CHAPTER 2
Setting The Hook
Nate woke with a tickle in his throat. He rolled closer to the edge of the bed and scooted up to sip at the glass of water he kept there. The tickle in his throat stuck mid-swallow and he nearly choked. The choke turned to a cough, and he set the glass to the side.
"mmmm" Sophie groaned and groped blindly in Nate's direction. "Are you okay?"
"Yah…" cough "Just a …" cough "tickle in my throat." Nate got up and went to the bathroom in search of a cough drop.
~~o0o~~
Parker was perched, legs dangling, from the vent above Hardison's desk. "So, you, me, and Gemma in the van. Nate and Sophie on the grift. And Eliot and Quinn as wait staff." Parker was envisioning the progression of the con and calculating odds for contingencies.
Nate walked heavily down the stairs. His hair was a mess, cheeks flushed, eyes red rimmed. His morning greeting, just this side of a werewolf growl.
"Oh, now that wasn't a contingency I was planning on." Parker muttered.
Hardison looked at Nate and up at Parker. "Quinn, or Eliot?"
"We'll have to replace him with Eliot." Parker slid from the vent letting Hardison catch her and settle her on his lap.
Gemma had been laying on the couch, reading a book, but the sound of Eliot's name caught her attention. "Replace who?" She sat up to see what was going on.
"Nate's sick so Eliot will have to go in Nate's place." Parker frowned, picturing new contingencies.
"I'm not sick." Nate grumbled from the kitchen.
"I can smell it from here." Hardison wrinkled his nose. "You better just keep your cooties over there. I do not want Parker to be sick over Christmas."
"I'm not sick." Nate grouched.
The door to the loft opened and closed and Eliot and Quinn spilled into the room.
"Nate?" Quinn's head tilted fractionally as he scented the air.
"You look sick." Eliot headed into the gym to grab a couple of towels. He tossed one to Quinn.
"I'm not sick." Nate sounded exasperated.
"I can feel the heat comin' off you from over here." Eliot wiped his face and neck with a towel.
"I can smell it." Quinn made a face. "I think it's just a cold though. Doesn't smell like you got the flu."
"You can smell the difference between a cold and a flu?" Gemma asked.
Quinn nodded.
"It's a very distinctive scent." Eliot commented.
Hardison rolled his eyes but didn't say anything out loud.
"Nate, get back to bed and I'll fix you a tray of somethin'." Eliot made a shooing motion in Nate's direction.
With a glare at everyone, Nate turned and trudged his way up the stairs.
Sophie passed Nate on her way down and had started to lean in to kiss him on the cheek but stopped and with a rueful smile, she patted him on the shoulder.
She noticed all the boys turn a speculative look her way when she got to the bottom of the stairs. "Well?"
"Well, you're not sick." Quinn shrugged and brushed past her on his way up to his room.
"Yet." Hardison added. "You're going to catch whatever bug he's got though, if you keep staying in the same room with him."
"I don't know why you're worried about it. I thought werewolves couldn't get sick." Sophie went to the cupboard that Eliot kept her breakfast tea in.
"Oh, we can catch it. It just doesn't last long enough to actually make us sick. The metabolism drives the immune system and it's all working too fast for the average kind of sickness to really take hold." Eliot was already rummaging through his fridge and freezer.
"Potato, potahto." Sophie gave Eliot an eye roll.
. ͽϿ Ѻ Ͼͼ .
Sophie was looking through the dresses on offer at one of her favorite boutiques. She found a beautiful white sheath with white faux fur trim, and she set it to the side with a red sequined number that had a plunging neckline. She heard a little sigh on the other side of the display and with a look around the side she spotted Gemma looking at a floor length dress made of textured silk.
"Did Eliot talk to you about the party tonight?" Sophie asked as she drew closer.
"Hmm?" Gemma let the fabric slide through her fingers.
"Did Eliot tell you that he and I will be posing as a couple?"
"Yes." Gemma rolled her eyes. "I don't know why everyone is freaking out. I understand that you guys are running a con. I wish you would all just stop with the nervous glances and half worried speeches."
"So you don't mind?" Sophie watched all the little micro expressions and tells in Gemma's body language. She was surprised to see that Gemma's body language was telegraphing the same thing as her words. Sophie smiled to herself. Maybe Gemma really would fit in with the pack.
"I'm sure you and Eliot will have a good time at the party and Hardison said he'd be glad to let me hang out in the van." Gemma ran her hand over the chiffon on another dress. "Granted I wasn't usually trying to talk someone out of their wallets or whatever, but I have some experience with conning people." Gemma frowned at the memories that flitted past. "I got plenty of people who knew better to follow me down a dark alley."
"You know, I have another thought." Sophie picked up a green knee length dress that she knew would do terrible things for her own skin tone but just might be exactly what this job needed.
