Page 36 of To Catch a Sub

“Relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have been strained since this incident.” Landon picked up the story. “Saudi Arabia stopped issuing work visas to Thai nationals, which was a massive hit to the Thai economy at the time.”

“The 90s.” Andrei pursed his lips. “You didn’t steal it. You’re too young.”

“There’s no question about who the original thief was,” Landon said. “The mystery is what happened to the jewelry once it was confiscated in Thailand.”

“If the diamond I brought you is the Saudi blue diamond, returning it to the Saudis will have geo-political implications. Relations between the countries are still strained to this day.”

Rolf looked to Landon. “Your NCB has a plan?”

Landon’s jaw muscle twitched.

Hehe.

“Returning the gem without any information about where it’s been would be…problematic.”

“Wait, so she gave you the gem, but hasn’t told you how or where she got it?” Andrei asked.

“There was a story about a client who hired her.” Landon dropped his hand from her shoulder to scrub it over his face. “The client’s name just happens to be the same as a character in a book about a jewelry heist.”

Andrei cracked up. Full on lean-against-the-wall-hands-on-his-stomach laughter. He looked approachable like this.

Not that Colette had any intention of approaching him.

She turned to look at Landon, only to see him frowning, his gaze flicking from her to Andrei and back.

“And you believe she’s also the one responsible for the theft from the British Museum?” Rolf asked.

“Yes. She was an intern there at the time, but the circumstances around her internship were murky.”

“Murky?” Rolf clearly disapproved of the word.

“Murky,” Landon reiterated, though he looked slightly embarrassed.

“Not a precise term.” Rolf shook his head, but then looked at her. “A good agent thinks you committed serious crime.”

“I can’t control what your agents think.”

“You should care what they think.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t care.” She cared more than she should about what Landon thought. “I’m a certified gem and jewelry appraiser with a specialization in antiques and artifacts. Yes, I interned at the British Museum, which is where I met Investigator Malik, but he was Detective Malik back then.”

“You’re holding the information you have hostage to force Interpol to protect you,” Andrei finally straightened from his laughing-induced lean. “What is it they say in English? Game recognizes game.”

Colette’s smile was entirely genuine now.

“She’s going to give us the real, true information on where she got the diamond, so we can return it,” Landon said.

“Some information,” she said. “I’ll tell you what I know, but I don’t have a complete provenance going back to the time of the original theft.”

Once it had finally made it to the black market it had been bought and sold countless times. Three days ago, when she’d been hiding in a backpacking hostel in eastern Germany, she’d heard that it was on the market, and snapped it up so she could use it to approach Landon.

She shoved her hands into her pockets, and in her peripheral vision he noticed Landon noticing the move.

Rolf looked like he had more to say, but shook his head and finally turned away. “Come.”

Colette started to balk at the order—she wasn’t a dog—but Landon’s hand on her back urged her forward.

At the far end of the hall was a narrow black spiral staircase. She leaned in and looked up. It wound up and up into the darkness.