Unearthed Treasure Read Online Free Page B

David. “That hasn’t helped any either.”
    Chelsea pressed her lips together. They’d had this argument in various forms a few times since they’d joined the crew many months ago.
    “We’ve been over this,” she said in a low tone, a warning in her voice. “You didn’t have a security expert. The National Gallery is not some dodgy bank with standard items any fool on his first day can crack. My arse was on the line there. You needed an inside plant and I was your girl. I held up my part of the bargain, but we needed that extra edge and you know it. David is one of the best there is. We’ve covered this ground months ago. And again, it’s all lost now because…because why? You wanted to test me somehow?”
    “Oh, more than that, precious,” Kent purred. “And don’t worry, you and your man here passed with flying colours. As a side note, Thaddeus was watching you enter the Gallery. He had explicit instructions to wait until you were a safe distance inside. You were never really in any danger.”
    Chelsea merely lifted an eyebrow at this. She didn’t think Phillipe was lying, but in truth it was impossible to tell for certain.
    “Okay, so we passed, fantastic. That doesn’t change the fact that the Gallery is now crawling with cops. Likely the Board of Directors will double or triple the number of patrols. Add onto that all the really sensitive and most expensive exhibits will be returned or moved into the vault—which we’ve already agreed is completely impenetrable—and so it doesn’t matter that you’re keeping secrets and we don’t know what the actual target is. There’s no way to get at it now.”
    “Oh ye of little faith,” Phillipe intoned. He turned, gesturing that Chelsea and David should follow him. Thaddeus and Luke both moved when Phillipe did, heading for the work area and the five seats spread around the trestle tables.
    Chelsea shot a quick glance to David. His features had been set in hard planes while they’d argued. Now the main event seemed over she could see he had relaxed, albeit only a tiny amount. None of the others could possibly have seen the minute tell-tale signs, but she did. She also agreed the imminent danger had passed. They were still on thin ice, but she felt that Phillipe had found whatever he had been searching for between them.
    Kent paused a second until both Chelsea and David stepped forward. When he saw them move he turned and continued over to stand beside his usual seat at the head of the bench.
    Thaddeus and Luke had already taken their seats. A gentleman to his core, David paused beside his seat as Chelsea drew the strap of her satchel over her head, placed the bag at her feet and sat. Only then did David also sit. Phillipe remained standing.
    “In part you’re completely right, Atchison,” Kent said. His body appeared completely relaxed but Chelsea wasn’t fooled. It was clear that David didn’t believe the danger was completely passed either—his body remained alert and tense. Phillipe, in contrast, leaned onto his chair, one hand clasped around the backrest, one leg casually crossed in front of the other, the very picture of an indolent dandy of times past.
    “The Gallery, as I’m sure you’re aware, has a standard procedure for how to respond to such attacks like we performed today. Part of that is to ferry the most highly prized articles—those with mammoth insurance policies and delicate items on loan from notoriously volatile countries like Africa and the Middle East—and spirit them immediately away to be locked in the depths of the vault. As you so astutely pointed out, it’s damn near impossible, not to mention impractical for our purposes, for us to attempt entrance into that area.”
    Chelsea nodded when Kent paused, seeming to want a response from her. After her acknowledgement he continued, “What interested us, however, was another section of this procedure, where it explains in detail how, while they do triple security,