. ͽϿ Ѻ Ͼͼ .
Eliot straightened his bowtie. He tugged a little at his collar and could see in the reflection from the kettle that his tie had gone crooked again. "Dammit." He frowned as he retied the tie.
Quinn settled at the other side of the kitchen island, looking smug.
"Don't." Eliot warned.
"Don't what?" Quinn tried not to smile but didn't quite manage it.
"If you say somethin' about my suit or anything else I might have to kill you."
"And what would you tell the rest of the pack?"
"That you committed suicide. And it would be the truth." He let a growl rumble in his chest.
"Relax Spencer." Quinn rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you're so wound up anyway. It's not like you haven't gone on a con with Sophie before. And knowing Sophie there's no way she hasn't drug every one of you to some high-toned party at some point."
"Yah, but Gemma might not understand. I mean she says she's fine with it, but I'm posing as Sophie's husband and …" He yanked at the tie.
"Here let me." Quinn came around the counter and took the tie from Eliot. "You're worried she's going to get jealous and think there might really be something going on with Sophie." Quinn smoothed the strap of the bowtie around Eliot's collar and folded the fabric carefully between his fingers as the tied the bow. He straightened the collar and stepped back with a small smile.
Eliot tugged at his cufflinks and straightened his jacket.
"Relax man." Quinn smiled as he settled back onto his seat. "Gemma is going to be fine."
Eliot paced a little at the foot of the stairs. "If Sophie doesn't put a move on, we're going to be late." Eliot grumbled.
The door to one of the guest rooms opened and Eliot turned to look up the stairs. Standing at the top of the stairs was Gemma. She wore an emerald green satin dress that flared from the hip to swish and swirl around her knees as she came down the stairs. A fur stole covered the capped sleeves of her dress but drew the eye to the exquisite diamond necklace.
She looked a little self-conscious and Eliot looked stunned.
"Do I look okay?" Gemma tugged at her skirt making it swish around her.
Eliot kept staring and held a hand out.
Quinn chuckled. "I think you broke him."
Gemma smiled and took Eliot's hand.
"You are so beautiful." Eliot smiled and pulled her close kissing her cheek.
"Eliot Spencer, if you mess up her makeup, I will make you regret it." Sophie intoned from the top of the stairs.
"Yes ma'am." Eliot smiled without taking his eyes off of Gemma.
"The limo is waiting downstairs. Put a move on." Hardison's voice came over Eliot's earbud.
Eliot put Gemma's hand on his arm and turned to lead her to the door.
Sophie hurried down the stairs and handed Gemma a small silver clutch that matched her shoes. "You'll do fabulous." She kissed next to each of Gemma's cheeks in the European fashion.
Quinn handed Eliot his coat and helped Gemma into hers, slipping the coat under the stole and resettling everything across her shoulders. "I'll see you guys there."
The driver was waiting and held the door for them when they got close. Eliot waited until Gemma had slid across the seat before he followed her in, and the driver shut the door.
"So, Parker, why didn't you tell me that the plan changed?' Eliot asked as he settled in next to Gemma.
"I did. Nate got sick so I needed you to fill in for him."
Eliot rolled his eyes.
Gemma set a hand over his. "Sophie asked me if I would go to the party with you. I didn't think you would mind."
He laced their fingers together. "Of course I want to go to the party with you. It's just that it's a job and I shoulda been told if we were changing the plan."
"And we didn't change the plan." Parker huffed. "Sophie was going to show off the necklace and Nate was going to get our mark to help him pull off an insurance scam. But now it's you and Gemma and the plan hasn't changed. She'll show off the necklace and you'll con the mark."
"I can do this." Gemma gave Eliot's hand a squeeze.
"Tell Gemma to put in her earbud. Sophie will coach her through anything that comes up." Hardison was ready to get the con going.
"I put the earbud in her clutch." Sophie's voice chimed in.
Eliot took the earbud from Gemma and tucking a curl behind her ear he slipped the bud into place. He paused for a moment and decided to give in to the temptation nipping at her ear. He felt a little tremble run through her and he looked to see if it was a good thing or a bad thing. When he pulled back to look at her, she reached up to cup his cheek with her hand and leaned forward. He took her up on the invitation and closed the distance, kissing her softly.
~~o0o~~
The room was warm from the crush of people and Eliot really wanted to ditch his suit jacket, but he knew he'd just have to stick it out. He felt Gemma's pinky finger curl around his while she smiled and chatted with an older woman that was standing next to them.
Eliot hadn't been paying close attention to Gemma's conversation, but he could tell it wasn't anything important to the con just yet. Finally, he spotted Zamora on the other side of the room. Now the con could begin in earnest.
