ previous life the better and judging by the look on her mother’s face this was something she definitely didn’t want to know. “So, back to my job …”

  “Yeah, can you get Gideon to email the photos?” Vic asked. “I can input them into this program and it might help us figure out how to get the ruby out of there.”

  “Sure, I’ll text him your email address.” Kate picked up her phone and tapped out a text to Gideon.

  A few seconds later, her phone vibrated on the table and Vic’s computer pinged.

  “Got it!” Vic hunched over the computer typing and working the mouse. Then he sat back staring at the screen and rubbing his chin with his thumb. “It looks like the hotel is about five miles from ocean. We’ll have to either fly you out or find a way to get you to the ocean and pick you up in a boat.”

  “Actually Gideon has part of that covered.” Kate described the ski-cycle to her parents.

  “That sounds interesting … but you can’t just carry that with you,” Carlotta said. “So we’ll need someone on the ground—or in a boat—to bring it to you.”

  Vic glanced over at the dock that extended out into Lemon Bay where several yachts were moored. “A few of the folks here keep their yachts over there, but I’m not sure one is strong enough for the Antarctic environment … or if we could even sail it there in time.”

  Kate’s phone vibrated and she picked it up to read the text. “Looks like I have an answer for that. Max has a small cruise ship that was retrofitted from an old research vessel—it has ice-strength hulls and all the comforts of a cruise ship … and it just happens to be in the Antarctic. We can borrow it for the job.”

  Carlotta clapped her hands together. “That’s perfect. We can combine work with a pleasure cruise and help Kate all at the same time!”

  “Uhh … I’m not sure it will be a pleasure cruise, Mom,” Kate said. “It will probably be dangerous and I doubt it comes staffed.”

  “Pfft … you’ll be the one in the most danger. We’ll just
be on the boat providing backup.” Carlotta turned to Vic. “Now, all we need to do is figure out how to get Kate in and out of there … and how she can steal the ruby without getting caught.”

  ***

  It was getting dark by the time they’d finally come up with a viable plan. Kate sat back in her chair, a tickle of nervousness spreading in her belly as she watched the pelicans dive head-first into the waters of the bay for their dinner.

  Would the plan work?

  After several texts back and forth between Kate and Gideon—and even a few from Max—they’d worked out the resources and personnel they’d need. Max knew from previous jobs that Kate had access to people with unusual skill sets and he was all for recruiting them. Kate often wondered whether this easy access was what had prompted Max to offer her the job.

  Vic’s software had been able to determine the layout of the ice hotel and even figure out a little about their security.

  Uncle Benny would help her with getting around the internal security—that was his area of expertise. Gideon was sending down a package, which would include a covert communications system where Kate and Benny could send and receive messages. It was assumed that any communication going in or out of the ice hotel would be strictly monitored, but Gideon just happened to have some nifty gadgets that would communicate in code. Kate could give Benny more information on the security once she got inside. She was actually pretty good at disarming security systems herself, but the extra help couldn’t hurt.

  They’d even recruited an old friend to captain the ship and their old getaway driver, Sal, to drive the ski-cycle.

  Everyone they’d contacted to help was agreeable—eager even. Of course, they were paid well for their efforts, but no one at Golden Capers needed the money. They all loved the opportunity for adventure, which let them make use of the skills they’d spent their entire lives honing. The adventure came with minimal risk … unless you counted getting shot at risky, which most of her parents’ friends didn’t.