Taking Death (3 page)

"Nice," Donna said. "Was it much trouble?"

"Not trouble, just challenging." He shrugged. "I was up for a good challenge."

"Are you
going to have some feds on your doorstep?"

He sat at the table across from her. "Nope. I'm better than that." He slid an envelope
to her he'd been holding. "Here's your money."

He'd already taken out his commission. "Did you charge me a bigger percentage?"

"Yeah, I had to. I knew you'd understand."

"We do good business together."

She counted it. Six thousand dollars. A good down payment on a newer car. A smile lifted her lips.

"You are happy. I can tell," Derek said.

"I am."

"You have something else for me?"

She nodded, pulling out the diamond necklace. "Not so hard this time."

"That's okay too. Easy pay days are good, too." He pulled out a loupe to examine the piece. "I'm guessing the main stone is 4 carats with ½ carat diamonds around it. Gorgeous."

He put it carefully on the table then rubbed his head. That meant he was calculating what he should pay her.

"What can you get for it?"

He rubbed his shaved head. "I think three thousand. I'll take my usual ten percent. This item isn't unique like the egg."

"Sounds good. Get it done, please."

"You in a hurry?"

Was she? "No. I'm not."

"I'll get you a receipt," he said standing.

With her receipt in hand, Donna left the pawn shop. Heading to the bank, she decided to deposit part of the money today and part on another day. That wouldn't raise suspicions.

"Hello, Donna."

She stopped on the sidewalk to see Jon coming the other way. What was he doing in this part of town? How would she explain her presence?

"Hi."

He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "What a pleasant surprise. Is your office near here?"

"Not really. I was just seeing a business client."

He looked up and down the street. "I guess even these businesses need to use an accountant."

She smiled, happy he wasn't asking too many questions. Her heart flipped in her chest to see him, and not just because she felt guilty. He really was a good-looking man.

"I can't stay and chat," he said. "I'm looking forward to tonight."

"I am too," she said as she watched him stride away.

That was a little close.

Donna arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early. She insisted that she would meet Jon and he understood. She didn't like being dependent on her date to get her home. If the date went south, she could escape at any time.

Jon sat
at the bar waiting for her.

Wearing another designer suit. She almost felt underdressed in her little black dress and strappy sandals.
He stood when he saw her. This bar was less Bohemian than the one they'd had their first drink at.

He kissed her on the cheek. The contact put a thrill down her spine. She shivered.

His gaze traveled up and down her. "You look beautiful."

She couldn't resist smiling. "Thanks."

He indicated the seat at the bar next to him. She sat and smiled at him.

"What can I get you? Wine, champagne?"

"Champagne?"

He nodded. "Of course. Champagne."

"What are we celebrating?"

"Whatever you want," he said.

His eyes twinkled when he smiled. She couldn't stop looking at him. Not if her life depended on it. What was he seeing in her? His hand stroked her arm as she thought.

"Champagne then," she said finally, getting into the same spirit he was into.

Jon turned to the bartender. "Champagne for my lady friend."

The barkeep nodded then brought back a tall glass of the sparkling liquid. She held it up to touch glasses with Jon's that had a dark wine in it. "Cheers."

"Cheers," he said.

She sipped. "This is amazing champagne."

"Glad you like it. Vueve Cliquot."

The tiny bubbles danced on her tongue. She'd always enjoyed the finer things in life.
"They keep that behind the bar?"

"No, I asked for it. Just in case you wanted champagne."

"And if I hadn't?"

"Then they could have put it back in the cellar."

How sweet. "You really thought about this date," she said.

"No, if I'd thought about it, I would have had a chef come and serve us in the gallery I own."

Her mouth went dry. How romantic that would have been.

"Wow."

His grin truly went from ear to ear. "I'm hoping I can get you to say that often."

"You are determined to sweep me off my feet."

"And you are reluctant to be swept. I see that as a challenge."

"What happens when the challenge is done?"
she said, cocking her head.

He sipped his wine before answering. "I don't get bored that easily."

