That night sitting on the bed in Eyal's flat, Annie looking thru her Nicole Cohen's package, inspecting her family pictures, there was their wedding picture - great job of counterfeit but what got her attention was two pictures of her and Eyal together, not Photoshop, only her hair darken.
"You know about this?" Annie showing him the pictures.
"Yeah, come on Neshema, you are dealing with Mossad."
"How in the hell could I forget. Who is this woman?" Annie picking up another picture.
"I don't know, your mother maybe." Eyal looking at a picture of an older woman.
"They could have made her a little more attractive. Okay and I take it this is my brother, his wife and kid." Annie looking at the next picture.
"Whatever, we better name them so I'll know about your side of the family and very French."
"And you, what about you."
"I've only carry two pictures, both of you."
The rest of the evening, they laughed and joke, making up stories of their families and how they met and his proposal of marriage to her. Stories straight, they went to bed anxious about the next day.
Sitting in Eyal's Jaguar F coupé, his sporty car and one of his guilty pleasures, they watching Dolph as he leaves his office building.
"Clock work. Right on time to go meet Sandra." Eyal chuckling, "He should be gone for at least an hour or better."
"What makes you so sure?" Annie checking her briefcase to see if she has everything she needs.
"He is a player and look at Sandra, she is well equipped. She will keep him occupied for sure." Eyal opening the door to his Jag, "Give me ten minutes." and he slipped out, dodging traffic as he crossed the street.
He entered the building and found Branstrom's office was on the fourth floor with one of his jewelry retail shops off the lobby, also with a front on the heavily foot traveled street. Quick look around and he was ready, catching the elevator to the fourth floor and down the hallway to Dolph Branstrom's office.
"Good afternoon, I'm Eyal Cohen and have an appointment with Mr. Branstrom. I know I'm a little early but my flight from Paris was early, hard to believe a flight could be early." Eyal with his gracious smile and charming voice.
"Good afternoon Mr. Cohen but Mr. Branstrom has stepped out for a while, you can have a seat and wait." The cubby, middle-aged secretary blink her eyes at such a tall, dark and handsome man and smiled.
"Well now," Eyal picking up her name plate from the desk, "Sherrie Leesmith that is a lovely name has a ring of faraway places, maybe on the Mediterranean with blue water and white sandy beaches."
"Thank you." She said with a tiny blush creeping up her neck.
"Since I have to wait, come and join me in a cup of tea. That is why I love coming to England - for the tea."
"I shouldn't leave the office."
"Why, I'm the next client for him to see and I'll be with you. Come on indulge me, customer service." Eyal was at his charming best and smooth.
"Customer service, well all right." She closing and locking her desk, "There is a little place off the lobby and we can see Mr. Branstrom when he returns."
"Perfect." Eyal holding the door open for her.
She keyed in some number on the security pad and walked out, as she passed him, Eyal slipped tape over the locking tab to keep the circuit open as well as the door. As they walked to the elevator, Annie got off with her very businesslike attaché case and started down the hall in the opposite direction from Branstrom's office.
Wearing a gray suit with rose color blouse with her beloved stilettos and a wig - yes blonde hair, all reminiscent of her days at Langley, she walked until hearing the elevator door close, a quick look back to find Eyal and the secretary gone. She turns and hurriedly made her way to Branstrom door, another quick check - no one, she entered. Seeing the door to his office was shut, she could only pray it wasn't locked. She was on a tight time schedule and didn't wish to waste any time on picking a lock. Good the door wasn't lock.
Inside Dolph's office, she went about locating the safe, looking for the most notable place being behind a picture. Damn only on television could it be that easy. There on the floor was a designer rug but no floor safe. She standing in the center of the room trying to think where to look next when heating unit came on with a pop. It was her sixth sense working - go check out the unit and there it was. Only on one side was nice warm air blowing and nothing on the other.
Good, screwdriver in hand, she removed the grill work for the unit and bingo, the safe. Pulling the electronic device that was called Jack Cracker, she mounted it to the safe and slowly turned the knob, watching the flashing lights when the right number as hit. Okay now she had all three numbers but now needed the sequence. On the fourth try, she heard the tumbler click and she popped the safe door. There was a pouch of diamonds, bonds and money. She added a little something extra, cocaine - pure white snow from Africa.
She was about ready to replace the grill work when she hear a voice in the outer office. "Sherrie, oh Sherrie I have a special postal here."
