Disclaimer- The only thing in this fic that belongs to me is Caitir Macy and I'm beginning to think I belong to her.
Author's Note- Sorry I've been gone so long folks, but I got very caught up in my NANOWRIMO novel and just now finished it. I'm back to Kate now and hopefully will be wrapping this up in a few days. I haven't a Gaelic or Scottish phrase for this chapter except the one Kate uses later and trust me I can't give you the translation. I would have to change the rating if I did.
Woody opened the door at Garret's 'come in' and walked into the office.
"What's up, Dr. M?" The young detective asked looking at Kate from the corner of his eye. For her part, Kate was sitting calmly on the couch while Garret poured scotch for all of them.
"Woody, this is my sister, Kate Macy." Garret said handing first Kate and then Woody a drink.
"Nigel introduced us in the lab. Are you feeling better, Miss Macy?" Woody asked.
"A few sips of this and I'll be dancing like Gillvary's pig." Kate lifted her glass in Woody's direction and took a sip. She raised an eyebrow at Garret as she swallowed. "My compliments, mo brathair, you've a fine taste in whiskey. That's Glen Livet if I havena missed my guess."
"So what did you need, Doc.?" Woody interjected.
"Kate was supposed to meet our father here in Boston last week and he never showed. Today she received a photo and a text message on her phone about him, with the promise of another." Garret took a sip of scotch and continued. "Harry has spent a lot of years on the wrong side of the law and it seems he may have stolen something from the wrong people. If the picture's for real, they have him and they want back what he stole."
"And do you have it, Miss Macy?"
"No, I havena." Kate managed to sound slightly shocked at the suggestion. "I had only just arrived for a wee visit to find he wasna here."
"Kate doesn't have anything to do with Harry's con games, Woody." Garret added. "Harry was gone when she arrived at his hotel. I have Jordan and Bug processing Harry's hotel room now; Nigel's working on the picture and seeing if he can trace the next call. So I guess what we're asking from you is to be ready to run with whatever we find."
"So neither of you has a clue who has your dad or what he took from them?" Woody said resignedly. "This isn't gonna be easy, Dr. M."
"I know Woody, it's not much to go on, maybe Jordan and Bug will get us a lead."
"I'll see what I can do, call me if anybody finds anything." Woody closed his notebook. "Thank you Miss Macy. Can I talk to you for a minute, Doc?"
"I'll just go watch Nigel play with his computer a bit, shall I?" Kate stood to leave and turned to Woody. "Please do all that you can, Detective, he maybe a scoundrel, but he is m'Da." She walked out and headed for the lab.
"What is it, Woody?" Garret asked.
"Are you sure she's on the level, Doc?"
"I can assure you, Woody; Kate is not a con artist." Garret answered. "Why?"
"She seemed a little jumpy to me." Woody answered. "But I guess she would be nervous, with your Dad missing and all."
"Yeah, I guess so." Garret said, walking to the door with Woody. "Call me if you get anything, Woody."
"Sure, Doc." Woody left and Garret walked to the lab.
Kate was leaning over Nigel's shoulder and staring intently at the screen, when Garret entered the lab.
"What have you got, Nigel?" Garret asked.
"On the photo not much, the background is nondescript, I haven't found a single identifying feature yet. Both the picture and the text were sent mobile to mobile, so I couldn't get much off of them. I don't know of we can get a trace, but I am set up to record any further incoming calls."
"This is one smart laddie; you've working for you, Garret. I havena seen such mental acrobatics in a while." Kate smiled at Nigel as her cell phone rang causing all three of them to jump.
"I've got it on speaker, so no one speak but you, Kate." Nigel said.
Kate looked at Garret and raised an eyebrow nodding toward Nigel; Garret caught her meaning and nodded back.
"Nigel, you are going to find out a few things that I'd rather you didn't spread about." Kate said quickly and answered the phone.
Nigel sat wondering what she meant as he listened.
"Hello?" Kate answered.
A man with a Russian accent began speaking. "You have my egg?"
"No, it has been sold, but I can give you full value in exchange for Harry." Kate said evenly.
"Not good enough. You are the thief, yes." The voice asked
"Yes." Kate answered, as Nigel's eyes grew huge.
"You will steal back my property and return it to me along with a million dollars as a penalty. If you do not the man dies. You have 48 hours to bring me the egg and the money. Do you understand?"
"Yes, but this kind of job takes time and planning, I need a week. I have to assess the target and plan the job." Kate stated plainly, hoping he would be reasonable.
"I give you four days, no more." The connection was broken. Kate looked at Nigel hopefully; her shoulders slumping when he shook his head.
Kate turned to Garret. "Well, so much for paying the bastard off. Now, I'll have to steal the bleeding thing back and give him mine and Harry's cut to boot."
"Can you do that?" Garret asked.
"Aye, but it'll take some doing to plan that quickly and first, I mun go to the broker and find out who bought the damned thing." Kate sat on the stool and looked over at Nigel's stunned expression. She laughed for a moment then spoke. "Ask away, laddie. For I can tell you're fair burstin' with questions."
"You're a thief?" Nigel looked as though he were trying to swallow a very large mouthful.
"Aye and you are still stating the obvious. I am a very good sneak thief, I stole a bit of something from the bastard on the other end of that phone, and now he's holding Harry, for whom I did the job, as surety of its return. As you heard, however, the item has gone to a broker and been sold, so I must find it, steal it back and take it and the money to him or he'll kill Harry."
Kate picked up the phone and dialed not realizing it was still on speaker. When the man on the other end answered, she did not wait to exchange pleasantries. "Kevin, lad, answer me this. Who bought the egg?"
"Katie." A smooth Boston voice answered. "You know I don't give away secrets."
"I'll pay for the information."
"Katie, I'm hurt that you think I can be bought."
"Kevin, boyo, you'd sell your own kidney, for the right price. How much?" Kate asked, exasperated with the delay.
"$500,000."
"And they call me a thief, very well. Who bought it?"
"The money, Kate."
"No honor among thieves, lad? You'll have it in your account as soon as I can do the transaction. Now who?"
"When I see the money, you'll have the name." He hung up.
Kate sat the phone down gently and motioned Nigel away from the computer. He got up and held the chair for her. Kate sat muttering what were obviously not Scots blessings as she found the banking website, logged on and completed the transaction. Nigel and Garret both swallowed hard at the balance on the screen.
When Kate had finished she looked over at both of them, still staring at the screen.
"I told you I was a very good thief." She gave a half smile that reminded Nigel of Garret.
"Kate there's over three million in that account." Garret sputtered out.
"Aye, that the expense account, the rest is invested wisely." Kate looked at the phone.
"Call Kevin, the damned money's in your account now." She sat rubbing her temples and muttering for a few minutes and then the phone rang.
"Kevin?"
"Michael Moran of Boston. A pleasure doing business with you, Kate and since I assume you're going to steal it again. I'd be happy to broker it, for a fee, of course."
"Kevin." Kate said pleasantly.
"Yes?"
"Pogue an caora sin chomla." Kate hung up. Nigel choked back a laugh at the Gaelic suggestion.
"What did you say?" Garret asked.
Kate looked at him and shrugged.
"She told him to do something to a sheep." Nigel said.
"You speak Gaelic?" Kate looked surprised.
"A little, enough to know no self respecting sheep would stand for that." Nigel grinned and settled on the edge of the desk. "Now how does one plan a robbery?"
A/N- Well let me know what you think of this chapter folks.