Steal My Heart (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 17

Dolls entered the room where Waverly was being held. She looked really scared. Dolls immediately felt sorry for her. He genuinely believed she had nothing to do with Nicole's less than legal activities. Her profile was clean. Never been in trouble with the law, no penalty points on her driving licence. She had only been captured once with Nicole on security cameras at Tate Modern. It looked as if she had been drawn into something for which she was completely unprepared.

She was, however, the best leverage Dolls had on Nicole. Dolls needed someone with Nicole's skills to help him fight a recent increase in thefts. He also needed Nicole off the scene. If she was capable of stealing famous artworks he didn't want her still active. Better to be working with him, than against him, he figured.

He placed his folder in front of Waverly, opening it to reveal a still from security footage at the Tate. He pushed the image across the table for her to see. It showed her and Nicole standing in front of the stolen Picasso.

"I believe your name is Waverly. Waverly Earp. Is that correct?"

Waverly nodded, unable to speak. She continued to stare at the photo.

"Do you know the whereabouts of this painting?"

She did, but Nicole warned her not to give any information away. To say nothing, or say she didn't know. She must never tell where it was hidden.

She shook her head. She wanted to cry. She could feel her body shaking with fear.

"Miss Earp. I will ask you again. Where is this painting?"

"I. I don't know."

Dolls slammed his hand down on the table, causing Waverly to jump out of her seat.

"Your girlfriend is happy for you to go to prison. Is that what you want?"

Waverly could feel herself becoming lightheaded. It was all too much. She knew Nicole would never betray her. She may not be able to save her from prison.

Waverly sat down, looking at Dolls. She couldn't speak. She didn't know what to do. The tears came.

Dolls left the room. This was exactly how he wanted Waverly to be. He knew she was the less experienced of the two. If he could put enough pressure on her, he would have Nicole.

He need not have worried.

Nicole had made her decision without any additional pressure. She needed to protect Waverly at all costs. If that meant working with Dolls then that was what she had to do. Only on the condition Waverly went free. That was her only request. She sat waiting for Dolls to return. An hour went by, then two. She was beginning to panic. What if Dolls had decided to go ahead and process Waverly? What if Waverly was already on her way to jail?

She called out.

"Hey. Somebody. Hey. I need to speak to Dolls. Somebody, tell Dolls I'm ready to cooperate."

Dolls sat watching in the other room. He could hear the panic in Nicole's voice.

He had her.

Dolls agreed to Nicole's one condition. He stressed, however, one double-cross, one wrong move by Nicole and he would put Waverly in prison. Minimum five years. Nicole nodded. She knew Dolls had her by the heart. She would do anything for Waverly. Even give her life if she had to.

Waverly was allowed to ring Wynonna. She sobbed uncontrollably, barely able to get the words out to say how sorry she was for leaving her without saying anything. How she had left without saying anything to Champ. How she had screwed up everything. Wynonna did her best to comfort her over the phone. She was crying. She wanted to be there with Waverly. She knew she had betrayed people she loved, but now was not the time to tell her. She needed to be there for her baby sister.

As soon as she finished the call to Wynonna, Dolls led Waverly to the room where Nicole was being held. He opened the door, allowing Waverly to enter. She rushed to Nicole, holding her as if her life depended on it.

"I'm so, so sorry. Waves. I'm so sorry."

Both were crying. Nicole unable to embrace Waverly. Her hands still handcuffed to the table. What a mess. All she could do was accept Waverly's arms around her. They kissed.

"Waverly, I need to get you out of this."

"Nicole, please. Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't. I love you."

"I love you with all my heart."

Dolls came in. Waverly was escorted from the room, still looking at Nicole until the last moment.

"Down to business."

Nicole spent the next four hours explaining to Dolls her methods of work. How she stole pieces on instruction. How she was never allowed to meet clients, or handle any requests direct. How her handler kept each side of their business separate.

Dolls was frustrated. He hoped Nicole would be the key to finding the people for whom artefacts were stolen. Without that information, Nicole's use was limited to him. He needed to get to her handler. Nicole was hesitant about revealing Doc's name and whereabouts until Dolls made it very clear he would send Waverly to prison, that night if necessary.

Seeing no other way, she gave Dolls all the contact details she had for Doc. Little did she know, this would save Doc's life.

Doc had much bigger problems to deal with than being pursued by Dolls. He had annoyed the Voi, a gang of Russian art thieves. The Monet theft had been offered to their gang initially. They didn't like people taking business from them. They assumed Doc was responsible for the actual theft following a quiet chat with the painting's new owner. The owner was now in intensive care at a hospital in Dubai after the gang's visit.

He needed to move fast.