Read Online Crown's Vengeance, The by Andrew Clawson - Free Book Online Page B

facilitate the private operations Drake participated in with Nigel Stirling, Spencer maintained several open lines of communication with an eclectic collection of individuals the world over. These lines were specified for use by one person only, each with unique instructions for when the individual was to contact Spencer. Infrequently used at best, no one besides Drake and Stirling knew of their true purpose. Drake punched in the return number. Nearly a dozen rings later, it was answered.
    “Hello?”
    The voice could have belonged to his grandfather.
    “What happened?”
    “Well, sir, I’m not sure if you’re even interested in this.”
    This particular line was assigned to a museum employee with whom Drake had a unique financial arrangement, one that had existed in one form or another for over a century, ever since the museum had opened its doors.
    “I’ll be the judge of that. Tell me everything.”
    The initial arrangement had been made with this man’s great-grandfather, the first curator. Ever since, once a year, a suitcase filled with cash had been delivered to the current museum curator’s home. In exchange, the curator agreed to call this number any time there was an unusual occurrence at their workplace. The instructions were intentionally vague, and the curator had no idea who was on the other end of the call.
    “We had a strange thing happen today here in the Revere House.”
     

Chapter 13
    Drake listened silently to the elderly curator’s tale.
    “Did you find anything in the drawer?”
    “Well, sir, it was the darndest thing. When I went back inside, I thought that maybe I should take a look at the drawer, make sure it wasn’t damaged or anything. When I pulled it out, everything looked just fine, until I flipped it over. On the bottom, there was some kind of opening, sort of like a hidden panel.”
    Drake’s knuckles went white.
    “What was inside?”
    “That’s the thing. It was empty. Just two little straps dangling there, holding nothing at all.”
    “I need you to think very carefully. Is it possible there was something inside the drawer those two visitors could have removed?”
    Silence for a beat. “You know, it might be possible,” the curator replied. “I don’t move like I used to, so when I first heard the racket going on, it took me a little bit to get over there. Those kids might have taken something with them, but I’ll be damned if I saw anything.”
    All those cash deliveries had finally paid off.
    “Do you know who the two people are?”
    “I thought you might ask, so I pulled out the guestbook. Lucky for you, they actually signed it. Most people walk on by without bothering, but these two, they took the time—”
    He cut off the old man’s rambling. “What are their names?”
    “That would be a Ms. Erika Carr and a Mr. Parker Chase.”
    Drake scribbled the names down.
    “Does your museum have a surveillance system?”
    “We do, but the cameras are only outside.”
    How convenient. “I need copies of the tapes from this morning, anything that shows the two suspects.”
    “Sure, my grandson can do that. I’ll tell him we need a copy for the security company.”
    “Fine, just make sure you send it to this address today.” Drake gave him a post office box he kept in Boston, registered under yet another shell corporation. “If for some reason those two come back, call this number immediately.”
    “Yes, sir. If you don’t mind, what makes you believe there was anything in the drawer, and why is it-?”
    “I do mind.”
    Drake disconnected before the old man could respond. One finger punched the intercom button.
    “Liz, get in here.”
    She scurried through his office door, lipstick in hand.
    “Put that damn makeup away and get someone from IT on the phone.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    As a multi-national securities firm with a half-trillion in total assets, Aldrich Securities employed some of the finest technical minds in the country. Information was the backbone