His gaze never left hers. In his eyes, she was the only person in the room.

The maitre'd came over breaking the spell momentarily. "Your table is ready."

Jon put his hand at the small of her back to guide her to the table. As if electrified, a spark jolted her. Not a bad spark. It didn't hurt her, just surprised her.

They sat. Someone handed Donna a menu. It contained no prices. Which meant she didn't want to know.

Good thing Jon was paying.

They'd been seated at a table for two in the window. The streetlights provided enough illumination for Donna to observe the people walking by.

Eventually Donna and Jon ordered and the waiter left them alone.

Jon turned his sparkling smile her way. He showed straight white teeth that were probably the result of expensive orthodontia. "How was your day?"

"Pretty much the same as usual."

Except for the payoff from the egg.
She couldn't tell him about that.

"You don't sound excited," he said.

She sipped her champagne thinking for a moment. Setting down her glass, she said, "It's not really exciting to other people. Most are bored by money."

"I'm not bored by it. Remember, I don't get bored."

She pondered that for a moment. "I know you said that, but we're on a first date."

"No, this is our second date. We had coffee or our first date."

He took her hand in his as if he'd been doing it his whole life. The feel of them together warmed Donna. She couldn't help, but smile and hoped she didn't look like a complete idiot.

"Okay, we are on our second date. We're still in that phase where we are trying to impress each other or at least not offend each other."

He squeezed her hand. "You don't have to impress me."

"That's not the point. You might be saying that you aren't bored by accounting just because we are new to each other."

His face twisted into a frown as he shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'm a businessman remember? I know all about numbers."

"Okay, I'll concede that you will probably understand ninety five percent of what I talk about, but it's still not that interesting."

"If it is interesting to you, that will come through when you talk about it. If you don't want to talk about work, that's fine, honey."

Honey?

She decided that she didn't mind him calling her that.

"Actually, no I don't want to talk about work. I think your work is probably more interesting."

Their appetizers came and they settled into eating a few bites.

"The part of my work that makes it, ahem, interesting is dealing with the artists. I have a business brain. They have a creative brain. Sometimes we don't communicate."

"For instance?" she asked.

"I've had artists approach me to do a show. I give them a slot say two mo
nths in the future. They tell me they can't possibly create under such strict deadlines." He whined the last few words.

"They want something more open-ended?"

He put down his fork, having finished his food. "Yes. They don't get that I have a business to run and need art all the time. And they don't like when I tell them that if they don't take the slot I have ten other artists willing to not sleep for two months to create enough art to fill my gallery."

Donna laughed. When he spoke his whole face lit up. She'd never met anyone so suited to his profession as Jon was. She could probably listen to him for hours talk about his work.

"I never thought about where the art in a gallery came from. I mean, I knew someone created it, but never thought about the creative process."

"Not a closet artist?"

"No, not at all."

"Do you not do anything creative?"

"No, sorry. In my business being creative in your job is frowned upon. And illegal."

Jon let out a laugh. "I guess it would."

"Are you creative?"

"Not really, but I understand the process."

Putting her fork down, she leaned her chin on her hand. "What do you do for fun?"

"I like outdoor sports and I'm involved a little in politics, but it's too soon to talk about that."

Politics or sports?
Sports would be a more neutral topic. "Outdoor sports. Such as?"

"Skiing. Snowboarding, things like that."

"I've never done either of those things."

He patted her hand. "Then we'll have to go skiing this winter."

He was already making plans for a few months away. The idea didn't bother her. Right now, she hoped this night never ended.

***

The night did end, but Donna readied herself for Saturday's afternoon date with Jon.

Oddly, she didn't have another burglary target. Usually when she finished one job, she'd know what the next one was.

There were several she had put off or had not been able to complete. She could choose one of those. As she dried her hair, she made a decision to make a decision on Sunday. He'd told her to dress casually so she did in jeans and a nice blouse.

"No need to think about it now."

Jon picked her up this time. In a limousine. A stretch one that barely fit on her block in DUMBO.

