Free The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter Page B

coming into the museum. The time stamp on the image showed 2345. Light glinted on her spectacles. She took them off before signing the book the security guard held out to her.
    Niall was shaken. That bulky coat made it hard to be sure, but the woman on the tape looked a lot like Sinead.
    The tape flickered forwards, showing the woman going to Sinead’s office. When she emerged, she was wearing a lab coat with something in the pocket and her head was down as she fiddled with it. Ice coated Niall’s spine. She was very familiar.
    The woman walked to the Fire of Autumn display case. She had her back to the camera. Niall could see her remove something from her pocket, but not what she did with it. For long moments, all he could see was her slender neck bent with a tendril of titian hair loose over the collar.
    The door of the case opened. She reached in and lifted out the ruby, then turned so that the camera had a full view of her face.
    Niall stopped breathing. It was Sinead. There was no doubt about it. He had examined those spectacular eyes barely half an hour ago. Now, they were facing the camera, looking at it as if she knew it was there and was challenging it. Even those extravagant lashes were the same. She took her glasses out of her pocket, put them on and turned back to her office.
    Two minutes later, she emerged, wearing the heavy coat, with her hair tucked into her furry hat.
    ‘Have you seen enough?’ Günter asked.
    ‘More than enough.’
    Somehow, Niall managed to behave normally while he took notes, arranged for extra information to be sent to his computer, and took his leave of them.
    All the while, a voice in his head was repeating over and over, taunting him.
You have been had. Sinead O’Sullivan has played you.



6
     
    ‘What?’ Sinead took a step back as Niall advanced towards her. His grey eyes were as cold as the Atlantic Ocean in winter. He couldn’t be saying these things to her, not after what happened between them this morning. Not after that kiss in the park.
    ‘You heard me,’ Niall spat. ‘You’re a lying, deceiving bitch and to think that I fell for it. Where is the stone?’ He opened and closed his fists as if he could barely control his rage.
    Fear crawled up her back like an icy finger. She had a sudden flashback to the makeshift commune in Mayo – the man’s voice raised in anger and the sound of her mother sobbing, while Sinead clutched a small hand beneath the threadbare sheets of the single bed in the next room.
    She took a deep steadying breath.
Calm down, you’ve been through worse. You can handle this.
    ‘I don’t know what you mean.’ She was proud that her voice sounded steadier than she felt.
    ‘You’re lying!’ There was no doubt in his voice. ‘That’s just to start with. What about cheating and stealing, huh? Don’t bother keeping up the act. I saw the CCTV footage from the museum.’
    What had happened since he left? ‘Niall, I don’t understand. Calm down and explain to me what you saw.’
    He paced the floor. ‘Jesus, you’re good. Not so much asa flicker of guilt. I’ve dealt with some psychos in my time but you …’ He spun around to face her. ‘I saw the fucking footage with my own eyes, Sinead. I saw you take the stone.’
    She swallowed hard. This was a nightmare. She believed that it was a simple case of mistaken identity but Niall had seen the tapes and he had no doubt that she was the thief. Could it be her sister?
    ‘And to think that I trusted you, that I …’ His short laugh was full of bitterness. ‘God, you were good. Shy, sweet little Sinead O’Sullivan.’
    Like a predator stalking his prey, he advanced on her. Her heart thumped but she held her ground. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing that she was afraid.
    Niall stroked her cheek with his index finger before capturing her chin and raising her face to meet his scornful gaze. ‘Are there any depths you wouldn’t sink to? Would you have fucked me to make