couldn’t keep his eyes off her, particularly when she was wearing a low neckline cut, just like now.
“If that guy says the ruby is real—” Carter started.
“He will,” Farrell interrupted him. “I stole it, remember?”
“With my help. Yes I remember. I also remember us getting caught and losing the ruby.”
Their private chat was interrupted by Vaughn’s violent yells. Farrell looked at Carter, but he avoided her and went back to his chair. Farrell walked toward her ruby with a victorious smile.
“Are you still doubting my word, or can we get on with this sale?” she bitterly asked.
While the sale resumed and the bids for the ruby raised to tremendous heights, Carter observed Farrell and called to mind his adventure with her. Almost exactly a year before, he had attempted to steal the ruby that was now being sold for over four million dollars. Carter had failed; he hadn’t even been able to lay a single finger on the gem.
Farrell had been faster and—although Carter wouldn’t admit it for the world—smarter than him. Carter had found her along with the ruby at her place, but they were stopped by the police. In a failed attempt (because of Farrell) to escape, they’d both got arrested. Yet Carter wasn’t good at being arrested. Thus he’d escaped and, for a reason even he couldn’t explain, he’d helped Farrell run free as well.
And now, twelve months later, when he had almost forgotten about the whole story, there she was with the ruby. And he was having such a good day until then. With crossed arms, and his foot tapping the floor, Carter sat back in his chair, waiting for this fucking auction sale to be over so that he could go home.
All those people were talking too loud. No, actually the only one talking was Atwood. All the others were breathing too loud, and starting to give a headache to Carter. Somewhere deep inside of him, he knew he shouldn’t have come. But that beautiful watch…
Carter rubbed the back of his neck to try and relax his rigid muscles. He couldn’t help but thinking over and over again about his escape from the police with Farrell. How on Earth did she get the ruby back? She couldn’t have simply walked back, not with all the officers kindly waiting for her. Or perhaps the real ruby had never left her place at all.
Carter coughed in his sleeve. He felt like shouting, but that would attract too much attention. And he didn’t want that. Especially not coming from Vaughn. It was the second time he saw her in person. She was creepy. With all her dangling jewelery, she looked like a Christmas tree. Carter almost laughed out loud at that thought. Almost.
Now that she’d discovered the ruby he’d sold her was a forgery, he might be in quite a lot of trouble. Not really because of her, but because of her power and the number of men working for her. She had even more minions than Gru. Carter could have chosen a less dangerous person to con. He probably would have if she hadn’t been the one offering the biggest sum. So he took his chances and sold her a beautiful rose he had carved himself in red glass.
The sale was slowly coming to an end. There were only five lots left. As he didn’t want to expose himself, Carter hadn’t tried to get the watch. It had gone to a fat guy looking like a Doctor Who nerd. What a waste. Carter was still digesting his frustration when loud noises as of strikes against the metallic door were heard.
When the doors were crashed open and men and women in uniforms appeared holding guns, the atmosphere went from critical to chaotic. Although the police officers repeatedly shouted “Nobody move,” the criminals ran to the best place to hide. Those who had kept their guns with them soon started shooting back at the police.
Farrell hid behind the counter. The money had only just been transfered to her account when the police arrived. Good timing. But now she was crouching at what felt like miles away from the exit. She raised her head above
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