The Crimes of Jordan Wise

'I meant it.'

'What would you do for more than half a million dollars?'

Her mouth came open. 'Did you say . . . half a million?'

'More. Enough to keep both of us in style for the rest of our lives.'

'My God,' she said.

'Would you go away with me?'

'Go away where?'

'Anywhere a long way from here. The tropics. Tahiti, the Caribbean.' She was interested by this time. Puzzled, wary, but definitely interested. Leaning forward in the chair, the tip of her tongue moving back and forth over her upper lip. 'If you had that much money . . . yes, I'd go away with you.'

'Would you wait twelve to fifteen months for the opportunity?'

'Why so long?'

'It's necessary. No more than fifteen months.'

'I'd wait longer,' Annalise said. 'I've waited for something like that all my life.'

'Would you make an unbreakable commitment to me during that year?'

'What do you mean, unbreakable commitment?'

'I'm not talking about dating. In fact, I'd want you to keep on seeing other men.'

'I don't understand.'

'You will. What I mean is a commitment of trust. Mutual trust. Yours would be to trust me to make all the decisions and to do exactly as I say without question.'

'As long as I knew what was happening and I had input into where we'd go to live.'

'You'll know. And we'll decide together on the destination.'

'Then yes. I'd do anything you told me to.'

'Would you marry me?'

Her expression changed. She said, 'Oh, shit, Jordan. Is that what this is all about? Some devious way of proposing?'

'No. It's part of the larger proposal, another necessary part.'

'How can marriage be necessary?'

'In order to make the rest of it work.'

'The rest of what? Can't you get to the point?'

'I am getting to it. Just answer the question: would you marry me for more than half a million dollars and a brand-new life?'

'Yes.' Without hesitation.

'Would you become an accessory to a major crime?'

Long stare. 'What kind of crime? What have you done?'

'I haven't done anything yet.'

'What are you thinking of doing?'

'I've as much as told you,' I said. 'Commit a major crime for all that money.'

'Steal half a million dollars?'

'Yes.'

'For God's sake, how? Not with a gun or anything like that?'

'Absolutely not. No violence of any kind.'

'Then how?'

'I have a plan. A detailed, mostly risk-free plan.'

' . . . You're serious, aren't you.'

'Very serious. Dead serious.'

She emptied her glass, got up and went to a sideboard to refill it.

I said, 'Do you want to hear the rest of it?'

'Yes.'

When she sat down again she looked at me in a new way, with a kind of awe, as if she were seeing me for the first time. Her face was flushed, but now it wasn't all the result of the wine. What I'd told her so far hadn't turned her off; she'd taken it just as I'd hoped she would. Excited, eager. Hooked. I could see it in her eyes.

'Half a million dollars,' she said. 'You really think you can get your hands on that much money?'

'I know I can. That's the easy part. The hard part is getting away with it, disappearing without a trace.'

'And you know how to do that?'

'Yes. I can get the money on my own, but I can't do the rest without help. Your help. There's no other way.'

She was too restless to sit still; she got up again and paced the room, taking sips of wine, thinking about it. After a time she said, 'We'd go to prison if we were cought. I couldn't stand to be locked up.'

'I won't lie to you,' I said. 'Something could go wrong. But I don't believe it will. Not the way I have it worked out.'

'Famous last words.'

'The risk to you is much less than it is to me. Even if we were cought, you wouldn't know the details of the theft because I won't reveal them to you; you could plead ignorance and I'd back you up, swear you had no prior knowledge that I was going to commit a crime. The most you'd be charged with is aiding and abetting. A good lawyer would probably be able to get you off with a suspended sentence.'

She kept pacing. Her glass was empty again; she drained the bottle into it.

'How long have you been hatching this scheme?'

'Not long,' I said. 'Three weeks.'

'Since the last time we saw each other.'

'About that.'

'So you could have me? That's why, isn't it?'

'Yes. For you and for the money.'

'You want me that much?'

'I've never wanted anything more in my life.'

She sat down beside me, set the wineglass on the table. Her eyes were very bright, like a bird's eyes, and smoky hot.

'Half a million dollars,' she said again.

'More.'

'For me.'

'Yes.'

'You're crazy,' she said and took my face between her hands and kissed me, hard. Then she drew back and her eyes burned into mine.

'My God!' she said.

'Annalise,' I said.

'For me.'

'Yes.'

'More than half a million dollars.'

'Yes.'

She kissed me again, hard enough this time to draw blood from my lower lip, pressing close, her arms tight around my neck, her tongue exploring my mouth. She was trembling, her body quivering as if controlled by invisible electrodes.

That kiss went on for a long time, hot and wet, her breathing coming faster. Then she twisted away and took my hands and pulled us both to our feet. 'Crazy,' she said again, and led me into the bedroom.

She had a marvelous body. Taut-muscled thighs, large nipples and aureoles on the small hard breasts, skin soft as a baby's. I was so excited that first time I came in less than a minute. She couldn't have been satisfied—her body was still quivering—but she didn't seem to mind. She held me with arms and legs, tight. It was a long time before either of us spoke.

'Jordan?'