Taming Graeme (Taming the Billionaire) (58 page)

 
“He won’t have two million stashed in his house, Tim.”

 
“No, but I’ll be there’s a nice pile of readies somewhere here, in case he needs a couple of hundred thousand in a hurry.”

 
“Yeah, well, l think we should remember why we came here, Tim and that wasn’t for a measly couple of hundred grand. We came to grab Olivia and hold her for two million pounds, didn’t we? We came to recoup the money they got back from your trading profits, Tim, the money in that frozen account.”

 
“Well, she isn’t here, is she? And neither is Browning...so let’s see what we
can
grab and get out of here...I don’t see a safe anywhere, do you?”

 
“No, Tim, I don’t, but you know, those paintings in the dining room?  I think there was a real Picasso and a Degas...and I’m sure that’s a Rembrandt over the fireplace in his study.  Why don’t we just grab them and get out of here?  We can hold them for ransom instead. I’ll bet they’re worth over two million.”

 
“You know art, Dave?”

 
“Enough to recognize the famous artists. Took a couple of art history classes in prison. And I was part of the gang that robbed the Birmingham Art Gallery last year. We’ll just grab the four or five I think are the most valuable, eh? He’s obviously an art lover.”

 
The men turned back into the bedroom.  “Hey, Tim, I think that’s a Gauguin on the wall over the bed,” called Dave over his shoulder.  “Help me get it down, eh?”

 
Olivia and Graeme could hear the men muttering as they got the painting down.

 
“Let’s wrap it in this bedcover, Tim, to protect it...grab a couple of bedspreads from the other rooms on our way down for the other paintings as well. I think we can fit about four or five in the boot of that rental car....Peter better be right outside the door when we call him. He will be, he drove the getaway car for us in Birmingham...”

 
The monitors showed the men diving into bedrooms and emerging with bedding in their arms.

 
Graeme spoke into the headset. “They’re on their way back downstairs, Gideon, to help themselves to the best of my art collection.”

 
“We have a little welcoming committee waiting for them Graeme, in the study. Good thing that’s a silent alarm system isn’t it, or they’d have been scared off and probably made another attempt to abduct Olivia.”

 
“The warning lamp and buzzer didn’t come on in the bathroom or the bedroom, Gideon.”

 
“No?  I’ll get someone out straight away to look at that, Graeme. That’s odd, it was checked just a few days ago.”

 
“Yes, right away. And I want some security staying in the house while we’re on our honeymoon, Gideon.”

 
Graeme nuzzled Olivia’s hair, and held her tighter. “We can watch the action, baby, on Screens Three and Four on the top row. They cover most of the study...”

 
Olivia turned puce. “You mean that first night, we were on the CCTV cameras and the Security Department watched us when you...” her voice trailed off.

 
“No, baby, no. I turned those cameras off when we came in. Remember me messing with the security panel by the front door?”

 
“Thank goodness...” Olivia relaxed. “Graeme, could I have turned off the warning lamp and buzzer you mentioned to Gideon when I came home this morning?”

 
“No, ‘Livi, even if you made a mistake when you pressed in your code, it would not have turned off any warning system. Even when I turn off the cameras in a room, the warning system still comes on if the perimeter of the building is breached.”

 
They watched Screens Three and Four. Olivia could make out some dark shadows she hoped were policemen move across the first floor and take positions inside the study. On Screen Five they watched Dave and Tim stop by one of the paintings hung along the stairwell, and remove it and wrap it up.

 
“That Turner is worth over three million on its own, ‘Livi,” murmured Graeme. “This Dave has some knowledge of art, that’s certain.”

 
Tim and Dave were on the First Floor now. They went into the Dining Room and took two paintings down from the wall, and then headed into the Study. Tim had the bedclothes in his arms, Dave had leaned the paintings against a wall and had his gun at the ready. Before Tim could flick on the light switch, someone had come up behind Dave and stuck a gun in his back...

 
“Drop your gun, Dave,” said a deep voice. “You’re surrounded. And under arrest, both of you.”

 
The lights went up and the two Irishmen faced four armed policemen with guns trained on them. They spun round to face Gideon and three other men who looked very threatening.

 
“Bit silly of you, lads, to try something like this, wasn’t it? I thought you were brighter. Didn’t it occur to you that a man as wealthy as Mr. Browning would have his house covered in silent alarms and a CCTV system? Every move you’ve made is on video, gentlemen. Every word you’ve spoken has been recorded. The judge will love to hear that your intention was to abduct Miss Stone on the eve of her wedding and hold her for two million ransom...”

 
“I demand my solicitor,” said Tim.

 
Dave said nothing. He looked around carefully, noting where each copper was, where the exits were

 
“It was all his idea,” sputtered Tim. “He threatened me if I didn’t go along with it...”

 
Dave turned and looked at Tim. “You asshole, you hired us for this job!” he said, as his right fist came up and broke Tim’s aquiline nose.

The distraction worked. Everyone was looking at Tim, crumpled on the floor. Dave swung round and with a kick in the solar plexus dropped the man behind him, and was out the French doors onto the patio. Two policemen dashed out after him in time to see him vault over the balustrade and disappear into the darkness.

  Tim was quickly restrained. “We could have loaned them some handcuffs, baby, if they’d asked,” smiled Graeme.

 
“We could, couldn’t we,” giggled Olivia. She knew her laughter was a release from the tension she was feeling.

 
Gideon’s voice came over the headset. “You could come out now, if you like, Graeme.  The police have the idiot in custody.  The hired hands got away, but I’m sure Tim will squawk and tell us who they are.”

