"Yes, well, let's just say I know a good buy when I see one. This case contains five million. I hope you don't mind, I took the trouble of bringing American dollars for your convenience."
"Five million," Bo said, trying to sound unimpressed. His heart pounded. That was a million dollars a man. More than enough to jump-start his new life.
"Yes," the German confirmed. "There are four more cases just like it in the car."
"Four more?" Bo blurted. It was rare for him to be thrown off his game, but he found himself nearly gasping for air. He quickly recovered, steeling his excitement into a hardened exterior. With a clenched jaw, he asked, "So, your offer is twenty-five?"
"Correct."
"And you haven't seen the product."
"As I said, I know a good buy when I see one. And I've seen enough. I trust my offer is adequate."
Bo's head slowly nodded. "Yes. Adequate."
"So, we have a deal?"
Bo smirked. "Absolutely, old friend. Pleasure doing business with you."
He stood and extended his hand toward the German. The man took it as he stood and then pushed the case toward Bo.
He turned to one of the guards and ordered him and the others to bring the four additional briefcases, speaking in German as he issued the command.
The two guards in the middle of the biergarten immediately stepped to the center of the room and trotted out of the patio to retrieve the items.
"Bring the goods," Bo said into his radio.
The car up the street revved to life, and within a minute, Luis swung around to the entrance of the biergarten.
The German looked back over his shoulder at the sound of the vehicle's engine and the tires grinding on the asphalt. "Didn't trust me?" the man asked.
"No, it's not that," Bo confessed. "It's just easier to transport that way."
The businessman didn't let on that he believed or disbelieved the explanation. "Let's have a look then, shall we?"
"After you," Bo said, extending a hand toward the aisle as he stood.
The two men walked back to the front of the biergarten and through the archway. Luis stood outside the car with his hands over his waist, doing his best to look professional. The truth was, Luis was ten times the pro compared to the German's guards.
"Luis, the trunk, please," Bo said.
Luis nodded and reached into the car. He pressed a button near the bottom of the seat and the trunk popped open.
Bo took a step closer and eased the trunk's lid up. Sitting atop the carpeted interior were five gear bags.
"Please inspect them as much as you like," Bo offered. "For the price you're paying, you can roll around in it for all I care."
The German grunted a laugh and moved toward the trunk. He unzipped the first bag and ran his fingers over a collection of necklaces, gems, and golden coins. He repeated the search with the second and third bags. When he came to the fourth bag, though, he stopped midway through his sifting when he found a large, unusual gem.
He pulled it out and held it up to the streetlight. The ruby was the size of his fist, but it had been cut in a way unlike anything Bo had ever seen before. He'd thought as much when he retrieved the jewel from the cave.
The ruby had the same conical shape as most, with beveled edges and a flattened top, but in the center of the top portion, it had been bored out to mirror the shape of the bottom.
Bo hoped that wouldn't lower the value of the gem, but he figured the rest of the collection would still fetch a generous price. He would never have imagined twenty-five million, though.
He watched as the German inspected the jewel, unwilling to comment despite the rush of defensive thoughts intruding into his mind.
"A most unusual piece," the German said, still analyzing the gem in the streetlight. "Incredible."
Bo hid his relief at the man's comment. "Yes. I'm not an expert in precious stones, but I've never seen anything quite like it."
The German drew a breath. "I imagine you haven't."
Was that derision in his voice? Bo wasn't sure, and he couldn't imagine why there would be. "So, it's good?" Bo asked, trying not to sound insecure.
"It's perfect." The German gently set the stone back into the bag and zipped it closed. He motioned to two of the guards nearby. The men immediately rushed to the trunk and lifted the four bags out, one in each hand, then carried them over to the convoy to begin loading.
The German swiveled and extended his hand to Bo. "I have to say, Mr. Taylor, this has been one of the easiest negotiations I've ever been a part of. I wish they were all this way." He twirled a finger around in the air and two other guards produced four matching briefcases. The men walked over to where Bo was standing and set them down at his feet.
"The feeling is mutual," Bo said. "Pleasure doing business with you."
"The same."
The German walked away, stalking toward his sedan. Bo kept his eyes open and his hands ready, just in case the businessman issued an order to kill. That command never came. Instead, the German climbed into the open back door of his car and slammed it shut while the guards finished stowing the bags into the trunk of the middle car.
With the bags secure and the guards back in the vehicles, the convoy drove off and disappeared around the corner, leaving nothing but the fading sounds of their engines groaning in the night.
Bo nodded and looked down at the four briefcases at his feet and the one in his hands.
He had more than enough money to disappear now. The whole team did.
"Mission accomplished, gentlemen," Bo said into his radio. "Time for us to begin our new lives."
He pulled out the radio earpiece and let it dangle on his neck amid a series of shouts and joyful hollers.
Bo felt their emotions, but he also