Eliot waited until he saw Zamora and his date standing on the edge of the dance floor before breaking in on Gemma's conversation. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze to get her attention. "May I have this dance?" He smiled and enjoyed the pleased look on Gemma's face as she stepped out onto the floor with him.
Eliot spun her away from him and her free arm arced out in a graceful curve. With a tug to her fingertips, he pulled her back. She met him in step with the tempo of the dance and for a moment, the room melted out of existence. Eliot was caught up in Gemma's green eyes and the bounce of her brown curls.
Gemma, despite appreciating Eliot's good looks, had been keeping track of Zamora who was now on the dance floor as well. With a tap of her finger on Eliot's shoulder and a glance in Zamora's direction, she made sure that Eliot moved them toward their mark.
Eliot couldn't help the smile when he saw what Gemma was up to. With a few more steps he had them very nearly in the center of the dance floor. He spun Gemma out again and this time that graceful arm brushed ever so lightly against Zamora's arm. Eliot tugged Gemma back to him and as the music came to a close, Eliot dipped Gemma back in a dancer's pose that drew the attention of everyone nearby. As he brought Gemma back to standing, he cupped her face kissing her gently before he led her toward their table.
"You never told me that Gemma could dance." Sophie's smile was plain even over the earbuds.
"I take it Hardison has control of the cameras." Eliot whispered from behind his water glass before he took a sip.
"Yep, got you covered." Hardison's response sounded somewhat distracted as it often did when he was in the van.
"You know," Zamora's date sat next to Gemma. "I am impressed with the quality of the waiters this year." She smiled conspiratorially at Gemma while she watched Quinn walk past in his waiter's uniform. "I'm Hannah."
"Jenna." Gemma held her hand out. A lot of people called her by the wrong name when she was working so it was easy to use one of the most popular mistakes for this job. "You've been to one of these parties before?"
"Ray and I come every year." She looked over her shoulder at Zamora.
Ray Zamora had been standing off to the side talking with someone but at the mention of his name, he glanced over to see what was happening.
Before long, the lights dimmed, and everyone found their seats as the spokesperson for the National Jewelers Association took the podium.
"Come on." Hannah whispered to Gemma.
Gemma glanced at Eliot who gave her a nod.
"It's fine. Zamora's going to be focused on the speeches for now." Sophie assured over the earbuds.
"Yah he's hoping to be listed with the appraisers that are getting special recognition this year." Hardison's tone said that clearly Zamora was delusional.
"Eliot, slide Gemma's clutch onto Hannah's seat." Sophie instructed.
Eliot didn't know what Sophie was up to, but he did what he was told and subtly moved the small silver purse over one seat.
~~o0o~~
Gemma followed Hannah to the lady's room. Hannah went right to the long mirror over the counter and started to touch up her makeup.
"If it weren't for the boring speeches, it would be a perfect party. The food is always good, and the music is great, if you like to dance." She looked at Gemma in the mirror.
"Eli and I are new to town but he's been with the association a long time." Gemma smiled as she leaned against the counter to fuss with her hair.
"That is quite the necklace." Hannah smiled.
~~o0o~~
"Gemma, make sure to bend from the hips when you pick up your handbag before you sit down." Sophie spoke quickly. "We want Zamora to get a good close look at that necklace."
Eliot clenched his teeth at the thought of Zamora looking down the front of Gemma's dress, but he wouldn't contradict Sophie on a grift.
"Wait!" Parker cautioned. "They haven't hit the end of the appraisers list. He won't be looking the right direction."
"What do I do?" Gemma barely whispered as she rubbed at her nose.
"I got it." Quinn turned quickly with the tray he was balancing with one hand. He'd been at the table just behind Eliot, so he was already in position for what he had in mind. He turned too fast, and the tray dropped. While the floor in that part of the room was carpeted, the tray dropping still caused enough of a commotion to break Zamora's concentration.
"Oh goodness." Gemma had bent for her purse but looked over her shoulder at the sound of Quinn's tray. It allowed her to pause for an extra beat before she took her seat. That extra second allowed Zamora to really get a good look at the necklace.
"Well done." Sophie smiled.
Zamora's gaze followed the necklace as Gemma settled and Eliot wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Eliot let his fingers play idly at the edge of the necklace. The slow lazy movement helping to attract attention to the necklace. Eliot kept his eyes casually on the speaker at the podium as the final speech wound to a close.
The lights came back up and the wait staff came out with the first course. Eliot was glad to see that Quinn had managed to work the table next to them and not be a part of the staff serving at their own table. Quinn had been a hitter for years and could use charm to get close to his targets if he needed to, but grifting wasn't his strongest asset, and Gemma had been fantastic this evening but if either of them looked too familiarly at the other or interacted in anyway other than as strangers it just might blow the con.
