CHRISTOF
Pepa was talking about the lighting now, how it made every thing look softer, warmer. I nodded at the right moments, smiled when she smiled. My hand rested on her knee beneath the table. My mind had already shifted.
If one surprise had been compromised, I needed to be certain the other wasn’t. I reached for my phone under the table, movements small, almost lazy. Anyone watching would think I was checking a message, nothing more.
One text, no names. No details.
Me: Confirm status.
The response came quickly.
Unknown: Both units delivered. Stored as instructed. Hotel secured, no issues.
Good.
The tension eased slightly. It wasn’t gone, it was contained. The cars were waiting. Two of them. Rare enough that most collectors only ever saw them in private catalogs, wrapped and hid
