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.On the countertop was an array of the remnants.An avocado pit, a few crackers left in a cellophane sleeve, the clear plastic wrapper off a cheese single, a scattering of walnuts.Rolling his eyes, he debated whether to make her clean it up.Sweeping the detritus into the garbage, he wiped the counter and ate a protein bar.She scooted her feet out of the way so he could sit on the couch.“If you’re to be an effective—partner,” he began, carefully avoiding the word ‘weapon’, “I need to know all about you.Your weaknesses.Where you’ll be a liability to me.So start talking.”“At least I don’t have to hang upside down for this one.Wait, I don’t, do I?”“That won’t be necessary.”“I’m twenty-seven.I’m a licensed medical coding specialist.I’ve worked from home for the last three years, prior to which I worked at a clinic.”“When did you start stealing?”“Five years ago.I worked at the clinic.My dad was sick and, well, he was diabetic and he never could make himself quit smoking.once you’re hooked, it’s damn near impossible to stop.Anyway, he was in bad shape.He’d lost a leg almost up to the knee and he had to go to rehab, which is a cheerful way of saying a nursing home, to do therapy.I was really struggling to make the bills, and this bitch I worked with was flashing around her new engagement ring.She was engaged to an investment banker and kept on about how much the loose stone had been worth.I thought of the fifteen grand in debt I was on my dad’s care and how she offered to let me try it on.I just wanted to slap her.”“So you took her ring,” Cain supplied.“Well, yes.But first I tried it on and looked at it really closely, and then I went to the discount store and bought a crap facsimile.Right shape, right size, and I swapped it out.It was so easy.It was like I’d been doing it forever.It was such a rush.I prized the stone out using tweezers and an embroidery needle.my fence would slaughter me if I told him this story.Whenever money got tight, I’d nick something downtown at one of the department stores off some rich lady.”“How’s your dad?”“Still dead.He never knew, of course.But I make donations to a diabetic charity in his honor.It’s kind of to his credit that I found my true calling.”“He’d be so proud,” Cain deadpanned.“Yeah, it’s like having a priest in the family,” she shot back.“Once I started working from home, I found my marks through the society pages.if there was a fashion show or a museum exhibit opening gala or something, I’d research who was coming.Their major jewelry’s pretty well documented online.It’s easier to hit the hotel in-room safes or search the handbag left lying out on the hotel bed.I’ve scored a lot of diamond earrings that way.Women take them off at events and stow them in a purse, and voila! Easy mark.Just wait till they have a spa appointment.I call to confirm their appointment time for a pedicure, and the receptionist always corrects me like, oh, no I’m afraid we only have Mrs.Willenbrandt booked for a body wrap at eleven, do you want to add a nail service?” She chuckled.“You’re awfully proud of stealing from people,” Cain observed.“Yep,” she said simply, stroking the cat on her stomach.“It’s fun, stops me from getting bored.”“Personal life.I know dad’s dead.What about Mom?”“No idea.She took off when I was little.No brothers or sisters.”“Boyfriend? Fiancé? Husband? Ex-husband?”“No to all four.”“Last serious relationship?”“About two years ago, there was this guy I met at the library.Total hipster, tortoise rim glasses, skinny jeans, vintage leather jacket.We lasted a couple of months.I couldn’t stand him going on about Proust.Excuse me, Prrrrooosht.“ She corrected the pronunciation with a giggle.“Did he know about your hobby?”“’Course not.We ate Chinese food and had sex.I think we went to a movie once.Maybe we just watched Netflix.I don’t remember.”“Not much for human intimacy, I see.”“I’m close to my neighbor, Carol.She doesn’t know about the jewelry, obviously, but I tell her crap I’m transcribing and she makes me try new herbal teas and stuff.We have lunch every week.”“So that’s your only enduring relationship?”“No.There’s Tico,” Riley said.“How about you?”“I already know about me.It’s irrelevant.I need to learn about you.What kind of men are you attracted to?”She side-eyed him.“Like I said, hipsters.Pretentious, scrawny guys who are smarter than me.The kind with impractical advanced degrees and an encyclopedic knowledge of some obscure jazz band or something.”“Okay.So you have a type.It’s unlikely anyone on the Ukrainian’s payroll would fit that description very well.Still, it would be wise to suspect anyone who falls into your path and is unusually charming or interested in you.”“Don’t stress.I don’t go for the alpha-male type.So you and the entire Ukrainian mafia are safe from my advances,” she deadpanned [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]