“Thanks for coming, everyone,” he told them.
“Of course we came,” Simon said.
“I want you all to know that this is not an ordinary job, and I know that. I’ll pay you for your time and—”
“You think I’m here for money?” Gabrielle said.
“Now, now, Gabs. Let the man speak.” Angus slipped an arm around her shoulders. Gabrielle elbowed him in the gut. He winced and corrected, “I mean, anything for a friend.”
Angus gave a smile, and Hale talked on.
“I know this isn’t a typical heist, but I’ve got to try something, and the people I trust most are in this car. So we can do it. I know we can.”
“Forgive me, Hale my boy”—Hamish inched a tiny bit closer—“but what exactly is it?”
This time Hale looked at Kat and shrugged, the universal signal for Do you want to take this one or should I? So Kat turned to the group. “As you know, Marcus came to me after Hazel died and told us that something was off with the will.”
Kat glanced at Marcus, who stood silently in the corner, like always. But it wasn’t like always. Not by a long shot. “Mrs. Hale had made a promise to my sister,” the butler said. “And Mrs. Hale was a woman who always kept her promises.”
The group gave a nod, and Marcus silently returned to attention. He’d said all he had to say.
“Yeah,” Kat said, taking up the story. “So the working theory is that Garrett changed the will so that Hale would inherit the company.” She spoke as plainly as she could. She wanted to be cool. Emotionless. She had to spit it out, get over the fact that one of her own had been the mark.
“As long as Hale is a minor, then Garrett can be the trustee and call the shots. It’s a long con,” she told them. Then she had to admit: “And a good one.”
An air of respect seemed to fill the car. They didn’t like Garrett. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t see the genius in such a simple plan.
“So,” Angus asked, “what do you need us to do?”
Kat nodded at Gabrielle, who placed a pile of papers and photographs on the table in the center of the car.
“This is Genesis,” Kat said. Immediately, Simon grabbed the pictures, and Kat talked on. “It’s the newest product out of Hale Industries. The prototype and all of the design schematics are missing. We think Garrett switched them out for fakes, which leaves him free to sell the real Genesis to this man.” A photo Gabrielle had taken in Hong Kong landed on the top of the pile.
“Who is he?” Simon asked.
“He is the head of Research and Development for one of the biggest tech companies in Asia,” Hale said. “And one of Hale Industries’ biggest competitors. Our sources tell us they’ve been trying to develop something like Genesis for years, but they can’t get theirs to work—What?” He cut a grin at Kat when he saw the impressed look on her face. “Corporate espionage is my second great passion.”
“With your first being…” Kat prompted.
“Gelato,” Hale said, and turned back to the group. “So Garrett stole the prototype and the designs. He plans to sell them, pocket the profits, and sink my company. We think.” He shrugged a little, as if the man’s exact motives didn’t matter. And they didn’t. None of it would change what they had to do, so Hale smiled and raised an eyebrow. “That’s why we’re going to steal them back.”
“Wait. Far be it for me to say this”—Hamish looked around the compartment—“and if anyone tells Uncle Eddie I suggested being an upstanding citizen I’ll kill ’em, but aren’t there…laws and stuff? I mean, can’t you…you know…sue him or something?” asked the boy who had once stolen an entire circus, all three rings.
“You’d think so,” Kat explained. “But according to what we got off of Garrett’s computer, the patent office has a bogus design on file for the Genesis plans. That means that if and when the real Genesis turns up from some other company, Hale Industries won’t have a legal leg to stand on. Needless to say, it’s handy when the person responsible for protecting the design is the same person intent on stealing it.”
“We’re in the wrong business,” Angus said.
Simon nodded. “So true.”
“The bad news is time. We’ve got to get the prototype and design back now,” Kat said.
“Why?” Angus asked.
“Because Hale Industries is dangerously low on working capital,” Gabrielle said. “The return on investment of the last five products has been less than one percent, and without a major influx of cash from subcontracts and the buzz that a hot new product can bring, the share price is going to go through the basement.”
Everyone stared at her.
“What?” Gabrielle raised an eyebrow. “I’ve conned a lot of MBAs. So Garrett plans to sell the Genesis prototype and its blueprints to the competition, make a fortune, and destroy Hale’s family all in one blow?”