Ch 27

Amy had Jonah, Ham, Ian and Cara pulled up on Skype. They needed to pool their resources to find any link between Antonio Marcellius and Quigley O'Reilly. Everyone was using their separate Cahill connections to search. Ian was searching the Lucian databases, Cara the Ekat. Jonah had the Janus branches all actively looking and Ham had dialed into the Tomas branches. Dan sat off in one corner with Atticus attempting to find any pattern for the money transfers and investments. Jake had taken up a seat in the middle of the comm center while Amy paced around him. Finally, after 5 exhaustive minutes of watching her bite her nails and pace, he wheeled his chair over to where she'd be on her next pass and grabbed her around the waist pulling her down to his lap.

"Chill," he whispered into her ear.

She turned and looked at him. Anxiety spread across her face, "I feel like we're close, but I feel so helpless."

"They'll find something, I know it. Just give them some time. How about we go for a walk." Jake said beginning to stand up

"No, I want to stay here." Amy said

They'll text you the minute they find anything, you and I should move for a bit. Trust me," he said, taking her hand. He gave a 'fingers walking' signal to Att as he left the attic. Atticus simply nodded and turned back to the screen.

They made it downstairs and sat to put on their shoes. Amy finished before Jake and stared at an imperfection in the marble tile about 6 feet in front of her. She was thinking, and Jake knew it.

"What is it?" He asked.

"How did anyone know we were looking for the art in the first place?" Amy said, standing finally and turning to Jake. "I mean, amateurs have been looking for those works for nearly 25 years now. They don't get assaulted in alleys, only Dan and me."

Jake took her hand and started toward the back yard and the grounds beyond, "I guess it's just the Cahill curse," he said lightheartedly.

Amy frowned. "It's more than that. Think about it. Anne Hawley said she was certain nobody else knew. Why would she lie about that? If anything happened to you or me, she wouldn't get her art. It was in her best interest to be honest with us. I don't think she was lying."

Jake was catching on to her meaning now, "which means that somebody else there had to have known you were there as more than just interested art students, but who?"

A look of dawning comprehension spread over Amy's face, "Oh no, I can't believe I fell for that…" she said beginning to fish in her pocket for something."

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked

"Trevor." Amy said fishing his business card out of her pocket. "It all makes sense. He must have been bought off by the thieves somehow. Anne told him the real reason for Dan and my visit. He must have locked us in the vault and tipped off the goon to attack us in the alley!"

Jake said, indignant. "That slime ball had the gall to sidle up to you in the library!"

Amy sighed a big sigh, "Jake, that was no random visit, he's been following us! What do you want to bet he knew we had gone to New York!" Amy looked at the business card and flipped it over on the back where Trevor had written his personal cell number. "I have an idea, but we'll need the whole team here to make it work. Come on!"

Amy turned and ran back toward the mansion. She needed everyone on Skype before they cut the connection. This was going to be good and they were going to catch a crook.

"So, let me understand this" Ian said, "You expect to lure this Trevor chap to having dinner with you while you cry to him that your unworthy boyfriend whom he met in the library a week ago has mistreated you while you try to earn his trust?"

"Pretty much. The dude has it bad for Amy." Dan said

"Not to put too fine a point on it, but don't you think that could have all been part of the ruse?" Ian continued.

"It might be," Amy said to the room, "that's a risk I'll have to take, it's our best bet to find out who hired him"

Jake was only one step away from fuming. He hated this idea. He thought it would be better to just confront him directly and if it came to punches, then so be it. The thought of Amy flirting with this traitor was alarming.

"Alright, I'm going to call Trevor. I'll call from the hallway. Since I have no hope of stopping you all from listening, just keep it down in here, ok?" Amy said, pulling her cell phone from her pocket and heading to the door.

"Ames, wait," Jake said stepping into the hall with her. "I don't like this plan; can't we just confront him head on?"

"Jake, it'll be fine. You know I love you," she said taking his hand and planting a kiss on him before turning away to make the call. Jake had no intention of making this easy on her. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall staring at her.

"It's ringing," Amy said, turning around and seeing Jake. She turned back around and slowly started down the hall.

"Hello?" Trevor's voice sounded on the other end

Amy paused before speaking, silence for one, two, three seconds, then she gave a big sniff. "Trevor?" Amy said in her best wavering voice.

Silence as Trevor's wheels began to turn. Amy was one second away from telling him it was her when "Amy?" came back to her over the line.

"Yes, Trevor, it's me," she said in a somber tone.

"Hi! How are you? Are you OK?" he said, concerned.

"I'm ok," Amy said somberly, "well, I guess I've been better."

"W-what happened?" Trevor asked, clearly apprehensive of what she would say.

Amy sighed, she had him right where she wanted him. "Well, it's been a rough couple of weeks. My brother and I were attacked after we left the Gardner that day with you and then my boyfriend broke up with me. I guess I'm just feeling…defeated, you might say."

Trevor was silent for a bit. Amy waited to see what he would do or say. She let the silence hang in the air like a weight. Finally, Trevor spoke, "you, you, say you-were attacked? Outside-the Gardner?"

Interesting, that is the piece he latched onto first. He genuinely sounded horrified. Maybe they had this all wrong. Maybe Trevor didn't call in the attack. "Yes, that same day we were locked in the vault, a huge man cornered my brother and me and kicked the crap out of us. I ended up with a gash on my face from him."

Trevor was audibly trembling now, "D-d-did you both go to the police?" His voice had gotten all high and falsetto now. He was coming unglued. Amy turned and gave big eyes to Jake who had a blank expression on his face; he couldn't hear Trevor's side of the conversation. Amy motioned for him to hurry back into the comm center. Jake got the hint and disappeared behind the door.

"Yes, we did, but neither of us got a good look at the man." Amy was quiet for a minute. "Trevor, I was wondering, would you, I-I mean, if you wanted, I guess, I just thought…"

Trevor took the bait, "YES! I'd love to get together with you. How about tomorrow, at the Bistro Café across from the library?"

That wouldn't work, the others wouldn't be in until the following day. She'd need to stall.

"Actually Trevor, Jake use to take me there all the time. I sort of hate it now. And, Tuesdays are better for me than Mondays." Amy lied.

"Oh, ok, well, how about at the Gardner café, I get a discount and it's really pretty there." Trevor stumbled to get out.

Amy smiled internally, this guy was trying so hard. There is no way he was this good of an actor. "Sure, that sounds great Trevor." Amy paused again. "I look forward to seeing you," she said in her best innocent flirtatious voice.

"Yeah, yeah me too. Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened to you at the Gardner, I'll do anything to find the guys who did this to you. It's not like that normally."

"Thanks Trevor, I knew you'd be the right person to turn to." Amy said a little too sappy for her own taste. She could only imagine what was happening on the other side of this wall.

"I'll see you Tuesday, how about noon?" Trevor said excitedly, "oh and I'm sorry about your boyfriend" Trevor added as an aside.

Amy had to laugh, if he was sorry, then she was Lady Gaga. "See you Tuesday."