Merrick the Art Thief

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Madeleine’s was Wyatt’s art gallery downtown. In the building next door, Wyatt held seminars on ways to prevent art and cultural property loss. Little did his attendees know the extreme security of the building was more than an example for Wyatt’s teachings. The marvelous system it hid in the basement had been in place long before Merrick had joined him and it still left him in awe. Wyatt knew his stuff, but he had probably never guessed he’d have to use the place as a safe house for his family.

It was after nine o’clock that night. Most of the restaurants, bars, and expensive apartments were closer to the square, so the older section of downtown was quiet. Tonight, Merrick was grateful for the lack of traffic.

He turned right off Sherman Street, into an alley. After he drove past four large, metal doors, he stopped at one with 137 painted in black along the top. From the console between him and Grant, he took a small remote and then pushed the button. The door rolled up, then he drove inside.

As the door closed behind them, Merrick scanned the area. To his right was a small office with the door standing open. Next to the office was an elevator. Beyond that was a section set up for Wyatt’s presentations. A fifty-five inch flat screen was on the wall, with two rows of black chairs lined in front of it. To Merrick’s left was a collection of six security monitors and a work table. Past that was a wet bar and then an area sectioned off by a grouping of a sofa and loveseat.

“We’re staying here?” Grant shook his head.

Merrick shut off the engine. “You’ll be safe here.”

“Doubtful.”

Grant’s mom, Rhonda, stepped out of the office, her smile warming her round face. She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear as Merrick and Grant exited the car. “Honey, are you okay?” She hugged Grant.

“I want to be left alone.” Grant’s tone was so soft that Merrick barely heard him.

“All right.” Rhonda looked at Merrick. “I’ll get him set up downstairs.”

Merrick nodded.

Rhonda led Grant to the brown elevator door, then pressed the down button. After they were on their way to the basement, Merrick let out a deep breath. He needed to focus.

Focus.

Like that was possible after tonight. The stress of the job later tonight wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. It was Grant’s mood that was distracting. Even after an attempted kidnapping, Grant seemed to be calm. It was only Merrick’s lies that had upset him.

With a heavy sigh, he went to the bar and then grabbed a soda bottle from the fridge. While he opened it, he went to the panel of six security monitors that were stacked in two rows. One monitor showed the inside of Madeleine’s, another showed the front door of the gallery and then one displayed the front of the building they were in. One screen showed the alley to the right, while another gave the view to the left. The last monitor showed Rhonda and Grant entering the secure space in the basement.

A big part of him wanted to go down there and comfort Grant, to make things right between them. Maybe he could take a soda to Grant as a peace offering. But then again, maybe Rhonda would have better luck at calming Grant’s anger than he would.

Grant was probably safer than he’d been in a week, and yet Merrick wasn’t ready to relax. With someone after Loren and an attempt to get Grant tonight, something was going on, but what?

As he took a drink, a car appeared on the monitor. It turned onto Matthews Street, which ran in front of Madeleine’s and the seminar office. Energy swirled in Merrick’s gut. The headlights blocked sight of the car, but it was going too slow for his comfort.

“Now what?”

A primer-colored Chevrolet Chevelle SS parked along the curb in front of Madeleine’s. The headlights went off, then the bald man from the museum stepped out. He went to the front door of Madeleine’s and then knocked on the glass.

Merrick zoomed the camera in. The bald man had the same beady eyes and jagged scar down his cheek as Vic. It had to be him, but he’d supposedly died six years ago, so how could it be?

Vic waited a few breaths, then peered inside the dark gallery. Somehow, he seemed to know Merrick was there.

As Vic moved away from the door, Rhonda joined Merrick. “He looks familiar.”

Why was Vic following him? First at the museum, now here. How had Vic even found him after all these years?

Vic got back in his car and then drove away.

“Who was that?”

“Someone from my past I thought was dead.”

Rhonda folded her arms. “Not much surprises me anymore.”

If Vic drove down the alley and stopped, Merrick wasn’t sure he’d step out. Maybe it was just the tone of the night, but he wasn’t feeling very trusting. Even though nothing showed on the monitors, he looked around the building. A threat was there—maybe not from Vic, but someone.

“They found Jerard Hamilton tonight.”

“Jerard?” Merrick studied the alley’s monitor. Still no movement there.

“Loren’s friend?”

“Oh, yeah.” He met Rhonda’s gaze. “He okay?”

“In ICU, beaten pretty badly.”

He shook his head. “I was hoping this wouldn’t get heavy. Someone’s serious about getting the treasure.”

“Yeah, I don’t like it.”

Merrick stole a glance at the monitors. Vic hadn’t returned after all.

“Thank you for saving Grant tonight.”

“Of course.” He glanced at the elevator, wishing Grant was there, ready to forgive him.

Rhonda touched his arm. “Give him time.”

Merrick smiled. “I’d hoped if he knew the truth, it’d make things work out for us.”

“I know he cares about you.”

“Yeah.” He wanted to believe that was true, but after tonight, he wasn’t sure Grant would ever talk to him again.

“And I know you care about him.”

He glanced at the view of the secured entrance into the basement. Grant was behind the door, probably pacing with anger, or maybe just hurting from their lies.

He caught Rhonda’s stare and then blushed at her grin. “I need to go meet Wyatt.”

“You two be extra careful tonight.”

“We will. You, too.” Merrick went to the driver’s door of his car. “Set the alarm after me, then stay in the basement.”

“We’ll be fine here, don’t worry about us.”

Merrick nodded, but worrying seemed to be all he could do.

As Merrick drove back to his apartment by Lake Maren a few miles away, his thoughts were full of the angry tone and the tear-filled eyes Grant had when he confronted him.

I was a fool. I thought the kisses, the talk of the future, were real.

It wasn’t like he’d intended to hurt Grant. He’d just forgotten he had to keep the secret about his and Wyatt’s job. Grant had such an endearing smile and even the slightest touch from him raced through Merrick. A life with Grant would’ve been such a wonderful thing. He’d just forgotten it couldn’t be.

He hit his head against the seat as he let out a growl. It’d broken his heart to push Grant away after letting him get so close, but Grant never saw that, and sure wouldn’t now. It wouldn’t matter if Merrick had money or not. Grant only thought of him as an art thief and a liar.