away before Charlie could correct him. But the reminder to keep his mind on business was an effective one. He was in the enemy camp, here to reconnoiter, not to reminisce.
A slender woman in a stylish linen pantsuit appeared from the direction of the house carrying a clipboard in her hands. She smiled when she saw the tent.
The workers staked down Charlie’s line and he stepped back, giving him a clear view of the woman, Montgomery, and his daughter.
“I’ve double-checked where everything’s to be placed, Mr. Montgomery. This wedding is going to go off without a hitch. The tent looks beautiful with the ocean backdrop.”
“I chose the spot,” the sulky Haley said.
“You chose well. The roses arrived safely. The florist is holding them in the cooler until tomorrow morning. Then they’ll transport them here with the rest of the flowers and store them in the spare refrigerator in the main house. The cake was made yesterday. It’s being flown out as we speak and will be stored in the caterer’s cooler until a few hours before the wedding. Then it will be delivered here and stored in the pantry. The caterers will set it up during the wedding.”
“I don’t want deliveries getting in the way of guests arriving,” Montgomery said. “Make them earlier if you have to.”
“I know, Mr. Montgomery. They won’t interfere. The out-of-town guests are settling into the Hilton. The hotel reports the Castletons cancelled due to an emergency.”
The three of them moved away toward the house, but Charlie had gotten what he needed. He was called to help on the other side of the tent, but all he had to do was keep the rope taut while men drove stakes into the ground. His mind spun out scenarios. He could search the house if he came with the florist or the caterer. If he still couldn’t find the sculpture, he could pretend to be this Castleton person.
Charlie didn’t see a way into the house today. He might be able to sneak in tonight, but why risk it when there would be so many opportunities tomorrow?
When the tent was finished and the Palisades employees packed up, Charlie followed them out in his car. No sense lingering and drawing attention to himself. Despite not retrieving the sculpture, it had been a good day so far. He’d learned valuable information that could help him achieve his aim. He wondered how much better he could make it if he called Juliana.
CHAPTER 7
“That relic is going to be auctioned off tomorrow,” Detective Montoya told Juliana. “Some guy named Dalton Montgomery is holding the sale.”
Juliana held the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she straightened the typed pages of transcription. “If it’s worth a drug route, why doesn’t he keep it himself?”
“Montgomery’s an up-and-coming player, but he has no rep with drugs that we can find. He may be doing it for the money. Drug dealers will pay plenty for that relic.”
“Montgomery,” Juliana mused. “I’ve heard that name recently.”
“Probably because his only daughter’s getting married tomorrow. It’s been in all the society pages.”
She frowned. “Didn’t you say the auction is tomorrow?”
“Yeah. He must be using the wedding as a cover.”
“That’s cold.” Juliana wondered again about the criminal mind.
“Yeah, but it gives us a chance to slip you in as a guest so you can find the relic.”
“But I don’t even know what it is.”
“We’re working on getting the information. But we need you at that wedding.”
“I’m sure they’ll ask for my invitation.” She turned off her printer.
“Tell them you lost it.”
Juliana snorted and paced her dining room along the sliding glass door. Idly she noted the plants on her deck needed watered. “At a society wedding nobody’s going to believe that.” Although if she was Charlie, she’d have no trouble lying her way inside.
“I’ll see what kind of favor we can get from the press, maybe a press pass.”
Juliana didn’t want to know
A slender woman in a stylish linen pantsuit appeared from the direction of the house carrying a clipboard in her hands. She smiled when she saw the tent.
The workers staked down Charlie’s line and he stepped back, giving him a clear view of the woman, Montgomery, and his daughter.
“I’ve double-checked where everything’s to be placed, Mr. Montgomery. This wedding is going to go off without a hitch. The tent looks beautiful with the ocean backdrop.”
“I chose the spot,” the sulky Haley said.
“You chose well. The roses arrived safely. The florist is holding them in the cooler until tomorrow morning. Then they’ll transport them here with the rest of the flowers and store them in the spare refrigerator in the main house. The cake was made yesterday. It’s being flown out as we speak and will be stored in the caterer’s cooler until a few hours before the wedding. Then it will be delivered here and stored in the pantry. The caterers will set it up during the wedding.”
“I don’t want deliveries getting in the way of guests arriving,” Montgomery said. “Make them earlier if you have to.”
“I know, Mr. Montgomery. They won’t interfere. The out-of-town guests are settling into the Hilton. The hotel reports the Castletons cancelled due to an emergency.”
The three of them moved away toward the house, but Charlie had gotten what he needed. He was called to help on the other side of the tent, but all he had to do was keep the rope taut while men drove stakes into the ground. His mind spun out scenarios. He could search the house if he came with the florist or the caterer. If he still couldn’t find the sculpture, he could pretend to be this Castleton person.
Charlie didn’t see a way into the house today. He might be able to sneak in tonight, but why risk it when there would be so many opportunities tomorrow?
When the tent was finished and the Palisades employees packed up, Charlie followed them out in his car. No sense lingering and drawing attention to himself. Despite not retrieving the sculpture, it had been a good day so far. He’d learned valuable information that could help him achieve his aim. He wondered how much better he could make it if he called Juliana.
CHAPTER 7
“That relic is going to be auctioned off tomorrow,” Detective Montoya told Juliana. “Some guy named Dalton Montgomery is holding the sale.”
Juliana held the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she straightened the typed pages of transcription. “If it’s worth a drug route, why doesn’t he keep it himself?”
“Montgomery’s an up-and-coming player, but he has no rep with drugs that we can find. He may be doing it for the money. Drug dealers will pay plenty for that relic.”
“Montgomery,” Juliana mused. “I’ve heard that name recently.”
“Probably because his only daughter’s getting married tomorrow. It’s been in all the society pages.”
She frowned. “Didn’t you say the auction is tomorrow?”
“Yeah. He must be using the wedding as a cover.”
“That’s cold.” Juliana wondered again about the criminal mind.
“Yeah, but it gives us a chance to slip you in as a guest so you can find the relic.”
“But I don’t even know what it is.”
“We’re working on getting the information. But we need you at that wedding.”
“I’m sure they’ll ask for my invitation.” She turned off her printer.
“Tell them you lost it.”
Juliana snorted and paced her dining room along the sliding glass door. Idly she noted the plants on her deck needed watered. “At a society wedding nobody’s going to believe that.” Although if she was Charlie, she’d have no trouble lying her way inside.
“I’ll see what kind of favor we can get from the press, maybe a press pass.”
Juliana didn’t want to know
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