Annie silently crawled under the desk and listen. Her open briefcase beside the chair in front of Branstrom's desk and the cover off the heating unit exposing the safe. A knock on the office door. "Sherrie are you in there?" Annie's heart racing, she was without her gun only her wit if the door open.
"Look ladybug, I'll just leave it out here on your desk." and the outer office door closed.
Looking at her watch, she had very little time to spare and went about putting in place another calling card. Picking the lock on his desk, some pot and smoking paraphernalia in the bottom draw behind hanging file folders. Okay the trap was set. Replacing the grid to the heating unit, one final check everything was as it should be, with the attaché case in hand, she went into the outer office, picked up the special postal that was left and listened at the door. Slowly opening the door to an empty hall, Annie pulled the tape from the door and shut, hearing the gentle click of locking. Leaving the package she had picked up at the door and striping her hands of latex gloves, shoving them into her pocket. Her job was finished, down the elevator, thru the lobby pass the café where Eyal and the secretary were having tea and out the front door to wait.
Eyal seeing Annie leave, "This is very enjoyable but I don't want to get you in trouble. Shall we go back to the office and wait for Branstrom."
"Yes we should and thank you so much for the tea."
About twenty-five minutes later Branstrom returned, late for his appointment with Eyal. "I'm sorry Mr. Branstrom but Mr. Cohen waited until a minute ago. Your elevators must have passed each other. Here is that special parcel you have been waiting for from South Africa."
"That's fine Sherrie. He is here trying to bring me on as one of his dealers and I'm not interested." Taking the package he went into his office but left the door between both offices open.
Meeting up with Annie, Eyal was anxious to hear how it went and the location of the safe.
"It went without a hitch and the added bonus of pot is in his desk."
"Where is the safe?"
"Heating unit."
"Tov." Eyal made a call and in Hebrew told everything was a go - the snow was in a safe in the heating unit and pot in the desk." Disconnecting his phone and smiling at Annie, "Shall we find a safe place to watch?"
"There is a small antique and art shop directly across the way, perfect place to view." She pulling off her wig and fluffing out her dark hair, taking of her suit jacket and replace the stilettos with sensible flats she watch Eyal also remove his suit coat and tie. Putting their clothing the trunk they headed to do some antiquing or surveillance.
Eyal and Annie standing outside of the antique shop, both very quiet when Annie sees an exquisite porcelain statuette. "I must take a closer look inside the antique shop, do you mind"
Eyal smiled thinking maybe things will be alright for a while and they could go inside to browse, put his hand on the small of her back to guide her in, a habit he had for treading ladies with respect. Annie was quick to pick up the statuette and have a closer look at a magnificent piece of art work in porcelain. It was that of a white horse, half raised on its hiden legs as if to lunge forward out of a sea in shades of blue and turquoise with gentle white caps. Eyal standing close to Annie with a gentle touch on her hand, "Very symbolic of an old Hebrew legend."
Turning the piece in her hands, "It is beautiful; there is a mysterious draw I seem to have for it." She turns the piece over to see if there was potter's stamp, "You said a Hebrew legend?"
"After the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and during the period of settling the different areas of God's promise land, massive battles would take place. The legend goes that great Hebrew warriors riding white chargers would rise up from the sea to do battle and protect the Israelites' families."
"What a beautiful legend." Annie thinking much like Eyal, her Hebrew warrior appearing to help her do battle. She knew what the mysterious draw was, it represented their bond.
"It is beautiful and delicate much like our relationship. Such a wonderful piece of art work that can be easily broken." Eyal taking the statuette from Annie's hand and inspecting it. He too felt a mysterious draw to the figurine but more from the Hebrew myth of great warriors.
Annie looks at Eyal and understood what he was saying. Looking back at the statuette she called it, "Lochem. That what I should call the colt."
"Let me buy it for you, give you a small touch of my Hebrew heritage." Eyal love his country and the rich and at times horrific history of being Jewish. "This will be my first true gift to you in hopes of many more, or a lasting memory of what we had or could have had."
Annie stood there looking at Lochem for a long time, not saying a word, then she took Eyal's hand and gave a little squeeze, "Yes we have had a few wonderful moments. Okay you can give me the horse statuette."
While he was purchasing the figurine, Annie noticed four police cars pulled up to Dolph Branstrom office building and enter. She was completely relieved that they were out of the office and concealed in a shop across the street. When Eyal came over to her, she pointed to the police cars, "The officers have gone into Branstrom place of business."
