The Pursuit of Emma, Dave Moyer [best contemporary novels txt] 📗

Yuan Dynasty. It’s over seven hundred years old.’

‘And a very nice one,’ I said, not sure what this had to do with me.

‘It is a very nice one. Artefacts of this importance are worth millions. To China this jug is priceless.’

‘OK, so what does this...?’

Jack ignored me and carried on talking.

‘Can you see what is on the side of it?’

I shook my head, so he continued.

‘There's a Phoenix painstakingly detailed into the side. It has huge significance and importance.’

‘Is this what the Kozlovs want?’

‘Wait, let me finish.’ He shot me a glance that told me to keep my mouth shut and I listened.

‘The point is that this isn’t the only one. There were five identical ewers made at the same time. They were made to celebrate some huge event and each one has a different animal on it to represent different things.’ Jack’s factual knowledge was beginning to become patchy but he knew enough. He took a deep breath and I decided to risk a question.

‘So where are they kept?’

‘This is the point. For centuries they were kept in China. They survived thousands of attempts from people trying to steal them but eventually it became the Holy Grail for thieves. It became dangerous to keep them together.’ This was starting to seem important.

‘So in the 1980’s China decided to split them up. They were given to the most important museums around the world; one in America, one here in London...you get the idea. It was a gift to the world apparently and showed China’s strengthening relationship with the western world. It put a huge responsibility on the museums that held them and the security became state of the art. Nobody could touch them.’

‘So why do people want to steal them so much? Loads of things are worth a million pounds.’

‘Two reasons. Number one: the respect. No one has ever done it, so if you can, you're the best thief in the world. Number two: alone they are worth a million or two. On the black market, the whole collection together would be worth over seventy million pounds!’

I sat there in silence, taking this in. I was getting that sinking feeling that I only got when Emma was involved in things I really didn’t want her to be.

‘This is where it gets interesting. Seven years ago there was a scandal where one of the jugs was stolen out in Milan. It was missing for over a week before it was discovered. Then last week, another one was somehow taken in Paris. When they looked carefully at the one in Milan they found it was a fake. An incredible fake that fooled everyone at the museum, but a fake nonetheless.’

‘So what does that mean?’

‘It means that two have now been successfully stolen. I think the Kozlovs are behind it.’

‘Why? I mean it makes sense but what makes you sure?’

‘Because, four years ago, some of their known associates were caught trying to steal the Paris one and went down for it. It is almost impossible to get these out of the museum, let alone the country. The Kozlovs are smart enough to never get involved.’

‘So you think they need Emma to try and take them?’

‘I do.’

‘But why? I know Emma is good and all that but this is an impossible job. Why do they think she could do it?’

‘Because Emma was in Milan, seven years ago. I think the only person to be able to steal these is Emma! They must have found out that she had the first one and tracked her down, blackmailing her to get the others.’

Shit!

‘Are you telling me that Emma has stolen one of these vase things in Milan? And was then forced to steal one in Paris last week?’

‘Yes, I think so.’ He was looking at me gravely.

I tried to look at the bright side.

‘OK, so she's been able to do it twice already. Maybe she can do all of them and then she’s free. Right?’

‘Don’t you get it?’ he said. ‘It’s a trap. It’s win-win for the Kozlovs. Either Emma pulls off the impossible and they get seventy million pounds, or she gets caught and they get revenge. And even if she does it, which she won’t, do you really think they won’t just kill her? I’m sorry but it’s true.’

‘So what do I do?’ I was panicking now. Jack was right. The good news was they needed Emma for a while so she was in no immediate danger but how long would she need to steal the others.

‘I shouldn’t know anything about this, you understand. I have been poking around the Kozlovs and I managed to get hold of this idea. It’s just a theory so far. The force has no idea about Emma's involvement and, if they do see her, they'll just assume she's working with the Russians. They have eyes on the Kozlovs all the time.’

‘So they make her do all the illegal stuff and they get away with it,’ I said, boiling with anger.

‘The police here are watching the one in London, as are the ones in America and Amsterdam. No one will be able to get within ten feet of them. Emma is going to get caught if she goes near them. No matter how good she is.’

So that was it. They had known Emma had taken the first ewer and traced her around the world to force her to steal the other four. Somehow she had got the second one from Paris and now the police were on high alert. If I couldn’t get to her in time then she was going to end up in jail... or shot.

