Written for the Jix CWC #1: Meagan and Janette's Blinking Eye Challenge!

Blinking Eye CWC

Chapter 10 � Trapped!

It was after 2:00 pm when that damn girl and her friends arrived at the large hotel east of Central Park.

After his failure at the United Nations to get the curly-haired blonde girl to sell him back the idol, he knew he had to keep following her and take it from her by force.

The impeccably dressed, dark-haired man slunk as far back as he could without losing sight of them.  Damn Blinky and his clumsiness! He had the perfect opportunity at the subway entrance, but was he able to retrieve the idol? No.

Luckily, the young people were so enraptured with the music and their surroundings that he was able to fade into the background, locating a table well hidden by several potted plants.

�They have a buffet here where we help ourselves,� he heard the one they called Trixie say.  Trixie. He cursed her name under his breath. Damn that girl! Damn her for buying the idol and interfering with his plans!

The dark-haired man scowled as the entire party went to the side of the room together.  If only he could get Trixie alone!  His dark eyes narrowed in thought as an evil plan began to form. He tapped his fingers thoughtfully, his thin, well-shaped lips unconsciously curling back from even, white teeth as the thought it through.

Risky, he finally decided. Only as a last resort. And if I succeed today, it won�t even be necessary.

It seemed like an eternity while the young group chatted and ate their disgusting American food.  Young people in this country.  What did they know of hardship?

From his hiding place, the sleek-haired man watched, cunning as a snake, hoping Trixie would break off from the group at some point, perhaps to use the bathroom.  His gaze returned again and again to the brightly colored purse tucked under her arm, but she never left it unattended for a second, even when she danced, first with the tall, red-headed boy whose head bent protectively over hers. The man idly wondered if the girl realized his feelings towards her, but doubted it when Trixie went from partner to partner.  Spoiled, silly girl.

He picked at the food he�d taken just so he wouldn�t stand out and almost choked when he heart two of the boys.

�Gosh, why should she have to do that, when she can catch a gang of thieves like those you told us were after the antiques in your show?�

�And show up Di�s phony uncle the way she did��

The sleek-haired man�s mouth settled into a grim line as his hand reached into his jacket.  He stroked the snub-nosed revolver hidden there, waiting until just the right moment to leave his table. Thanks to the information he�d gathered earlier from the obliging doorman, he knew the group was now headed for the Museum of Natural History. Perhaps he�d get his chance there, and this so-called Sherlock Holmes wouldn�t know what hit her.

Trixie and her friends finally left.  He pushed back his plate and rose.

�Excuse me sir, but we don�t employ busboys here. Everybody buses their own table.� The owner of the club, a man looking to be in his late twenties, was actually blocking his way to the entrance.

The sleek-haired man almost let the deadly anger overtake him until he remembered that he had much bigger fish to fry.  �Of course,� he said in an oily voice.  �Excuse me.  I am a foreigner to your country and not aware of all of your customs.�

�No problem.  Just dump it over there with the rest,� the other man continued, indicating the trays in the back of the room.

Barely concealing his fury at the interruption, he complied, not wanting to draw further attention to himself.

As he hurried across the park to the big red brick museum building, he found himself reflecting on everything he stood to lose if he wasn�t successful. He shivered, knowing it wasn�t just the money he stood to gain. Others were waiting for their share, and they were hard, ruthless men. They would have no qualms about killing him. He had to get the idol back, even if it meant the taking of lives.

He glanced at his watch and softly cursed.  The museum would be closing in only 15 minutes. He had to hurry.

He decided to start on the top floor of the museum and work his way down. As he stepped off of the elevator, he froze in the dinosaur room as he heard the now familiar voices, hardly able to believe his fortune. Maybe now his luck would finally turn. His mouth almost watered as he pictured himself holding the idol at last.

He skulked far behind them as they began to walk toward the alcove where the fish were exhibited.  He was about to take his chances and charge the group when it happened.

His heart sped up beneath his expensive dress shirt as he observed Trixie and her golden-haired friend dawdling behind, seemingly engrossed by a great glass case filled with skeletons of deep sea fish.

Like a jungle cat that has spotted a young antelope break off from the herd, he stealthily moved in on the two young girls. He smiled a terrible smile at their terrified talk.

�They�re gone!� Trixie gasped.  �Honey, some of the lights have been turned off! It must be closing time! Where did Jim go?� Her voice fell to a whisper.  �Did you see that awful man?�

The awful man�s smile widened.

�Let�s get out of here fast!� he heard Honey say.

He waited until the exact moment they bolted, stepping around the great glass case so that they almost ran in to him.  �It�s my little friends from the Peruvian exhibit, isn�t it? How lucky for you, you found me here!� He chuckled softly, and continued speaking. �It�s lucky, young ladies, because if you will only follow me, you will discover you are not to be locked in. I know a quick way out of the building. Just follow me!�  He grasped Trixie�s arm with one hand and Honey�s arm with the other and tried to pull them along with him.

It was to h is complete fury that Trixie began to yell for her friends. This little bitch was really asking for it. �Young ladies! Young ladies! I�m trying to help you!� he hissed, tightening his grip on their arms.  He thought of the gun only inches away and his face darkened with this evil intent.

His eyes caught the hazel ones of the golden-haired girl and he saw her shudder at whatever she saw there.  She had looked at him very suspiciously at the United Nations, he recalled, and he licked his lips before smiling in an awful way.

�Somebody help us! Anybody! Don�t lock the doors!� Honey cried.

The man yelped as Trixie�s foot found his tender shin and Honey�s free elbow caught his ribs.  He released them with a stifled curse just as the sound of hurrying feet reached his ears. Damn it, damn it, damn it!

The man smoothed his tie and set his hat at a jaunty angle, schooling his features into the bland, pleasant mask of a foreign diplomat.

The tall, redheaded boy burst in, followed closely by his friends. A worried-looking attendant hurried in, protesting, apologizing.

In the bedlam, before Trixie could speak, the dark-haired man addressed him, keeping his voice deliberately smooth and calm despite his boiling fury at another thwarted attempt.  �The little girls were worried.  They thought they were being locked in.  I wanted to show them another exit.  They became excited.  I only wanted to help!�  The lies flowed out easily.  Next time, we get her alone.  Next time...

�Thanks! We�ll take care of things here now.  Thank you very much.�

The man felt his hand clench into fists as the red-haired boy spoke the insulting words.  But knowing there wasn�t anything he could do at the moment, he bowed with exaggerated politeness, backing off, turning and hurrying down the hall.  He needed to fill the others in, immediately.

A few minutes later, from his vantage point out in the street, he saw the group of friends huddled together, talking in excited voices.

He dismissed the idea of following them.  They were no doubt returning to their luxurious apartment, the kind of place he could be living in if this group of meddling, maddening youngsters didn�t screw everything up for him.  He�d come too far and worked too hard to let that happen. This was by far the largest heist he�d ever been a part of, the one that would perhaps allow him to retire from his dangerous work forever. The one that would free him from any obligations, allowing him to at last live the life he deserved.  If only he could get the idol back.

He touched his gun and neatly straightened the jacket to his impeccable suit. If only?  No; when. He would get the idol back at all costs.  Otherwise, he was a dead man.

He stalked off into the night, ignoring the almost magical glow of the tall buildings that surrounded him, their windows blinking like diamonds as the sun sank out of sight.

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