90

BRANDON

“Huntress. Do you copy?” Wolf repeats the signal three hours later while in surveillance outside the Le Fiasco. In the driver seat of my car sits Cary, and Stan is in the back. I hold a tablet showing the events going on inside.

We bugged and implanted a camera in Arianna’s purse. She’s fully aware of this, of course. The auction went on for two hours, and the party proceeded for another hour.

But the Huntress is patient and skilled. She knows exactly what she is doing. From the moment she spotted Silvanus, she approached him as smoothly as only an expert could.

She first introduced herself as Phoenix’s friend and built up some brilliant history about the items Silvanus was after. Spoke to him alluringly with come-hither lies and convincing compliments to pique his interest. She then challenged him to a bet and won some items, raising her bid to the minimal range so she would not draw attention. She fooled the evil cousin well, and when she had all his attention to herself, sh