Cole 3

Soon Ms. Brien walked out of the bathroom, pushing something with a chain into her purse. She looked up startled at the sight of me. "Mr. Solokov."

"You may call me Cole."

"Cole, if you need to talk to me you do not need to wait for me outside the bathroom."

"Not if I need to talk to you without Ace around."

Her eyes widened and shot in the direction of him before landing on me. "Be quick."

"Why are you really here Ms. Brien?"

"I am here as Ace's plus one."

"I mean why did you come with Ace? I know the Briens. They are a family who visits only during the summer and has one daughter who should be in France about this time, studying culinary at Le Cordon Bleu. So tell me Ms. Brien why are you here?"

"I am taking a break from school and my parents are both in America as of now. I am staying at their vacation home for the remainder of my time here. Is there anything else you need to know?" She asked challenging me to contradict anything she just said.

All of what she said is believable but deep in my gut, I believed otherwise.

"May I leave now? Ace will begin to wonder where I am at?"

I nodded.

"It was a pleasure, Mr. Solokov." She nodded her head then passed me. She had taken a few steps when I spoke.

"I would be careful around Ace if I were you. He is a clever man and defying him can lead to dire consequences, Ms. Brien." I walked down the hallway to the men's restroom feeling her eyes still on me. Her reaction confirmed my suspicion that she was planning on doing just that, defy Ace but why? I had met Briens' daughter when she was little but once she grew into her teen years, the girl did everything a teenager would do. She never attended any of the formal parties. As far as anyone was concerned the daughter had a mind of her own and as she became 18 she was out of the house and had lived in France ever since. She came back once a year to her family's vacation home. It was the fact that Ms. Brien was even attending a formal party and on top of that matter was an acquaintance of Ace that made her answer unbelievable. Ace only associated with respected figures of influence. Ms. Brien was not considered one of them. It just made no sense why Ace would show interest in Ms. Brien?

---

I took my seat and Cam gave me a look. I smiled then looked away and looked at Viela Brien. She caught my eye then looked at Ace. Ace looked at me and I matched his glare. For the rest of the dinner, it always seemed like somebody was watching me, be it Viela or Ace. After dinner, everyone said their goodbyes, and I met with Cam.

"I told you our job is to keep our eyes on Ace, not Mrs. Brien."

"I followed a gut feeling."

"Well."

"Ace is threatening or blackmailing Ms. Brien."

"Did she tell you this?"

"No, but why is she attending a formal party when she has never shown any interests in them before and why is Ace so interested in her?"

"It's not uncommon for a teen who never had any real interests in formal parties to suddenly start attending one, once she became an adult. Ace may just be interested in her for her beauty. Just as you are. Don't let her get to your head."

"My gut has never been off, Cam. Ace will obviously not tell us anything but we may be able to get to Ms. Brien."

Cam sighed. "Your gut had better be right. I will look more into the woman in Ace's file and Ms. Brien. You have Ace?"

I nodded.

"I will get your dad involved if you get too invested with her, Cole."

"Yes, Cam."

"Do you think they stole whatever they were after?"

"Vela has it. That I am sure. I saw her pushing something into her purse that looked like the band of a watch. Was there not any news about Mr. Aldine buying a watch from an auction?"

"Yeah, a Patek Phillipe Geneve watch so that was their target. I will go and tell Mr. Aldine."

"No, we need to learn more about Mrs. Brien before we expose her. If we tell Mr. Aldine now he will go after her, she will disappear and then we will never know if the rumors are true about Ace having a list of priceless objects that he is going after. You, me, and my father are the only ones who may know about this. We are going to have to come up with a plan to get the watch from Ms. Brien. I feel like she may help us."

Cam looked at me long and hard before opening his mouth, "Promise me one thing Solokov."

He never called me Solokov. "What?"

"Promise me that when this whole business with Ace is over; you will leave Ms. Brien or whoever she is for the sake of your mother."

I felt anger rise up from my chest and clenched my teeth. "Don't bring my mother into this. I will do everything in my power to make sure anyone I have or will ever love will never suffer the same fate as her. No one deserves that."

