Rogue Angel 49: The Devil's Chord Read Online Free PDF Page B

Venice’s six boroughs or, as the Italians called them, sestieres. Annja noted that Canal Regio was Italian for Royal Canal and that this district had once been the main route into the city before a railway from the mainland had been constructed.
    “The Ca’ d’Oro,” Ian announced with reverence from behind her.
    Annja swept her gaze up the Gothic facade of the fifteenth-century palace that had been heavily adorned with gilt. It had been built with a garden and courtyard. And it housed Giorgio Franchetti’s private art collection. She’d have to make a point to visit the gallery if she could find some free time while in the city.
    She loved Venice. No matter what time of day, the city always seemed to glow as if the sun were constantly setting upon the ancient buildings and water. So few cars made it a joy to wander about, and even the constant barrage of tourists in the major piazzas didn’t bother her. So much history surrounded her, she was a bit awestruck.
    “Off to find the treasure,” she murmured as they turned down a narrow passageway.
    Could Scout have become a treasure hunter after he’d been ousted from the University of Columbia? It was what tended to happen to archaeologists who couldn’t stay away from the dig and the thrill of the find, yet who needed to subsidize their income to survive. She’d gotten a sense from the sparse details in the dossier that she may be dealing with a treasure hunter. In which case, he may not specialize in diving but rather be a jack-of-all-trades. A necessity when country hopping across the world in search of hidden wealth.
    Speaking of hidden wealth, if and when the Lorraine cross was found, would Roux add it to his private collection of amazing artifacts, some of questionable provenance? Annja felt sure he would. They would have to come to terms about the ownership of the item if, and when, it was found.
    Having dressed for a cool day, she was pleased to peel off her windbreaker to reveal a T-shirt because the sun promised a warm afternoon. Cargo pants and hiking boots were de rigueur, and generally a hat when digging under the hot sun. She’d gone with a ponytail today and left the hat behind. If she were heading underwater, a different sort of hat and gear would be required. She hoped the diving equipment was in good condition.
    Making a right turn down an alleyway, she and Ian emerged onto a wide sidewalk edging a canal. Spying the boat named Piuttosto, their destination, she took a bridge across the Fondamenta della Sensa and went west until she arrived at the appropriate dock. Only one man stood on deck. He waved to her, but didn’t act as though he expected her. When she stepped onto the boat, he raised a brow.
    Annja offered her hand. “Annja Creed. Scout Roberts is expecting me.”
    “Oh, right. The babysitter,” the man said. “Name’s Kard. Not like the game, but with a K. ”
    “You work with Roberts often?” she asked.
    “Nope. This is the first time. But when a guy offers me a stack of bills, I’m on the team.”
    Great. So this guy hadn’t been vetted, apparently. But if he owned the boat, then he must have experience with diving crews. She’d cross her fingers for that outcome. It occurred to Annja that they didn’t even need a boat. They could have dived from the dock or sidewalk. But privacy was a concern, so having the boat would allow them to set themselves apart from anyone on land.
    “So how am I a babysitter?” Annja asked, leaning against the steel railing. Ian passed her and set down his camera equipment on a bench and began to unpack it.
    Kard shrugged. “Roberts said he was hired by an old dude who intended to send in another diver to keep an eye on him, seeing as how they hadn’t worked together before.”
    Roux had neglected to mention the babysitting aspect of this job. Annja was none too pleased. She preferred to focus on the task rather than on her partner’s character. Roux had never worked with Roberts before?