was beginning to care for Keira, as Scott’s sister and as an ally. And I wanted to protect her. Oh, I knew she could take care of herself, but killing takes its toll. I was beginning to worry about how Keira’s choices would affect her, how they would impact who she would become.
“She’ll suspect me no matter who you send in. I have to do this, or she’ll own me. She knows too much, and she’ll use that information to make me do whatever she wants. Anyway, you shouldn’t risk someone else for me.”
I sat quietly and tried to think of an alternative Keira might accept. “Let me send in Eberhardt as backup.”
“No, I’ll need him to drive, but I work alone. This is what I do. This is who I am. If you want me to work for your cause, don’t ask me to change who I am.”
I sighed. I couldn’t change her mind this time, but maybe I could still help. “Be careful around her butler and chauffeur. They’re trained bodyguards. The safe is in the master bedroom behind a Degas. The code is…”
“Behind a day-what?”
“Ballet dancers, painted by the artist Degas.”
Keira stared at me blankly.
“You’re not familiar with Edgar Degas?”
She shook her head. “What type of dancers?”
“Weren’t you paying attention in school? What did you learn in your art classes?”
Keira gave me a strange look. “Working Class kids aren’t allowed to take art or music classes past the third level, not unless they’ve already demonstrated talent.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“A friend of mine continued on as a painter, but that doesn’t happen very often. I know nothing about art, and all I know about music I learned from my mother.”
Even with as much as I’d learned since I’d met Scott, it was clear there were still gaps. I wondered if Keira would be willing to talk with me some more about her past, but now wasn’t the time to ask.
“I’ll take you to the theater and to a museum,” I offered, “if you’d like. For now, I suggest that you take a moment to appreciate the painting before you remove it from the wall. I believe the one Mrs. Ramsey owns is an original.”
“How do you know so much about her Galt residence? I thought you worked at her estate here in town.”
“I was hired to landscape new garden arrangements at both, and I took some time to look around when she was out. I’ll send Eberhardt over to pick you up next Thursday.” I handed Keira a slip of paper on which I’d written down the code to the safe. “Here. There’s a good chance she hasn’t changed it since I didn’t actually take anything from that estate. I wish you’d reconsider taking backup. I know someone who is skilled at breaking into high tech security. He would be invaluable if the code has been changed.”
She reached for the piece of paper and our fingers touched. “Thank you, but I’ll be fine on my own.”
-Keira-
Ramsey’s Dinner Party
Thursday finally arrived. I dressed as part of the catering staff, wearing the traditional short black skirt over black nylons and a pressed short-sleeved light blue shirt. I tucked my hair up under a blond wig. Although I didn’t think she’d look too closely at the catering staff, I didn’t want Mrs. Ramsey or her butler to recognize me while I was at the party.
As agreed, Eberhardt drove me to the town of Galt. Along the way, he described the layout of the mansion – more information, courtesy of Rick. The most difficult challenge would be climbing the main staircase in the front hall unnoticed. Eberhardt dropped me off a few blocks away from the estate.
As I walked along the main drive, I spotted Ramsey’s chauffeur. I didn’t slow my pace, and he didn’t pay any attention to me as I walked around to the servants’ entrance in back. I entered the kitchen and picked up a tray of hors d’oeuvres before anyone had the chance to notice that I didn’t belong. As I walked through the kitchen toward the party, I palmed a paring knife and slipped it into a pocket of my skirt. I was ever watchful for Elaine Ramsey and her butler.
Some guests had already arrived. They chatted, drank and danced in the ballroom. Many wore military uniforms. Others had the look of Gov officials and other Elite.
I carried a platter of stuffed mushrooms as I made my way through the festive crowd. A few of the men