"I only hope that will be enough." Cam sighed than turned and exited the mansion. My eyes followed his figure until they could not anymore. Cam knew better than to bring up my mother. For him to bring her up meant that he truly believes that I am getting too involved with Ms. Brien and that I should leave Ms. Brien alone while I still can. But deep down I knew Ms. Brien was not with Ace because of her own free will. That fact alone, despite Cam's best efforts, made me even more set on finding out what Ace's plan is and how does Ms. Brien fit into it?

- - -

For the rest of the day, I thought about how I could see Ms. Brien again without alarming Ace. I also started to doubt that maybe she didn't want to get away from Ace. Maybe they had some sort of agreement where both used each other and benefited. I had no doubt that she wanted to get away from him. I just did not know if she would when given the chance.

I looked at the computer screen on my desk. The numbers for the deal with Abram blinked from the screen. I remembered my father's words. "He wasn't going to listen to you, son. He sees you as another young inexperienced boy who can be pushed around. You need to insert that what you are offering is an important and once-in-a-lifetime deal. He is just toying with you to see if he can lower negotiations to benefit him more and you're allowing him to do that."

I grimaced and picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Da."

"Is Lincoln still in the building? If so please tell him to come visit me as soon as he has time." I hung up and sighed. This deal, Ms. Brien and Ace are all I have thought about since the party. I got up from my chair and looked out the window at the cloudy sky. Watching the people walk by below oblivious. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like not inheriting my father's business and being allowed to make my own decisions. Would I be in America playing football or traveling around the world? I smiled. I could drop everything and leave my father's company but I have security here. I make good money and I know without a doubt that his business would be mine someday.

The door opened and in walked Cam followed by Lincoln who closed the door behind them.

"I found your woman. She frequents a gym almost everyday around lunch."

"Ms. Brien?"

"Yes whatever her name actually is. It's not far from Ace's home and he or one of his men is always with her. I was not able to go in but I assume she is not there to just work out. She seems to be always keeping track of the man with her."

"Good work. Lincoln, would you be able to call Abram here to meet with me this evening before we close the deal tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Should I tell your father where you are going to?"

"Tell him I'm going to relieve some stress but I will be back after lunch if he asks." I stated while grabbing my jacket and turning off my computer.

"Sir are you sure it's a good idea to leave when you have a meeting with Abram within a few hours?"

"He will be back before then. I will make sure of it." Cam patted Lincoln's shoulder.

He gave me a skeptical look. "Sir this deal is very important-"

I held up my hand. "I understand Lincoln. I will be back hour or two before meeting. I promise." I patted his shoulder. "Remember if my father asks-"

"You are to relieve some stress, sir."

"Good you will see me in few hours." I smiled as we exited the room. Locking the door behind us, I nodded at Lincoln as we went our separate ways.

Can turned to me once we left the building and got into the car. The car took off once I gave the driver the address.

I looked at him and he just shook his head. I knew he was trying to make me change my mind and give up on Ms. Brien but he knew that once I set my mind on something there was no going back.

Soon we arrived at the gym and I smiled at him before I got out of the vehicle, a bag in hand of gym clothes and made my way to the gym. Opening the gym doors, I walked to the locker room after showing a membership card that Cam had given me to the man at the front desk. Scanning the room before finally entering the men's room, I opened the bag and changed into gym clothes.

I looked at the watch before putting it in the bag and locking it in the locker 20minutes till lunch.

I mulled over what I would tell her when I saw her and what I would do if Ace was with her. We had already made a plan on how to distract Ace's goons if they are with her? If she is with Ace, that's a little more tricky. I thought about the watch. It would be hard to figure out what the next target would be after the watch. Even if I was able to get her to talk to me I doubt she would give me the information about what the next target would be if she would even have access to that information. Ace is very distrustful and I doubt he would trust that information to someone he barely knows unless my current theory that he is holding something against her is true. If she is the thief and he the supplier then are there other members? I find it hard to believe that they are the only two finding valuable objects and stealing them based off a theoretical list. I looked at the watch 10 minutes to lunch. I sighed. I wanted to wait to leave the locker room until she comes in. If I go out too early she may spook and then run.

I thought about how a two man team could hypothetically go off a list of valuable objects and the owners who own them then create a plan then steal the objects. They would need someone who knew the owners or had been inside the house before. One person could not have that information for every owner and object. Someone would have to stake out the house and owner before the theft and another would need to transport the stolen object. That's at least four people.