Read Online In Sheep's Clothing by David Archer - Free Book Online Page A

the T-bone.
    They pulled up at the warehouse at eight AM on the dot and went inside to look the shrine over one more time. It was already in the box, so all they could do was look through the plastic window, but Noah finally nodded his approval.
    “Okay, it's time to do this. Moose, you probably ought to have some flowers in the van with you, just in case anyone pays attention. It wouldn't do for them to remember a few days from now that some flower shop delivery van dropped off a box, but didn't have anything else inside.”
    Moose nodded and began loading some of their floral arrangements inside the van, then picked up the box and laid it carefully on the floor behind the front passenger seat. He climbed into the van as Neil pushed the button to open the overhead door, then backed it out, turned around and was gone.
    “Neil, get on those cameras. I need a window of opportunity, either with the nanny taking the children out somewhere, or a definite time when she and the kids are there alone. Keep your eyes peeled and let me know the second you have something.”
    “I'm all over it,” Neil said.
    It was time to wait. Noah and Sarah sat together in the folding chairs beside Neil, watching the minutes pass by. It would take Moose about half an hour to get to the Gomez house, but nothing could happen until they saw the box taken inside.
    Suddenly, Neil pointed at the monitor. “There's Moose,” he said. “The van just pulled up in the driveway. No sign that anyone in the house has noticed him, yet.” He paused for a couple of seconds, then said, “He just got out, he's walking around the van to get to the side door. Got it open, picked up the box—there he goes, up the driveway to the walk. Up the stairs, looks like he's ringing the doorbell. Okay, somebody just opened the door, looks like Mrs. Gomez herself. Moose is talking, she's smiling, and now she's looking into the box and smiling even bigger. Boss, I think we got a winner, here. Yep, she took the box inside, and there goes Moose. He's back in the van, backing out of the driveway and out of sight.”
    Less than a minute later, Noah's cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. “Go,” he said as he answered. It was Moose calling, of course, letting them know that the first phase of the mission had gone off without a hitch. The high-explosive shrine was inside the house.
    “Good job,” Noah said. “Now go get us some wheels, and Sarah said to tell you to make sure it can move and handle.”
    “No problem, I got it all figured out. Meet me at the McDonald's by the mall in half an hour.”
    Noah agreed and put the phone away, then motioned for Sarah to follow him. “Get me something, Neil,” Noah said. “We need to make this happen today.”
    “Sure, no problem, I'll just snap my fingers and make the nanny take the kids to the park. All in a day's work for the magic man, no big deal.” He rolled his eyes as Noah and Sarah left the building. They pulled away in the Chrysler a moment later, and Neil began to concentrate on the monitor once again.
    It took them almost the entire half hour to get to the rendezvous. Sarah parked the Chrysler at the back of the parking lot. They sat there for about five minutes before a new Ford Explorer pulled in beside them, with Moose at the wheel.
    Noah and Sarah got out as Moose did, and met him in front of the blue car. “How long before anyone knows it's missing?” Noah asked.
    “Several hours, at least. I didn't exactly steal it; my alter ego, Jimmy McCormick, is taking it for an extended test drive. I convinced the salesman I needed to take it down to Jefferson City to show my mother, told him I was thinking of buying it as a present for her. Had to leave a five-hundred-dollar deposit, but I didn't think you'd mind. The only thing I did was switch out the dealer plates for the ones off the van. The dealer tag is in the trunk.”
    Noah nodded, his eyes wide. “Good thinking,” he said. “If everything goes