 
“Let’s pack a bag, ‘Livi, and go stay at a hotel for the rest of the night. I don’t think either one of us would sleep a wink here.”

Olivia nodded. “Yes, please,” she said.

  Ten minutes later they were standing in the study with the police inspector and Gideon.

 
The technician from the alarm company was busy looking at the system. Within five minutes he was back in front of them, a very puzzled expression on his face. “Mr. Browning, someone has turned off the warning lamps and buzzer system to the third floor, where your bedroom is.”

 
“What? I thought it was impossible to do that?” said Gideon.

 
“It’s supposed to be. I think that the chap who serviced the alarm system must have programmed in an error. I’ll have to go back to the office and sort through the records. Only solution I can think of, sir. He must have turned off the individual alarms on the paintings as well.”

 
Gideon looked unhappy with the explanation and so did Graeme.

 
“I’ll have a look at those records myself in the morning, Graeme. Perhaps it’s time to change alarm companies.”

 
“Don’t they do the Bank as well?”

 
“Hmmm.”

 
“Let me drive the two of you to your hotel for the night, Graeme. I’ve made you a reservation. I’m sure you don’t want to stay here.”

 
Once they were in Gideon’s car, Graeme spoke. “What the hell is going on do you think, Gideon?”

 
“I think somebody bribed the alarm technician to leave you vulnerable. I think we’ll have a security detail inside and outside until you move into your new house. I’ll have our I.T. department check those records at the alarm company and see just what happened...and as we speak, our security team is sweeping the house for bugs.”

 
“Yes. Perhaps we should run tests on the systems at the Bank and all our branches as well, eh?”

  “I’ve
already organized it,” said Gideon as he drew up outside the Connaught Hotel.

 
“Aren’t we staying in one of the Bank’s suites at the Four Seasons or Sutton Place?”

 
“No, Graeme. That’s where someone would expect you to go. Don’t forget there were paparazzi outside your townhouse all day. Just in case one of them was sitting in a car tonight watching the excitement, I thought we’d go somewhere you don’t normally frequent. I’ll pick you up at eight in the morning and take you back to the townhouse so you can get ready for the wedding.”

 
“Right,” said Graeme as he helped Olivia from the car.

 
They checked in as Mr. And Mrs. Stone and used her Visa to sign in. Graeme called Gideon on his mobile and gave him the room number.

 
They climbed into bed, and lay there a long time.

 
Finally Olivia drifted into a light sleep. Graeme lay there, holding her, thinking.

 
Christ, those buggers were going to kidnap ‘Livi for a measly two million, the idiots. Or were they? Tim would have been happy with that, but that Dave...he seems smarter, more dangerous. He thought of grabbing the art...the art...none of the alarms on the paintings went off! Why? Oh, yes, the technician says they were turned off, accidentally he was sure! Like hell! Was the art what Dave was after all along? Was he using Tim and the excuse of grabbing ‘Livi to really get at the art all along? He knew exactly which pieces to take, even though he seemed to be making spur of the moment decisions. They’d collected about ten million pounds worth of pictures in just a few minutes, and Dave had chosen them all. Better get Gideon to investigate the man further...I’ll do that first thing. Gideon won’t get much sleep as it is tonight...

 
His head buzzing with random unpleasant thoughts, Graeme finally fell into a light sleep after three.

THIRTY SEVEN

  Room Service brought them tea and toast at seve
n
. Olivia heard them at the door, grabbed a robe and let them in. She signed for the breakfast, smiled at the sleeping form of Graeme and decided to give him another half hour...she knew he hadn’t slept much. The only reason she had was the pill the doctor had given her for the nausea, so that she wouldn’t be sick on her wedding day. It had made her very drowsy last night after she’d remembered to take it. Good thing it had been in her handbag.

 
Olivia had a quick shower, and was drying her hair when Graeme woke up. He heard her in the bathroom.

 
“Why didn’t you wake me, ‘Livi?”

 
“I knew you wouldn’t have slept much last night, Graeme. The only reason I slept was that the pill the doctor gave me for the nausea made me very drowsy...I’ve already showered. Gideon will be here in half hour...”

 
Graeme grunted and showered
. Oh, dear, not in a very good mood this morning, I’d better watch my tongue.

 
But he was much more cheerful when he came into the bedroom drying his hair.

 
“Good morning, ‘Livi.  You’re right, I didn’t sleep well.”

 
They drank their tea and ate toast silently.  Olivia packed their case. Gideon rang up to say he was waiting downstairs.

 
Once they were in the car, Olivia spoke.

 
“Gentlemen, I think we should look carefully into the real reason those two broke into the townhouse last night.”

 
“Real reason, ‘Livi? What do you mean?” asked Graeme warily.

 
“I don’t think they were there to grab me. Well, maybe Tim was, but that Dave wasn’t, I’m sure. They had no rope to tie me up, nothing to gag me with...it seems like a very Mickey Mouse attempt at kidnapping.

  “
But the alarm system for the artwork didn’t go off, did it? And Dave knew exactly which paintings he wanted to grab, didn’t he? I woke up about five and realized he seemed to know exactly where the paintings he wanted were...as if he’d been in the house before and studied the layout. Could he have gotten in? Does he know about alarm systems?”

 
The two men looked at each other.

 
“I was thinking the same thing, before I fell asleep, Gideon,” said Graeme.

 
“And me, at two this morning,” admitted Gideon. “So I called over to Belfast, and started a little investigation going, along those lines.