We finished our coffee in silence. Despite the wonderful food I was still left with a bitter taste in my mouth. I didn’t know what to do. I knew the Kozlovs were serious guys, that they were after something big. But this was huge. Emma could maybe beat one security system for a museum, but she couldn’t outrun the police, Interpol, the FBI and whoever else would be waiting for her to make a mistake.

‘That food was incredible,’ Jack said, breaking the tension.

‘Yeah, I’ve never had five courses before,’ I replied, trying to smile.

‘So what do we do now?’ Jack asked me. “

‘We don’t do anything. I could never have done this without you, you know that, but you've done enough. There's nothing you can do and I can’t put you or Rachel in anymore danger. I mean it,’ I said, ignore the shaking of his head.

‘I can handle myself and I’m here for you...’

‘I know you are but you've done enough. Seriously. I can’t have you losing your job over this. End of. Now let me get the bill.’

I grimaced as the waitress brought over the bill. Taking out a friend for lunch has cost me the best part of five hundred pounds. Ridiculous. It doesn’t matter how good the food was. Half a grand. Seriously?

Jack stifled his laughter as he caught a glimpse of the bill and raised a disapproving eyebrow when I pulled out twenty-five purple notes and dropped them on the table.

‘Stop carrying cash about,’ Jack said. ‘There are some terrible statistics about muggings in London.’

‘It’s OK. I’m armed anyway,’ I smirked.

‘Tom, tell me you aren’t carrying it with you!’ he whispered, all the laughter draining from his eyes.

‘Joke!’ I replied.

‘Not funny.’

We walked out of the restaurant and Jack acknowledged it was time for him to head back. He didn’t want Rachel to worry.

‘How much does Rachel know?’ I asked, turning to say goodbye.

‘Nothing yet. It’s better that way. When you find Emma and save her life I’ll tell her all about it.’

‘Deal.’

Jack hugged me and turned to walk away. I knew I had to let Jack get on with his life and stop dragging him into it. Soon.

‘Hey Jack. One more thing.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Do you know where the Kozlovs are? Could you find them?’

‘Yes probably, but they haven’t done anything wrong so we can’t arrest them.’

‘I don’t want to arrest them, but if I need to know where they are, can you find them?’

‘I think so.’

‘Thanks Jack, I may need that.’

‘Don’t do anything stupid.’ I paused for a second.

‘Goodbye.’ Chapter Seventeen

‘Time to man up! Time to not be scared! Any minute now!’

My new apartment wasn’t as large as it had first appeared and even then it had looked small. I realised quite how little it was when I paced around it for several hours that night. I'd left Startle before four and gone straight home, yet I was still pacing well past eight. I didn’t know what to do but I was getting used to thinking on my feet. I hadn't known how to find the locker and I had. I hadn't known how to get into ‘Raynmer and Stein’ and I had. This would be no different. I hoped.

I had resorted to talking to myself again. By seven, I was physically shouting out loud. People walking past would have heard me calling out, ‘Time to man up! Time to not be scared! Any minute now!’ It wasn’t working a great deal. I had no plan forming in my head and I was struggling to contain the stress (and fear). Eventually I gave my voice and legs a rest, settling down to eat a take-away pizza. Wealth had ruined me. I used to try being healthy but now all I was eating were fancy restaurant meals and take-away pizzas. I had even become a snob, refusing to eat pizzas from my local and ordering the dearer option from ‘Pizza Express.’

I fell into bed around eleven, no closer to working out what I was going to do. There didn’t seem many options. As I lay there in a sleepy state, I realised I needed to stop trying to change the situation and just accept it. That way I could play within the rules and find a way to win. The plan came to me suddenly. It was complete madness, and most likely suicide, but it was something. I swore quietly to myself at the sheer insanity of it but there was nothing else I could do. I thought deeply. If I was going to do it, it was going to take a lot of work and research.

*****

My sleep had been more disturbed than usual that night. I fell asleep pretty early, but was woken every hour or so by something. There was nothing in my flat and no commotion outside so I had to assume that it was me who was waking myself up so inconsiderately. By six I accepted I wasn’t going to get anymore sleep and dragged my body back to life. It seemed to be taking longer and longer each time I got out of bed. It took me a quarter of an hour to limp to the bathroom and it was nice, for once, to be greeted by a reasonable reflection in the mirror. My stubble was growing back though it wasn’t at a length to look bad yet and the new, shorter haircut was still looking good.

I had to run the water for a good ten minutes before it was warm enough for humans to shower in it. I was under strict instructions from Louis, my hair stylist, to only use