"Wow."

He smiled as he held the door for her. "I love when you say that."

She slid onto the seat. The privacy partition had already been put up between them and the driver. Jon slid in beside her taking her hand in his.

"Where are we going?" Donna asked.

"To dinner."

She looked around the back of the limo. "Dinner? I could have met you."

"No, you couldn't have. Champagne?"

He poured some from a bottle already open. She sipped, taking in the fine sparkling wine. This was living.

"Where are we going?"

"Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

The first place the limousine stopped was at a terminal for the Staten Island Ferry.

"I've never taken this," Donna admitted.

"Good. We'll get some great views."

Jon helped her onto the ferry and a few minutes later it set off. He'd brought the bottle of champagne and their glasses. Donna wasn't sure that was legal, but she wasn't going to say anything until someone complained.

"I wish sometimes we had a better view of New Jersey than Bayonne," Jon said, touching her glass with his."

"But we have a nice view looking back of Manhattan," Donna said.

They stood at the back of the ferry watching New York City recede. Well, slightly.

"So what did you do with your Saturday morning," Jon asked as they leaned against the railing. The wind blew his hair. He looked odd with it disheveled. She'd never seen him this way. He wore a turtleneck and corduroy trousers. On his feet he had a pair of Crocs.

"Not anythi
ng exciting. Where are we going?"

As much as she was enjoying the ferry ride, she still wanted an itinerary.

"Just enjoy the ride."

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm a control freak," she said.

She turned away from. While sipping her champagne, she enjoyed the view. The sun sat high in the sky and warmed them on a chilly fall day.

"I'm getting that impression," he said.

When she looked back at him, his smile was warm. She couldn't take offense.

After the hour long ferry ride, the limousine picked them up again.

"Can I ask where to now?"

"No," he said.

She leaned closer to him. "Maybe I like this more than I let on."

His lidded eyes looked at her. "Oh?"

"Yeah, maybe being swept off my feet is a good thing."

He glanced at her lips then back to her eyes. She decided to let him know what she wanted. So she leaned in and kissed him.

When she moved away, he hooked his hand around her head and brought her back for another kiss. His warm lips took possession of hers. She deepened the kiss. Her heart raced in her chest.

"Wow," she said when he finally let her go.

A smile creased his face as his breathing slowed. "Good."

Donna put her head on his shoulder and snuggled closer as Manhattan went by outside the darkened glass. Feeling as if she'd come home after a long trip, she didn't want this to end.

Jon put his arms around her, holding her close. The gesture made her feel safe. If anyone had asked her, she wouldn't have asked for safe, but this felt quite nice.

After driving through the traffic, the limousine arrived at the New York Botanical Gardens.

"I've never been," Donna said.

"You need to partake of what New York has to offer," Jon said holding her door open.

She disembarked and then they entered a world of plants like no other.

After wandering around the gardens for a few hours, Jon ushered Donna through a door that said, "Authorized Personnel Only."

"We shouldn't go in there."

"It's okay. I have permission."

The door led into a greenhouse not open to the public. In the middle of it, was a small cafe table set for two people.

"Oh?"

Jon just smiled and led her to the table. "We're having dinner here."

"I'm not going to say it again, but that's how I feel," Donna said.

A chuckle rumbled out of him as he sat across from her. A tuxedoed waiter appeared with an open bottle of wine. Donna's champagne buzz had dissipated because of all the walking they'd done.

Before tasting, she swirled the wine in her glass. Jon sniffed the bouquet. She followed suit.

"I like the berry burst in the nose," she said.

"Me, too."

The taste did not let her down. Berry notes with a hint of pepper. "Nice."

The waiter reappeared with plates of salad, then disappeared again.
Arugula, pine nuts and olives had been dressed with a raspberry vinaigrette.

"He's unobtrusive," she said.

"I paid extra for that."

Donna had to laugh. She was having such a good time. Twilight had begun since they'd been in the gardens. She looked up
and in a few minutes what few stars could be seen from New York would show themselves.