The staff melted into the background and everyone around the table started to enjoy their first course.
"That's quite the necklace you have there." Zamora commented to Gemma.
"Jenna was just telling me that it's brand new." Hannah smiled at Zamora.
"Really?" Zamora cast a calculating look at the network of diamonds.
"She said Eli was looking for an appraiser but they're new to town. So of course I recommended you." Hannah rubbed a hand along Zamora's leg.
Zamora leaned forward holding a hand out. "Risky move taking something like that out before you've had it appraised and insured."
"What's life without a little risk?" Eliot took Ray's hand. "Eli Blessmann."
"Ray Zamora." He shook Eliot's hand. "I'd be glad to help you out with the appraisal."
The conversation meandered as dinner continued and Gemma was more than happy to let Eliot carry the conversation. Gemma drummed her fingers, resting on Eliot's leg, in time to the music.
"Gemma, whatever you're doing to distract Eliot please stop." Parker couldn't see what was happening, but she could feel a mix of things in the bonds.
Eliot reached down and rested his hand on top of Gemma's, giving her a small smile, while keeping most of his attention fixed on Zamora.
When the conversation started to ebb, Eliot rose from his chair and held a hand out to Gemma. "Care to dance?"
Gemma smiled, took his hand, and let him lead her to the dance floor. "I'm sorry I was distracting you."
"Don't be sorry. It was my problem not yours."
"Guys, you have another problem." Quinn's comment was quiet. "I heard Zamora mention that they should leave after this dance."
"On it." Eliot responded and used the motion of the dance to turn them around until he spotted Zamora. "We're going to switch partners." Eliot hated the idea but knew it was the best way to get in one more conversation at the end without chasing Zamora down on the way out the door.
"Alright Gemma, when you switch…" Sophie started but was cut off.
"I got this." Gemma smiled at Eliot while she spoke to Sophie.
Eliot worked their way across the dance floor until they were side to side with Ray and Hannah. "What do you say to switching things up?" Eliot gave them a charming smile.
"Why not." Zamora let go of Hannah and held a hand out to Gemma.
Gemma tossed her hair over her shoulder as she stepped into the dance with Zamora. She used the motion to stumble just slightly so that her head was tilted back as she nearly bumped chest to chest with Zamora. "Sorry, I lost my balance for a second."
"I hadn't noticed. You seem to be quite the dancer." Zamora complimented.
Gemma noticed Zamora's eyes on her chest and hoped that the necklace was getting all the attention the pack was hoping for. In any other circumstance, she'd have done something to redirect his attention to her face, but she pretended not to notice and continued to follow him through the dance.
"Your husband seems like quite the risk taker." Zamora smiled.
His smile felt a little off to Gemma, but she smiled back. "Eli isn't afraid of much."
"I guess somethings are worth the risk."
The hand at her back slid lower. Gemma used her elbow to move his arm back up. "And some things aren't."
The dance ended and both couples met at the edge of the dance floor.
"Gemma, you need to distract Hannah so that Eliot can finish the hook." Parker kept a calculating eye on the monitors.
"Hannah, it was so nice of you to switch with me." Gemma laid a hand on Hannah's arm. "After all that excitement though I think I need to step away for a minute." She looked deliberately toward the ladies' room.
"Me too." Hannah turned and they made their way through the crowd together.
Eliot watched Zamora, who was watching the women leave. "I appreciate you giving me your card."
"Right." Zamora focused back on Eliot. "Just give me a call when you're ready to have that necklace appraised."
"That's the thing." Eliot glanced around. "I'm hoping for more than just an appraisal."
"And by that you mean?" Zamora raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure it's not something you could help with but in your line of work I bet you know a guy." Eliot glanced around again. "You remember when I told you that I move a lot of jewels for exclusive customers?" Eliot waited for Zamora's nod. "My insurance guy has been a real prick and I'd like to stick it to him on this one. If I had that necklace appraised but it was stolen in transit. Well, I'd get a hefty pay out wouldn't I?"
"And that has what to do with me?"
Eliot wanted to roll his eyes. He knew that most criminals were dumb and that's why they got caught so often but at this level Eliot was hoping for just a little more brains. "If the necklace that was stolen was a fake and the real necklace went into the customer's hands then…" Eliot shrugged.
"And what kind of reimbursement are you offering for that kind of thing?"
"Thirty percent?" Eliot raised an eyebrow. He could see the image of the necklace hanging in Zamora's imagination.
"Then I'm your guy." Zamora held a hand out to shake on the deal.
"I'll call you after Christmas." Eliot clamped down on Zamora's hand tighter than was necessary, he'd seen Zamora's attempt to get handsy with Gemma on the dance floor.
"In two days then." Zamora subtly tried to shake the feeling back into his hand.