Free Treasured Lies by Kendall Talbot Page B

wealthy, she also had impeccable taste. There were nine pieces in total: four bracelets, three brooches, and two necklaces. Each one unique, beautiful, well made and obviously incredibly valuable. Rosalina wondered if this belonged to one of the founding guild member’s wives. They were the elite members of Florence, after all.
    Rosalina checked her watch and couldn’t believe forty minutes had past. ‘Oh wow, it’s time to go.’
    A familiar noise cast a steady beat over the water and raised the hairs on the back of Rosalina’s neck. A helicopter.
    â€˜Quick, get this on the boat.’ She didn’t mean to yell but couldn’t help herself.
    Ginger didn’t question why. In a matter of seconds they had the chest back on the boat and hidden beneath the tarpaulin. But even as she glanced over the protective sheet, ensuring none of the valuable haul was visible, she knew it was pointless. It was obvious they were hiding something and if her hunch about who was in the helicopter was right, then he’d have no trouble figuring out what.
    She scanned the horizon and spotted the helicopter low over the water, heading straight towards them. The size and shape of the chopper left no doubt it was Ignatius Montpellier. How did he find them?
    A horrifying scenario raced through her mind. Alessandro! Helen!
    She jumped into the boat. ‘Leave the umbrella. Push us off. Quick.’ Rosalina couldn’t risk waiting another second. She had to get the divers up and get back to Evangeline now. What if that bastard had hurt Alessandro or Helen to find out where they were? She wouldn’t put it past him. Rosalina resisted the urge to voice her thoughts, knowing Ginger would become hysterical with the idea of anything happening to Alessandro again.
    As they pushed off from the beach, the helicopter slowed down. Within a few thumping beats it hovered directly above. The downward draft kicked up the water and pelted them with bullet-like spray. She snapped off the engine and crumbled into a ball, desperate to get away from the painful onslaught. With the chopper this close, the water spray was as hard at ice cubes. Her back took the full brunt of every pellet.
    When the assault eased, she assumed he’d either moved higher or drifted away and Rosalina turned her face and managed to look up into the cockpit. Ignatius grinned at her with a smugness that made her hate him even more. He tilted the helicopter and scooted away as quickly as he came.
    Anger flushed up in her like a heatwave. She was so mad at herself, despite common sense telling her there was nothing she could do to stop what just happened. Right now, they needed to get back to the yacht and make sure Alessandro and Helen were alright.
    â€˜Are you okay, Ginger?’
    â€˜Yeah. But shit that hurt. What an arsehole!’
    â€˜Sure is.’
    Rosalina kicked the engine into gear and headed towards the diver-below marker buoy. She wondered if Iggy had seen it. Maybe he hadn’t. The way in which he came, hugging the shoreline, meant he was a good fifty metres away from the flagged marker. With a bit of luck he missed it. She saw the divers on the surface and accelerated towards them.
    â€˜Did you see him?’ Ginger yelled as soon as the men were within earshot.
    â€˜Who?’ Archer clutched onto the side of the boat as it pulled up alongside him.
    â€˜Iggy. He just belted us with his helicopter spray.’
    Archer’s eyes shot to Rosalina and she blinked back tears. She felt like a failure.
    â€˜Are you okay?’ The concern in his eyes made her chin dimple. Unable to speak, she simply nodded.
    â€˜Tell me exactly what happened.’ Archer hooked his net bag, loaded full with riches, onto the side of the boat and then he helped Jimmy do the same.
    Ginger dropped the ladder over the back of the boat, and as Jimmy climbed aboard she told them what Iggy did.
    â€˜Do you think he saw us?’ Jimmy clenched