"Dolph is going down."
Two more police cars pulled up, Annie and Eyal decided to wait and watch for the antique shop. The shop owner, a short little man with gray hair and wire rim glass came over and watched with them. The owner said he was not surprised because Branstrom was selling counterfeit jewelry.
"Oh, you say counterfeit jewelry." Eyal turned to the little man with an exquisite gaze.
"He had approached me about selling pieces and passing them off as antique jewelry. He said we could make a fortune."
"And some jail time." both men laughing.
Soon, Dolph Branstrom was lead out in cuffs and officers were carrying boxes and boxes and placing them in the waiting police cars. The last police car to pull in had two dogs with handlers, and they entered the building. Dolph is into a little more than counterfeit jewelry and smuggled diamonds. Eyal and Annie grabbed a cab, as Eyal's car was blocked by two police unit and he didn't wish to risk asking them to move the cars.
Buzz...Buzz... "Hi Sandra." Eyal answered his phone as the cab reached the Soho neighborhood.
"Tell me how did it go?" Sandra was on her way to the underground station and her train ride home.
"It went down without a hitch."
"Does that mean I don't have a dinner date tomorrow night?" She was half laughing.
"You made a date with him?"
"You told me to keep him busy for an hour and he wouldn't leave, time was dragging on. Finally I had to agree to a date." Sandra laughing, "You know I had fun playing the vamp."
Exiting the cab and disconnecting for Sandra, Annie ask, "I'm trying to understand. How Branstrom going to jail for drug processing going to put him out of business? He has a major network and Lexington can continue reaping his profits."
"Lexington Global or Kyril Davy will not allow him to live much longer for fear he will trade information for freedom."
"So we have just set off a hit by Lexington Global on Dolph Branstrom." Annie admired the way Eyal orchestrated the mission without implicating Mossad or CIA involvement.
"Hmmmm... And believing they are cleaning up their own mess." Eyal was guiding her to a little pub, "Beer and sandwiches?"
"You're drinking more beer than normal."
"Trying to make my French/American wife feel at home." Eyal planting a sweet kiss on the side of her head. "We need to start working on the next phase."
"You like playing the married game don't you?"
"With you as my wife, it has benefits." Eyal giving her the sexy grin of his.
Annie thinking the wedding rings were starting to feel natural on her left hand. She had to remind herself it was all a game, all for the good of their mission. Happy the mission was multi-layered and could be lengthy. Order sandwiches and chips with beer, Annie having a time getting accustom to drinking room temp warm beer, just smile and drank the dark brew, stronger than the on tap American draft.
"What's next on our list?"
"A romp in bed would be good." Eyal back to his sexy quips.
"The mission Eyal. The reason why we are here."
"What! You've wounded me Neshema. Not sure I can recover from your rejection."
"Oh I'm sure you can recover and not take more than the five minutes."
"I don't know... Well maybe only a minute." Eyal chucking with the adorable laughing expression. He did love playing with Annie and most of the time she would get him back.
"Might take a little long wearing a wedding band." Annie smiling at her quick comeback.
Eyal looking at his left hand, "I forgot about that prop." Taking Annie's hand and rubbing her wedding rings, "Getting use to yours?"
"A little." She want to move on to another subject, "Let's get back to our mission - what's next."
"Prewitt Laroche - French art collector and arms dealer. Not a lot is known about him and tomorrow we'll start gather Intel, have a Mossad profiler starting putting together a précis on him and his wife, Josette."
"Why his wife?"
"She may be the art collector. If you as the art dealer going to get close to them, it would be nice to know which one is the collector."
"Me as an art dealer, ha that is a joke. Tell me how the profiler going to fit in?"
"As soon as we find out where they are, Paris or Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera, you will be leaving for a recon field trip."
"Hope it's the French Riviera. You coming?"
"No Neshema, you will be back to soloing. I'm going to working on Kyril Davy." Eyal finishing eating one sandwich and starting on another. "Damn I'm hungry tonight. Entertaining a secretary sure takes it out of you."
"Oh poor baby, he had to smile and play nice."
Laughing with Annie, "That's really demanding work."
"Guess I'll be headed to France sometime later this week."
"Possibly tomorrow afternoon, Mossad is very good at locating people."
"Then we shouldn't waste any more time here."
"That's would I love, an eager wife."