Freeze (The Jewel Project #4)

8.1|| A Break

The flight had taken freaking forever and Kyle wanted to bang someone's head against the wall. Preferably Herrison's. Or whoever made the decisions for Herrison. It was already turning into a habit that their tickets would be issued and presented to them the day they left. It was also turning into a nasty habit that they didn't end up where they wanted to.

First Malta instead of India and now Lyon instead of Paris. Just what the everloving hell were they doing in Lyon?

"What was so important in Paris?" Jimmy asked, looking warily at Jerry who sat on a plastic chair in the luggage claim area, his arms and legs crossed.

The girls had wandered off to find a map or something to help them navigate outside the airport and it left Jimmy, Kyle and Billy facing Jerry and trying to come up with some sort of strategy. Jimmy had apparently chosen denial while Billy stood in I'm-going-to-kill-you-if-you-talk-to-me silence. Not that Kyle could blame him. Billy had even less information than the rest of them.

"The Louvre is in Paris. Versailles is next to Paris. These are the two most important castles in the history of France. The residences of the kings. That's why we should have gone to Paris!" very huffy Jerry answered, actually making a lot of sense.

Not to mention that Sam and Tom were in Paris and Kyle really wanted to find them. He'd ignored the danger they were surely in for long enough. And he also wondered if they'd actually managed to find the girls. But Jimmy's words also held some truth.

"Yes, Jerry, but think about it," Jimmy continued. "The Louvre is a museum, it's full of stuff. It's probably been searched hundreds of times. And considering the fact that the rest of the crown jewels are there, it's pretty improbable that the stone is there as well. And Versailles is once again too big and too obvious."

"Fair point about the Louvre, I'm not so sure about Versailles. But if not there, where should we..." Jerry started.

"Loire Valley," Kyle said, the lack of Paris suddenly making sense. At least sort of. "It's full of castles which were used as private or summer residences, so the jewel could be there. Though that doesn't really explain why Lyon. We should've flown to Tours."

Silence greeted his words a everyone stared at him.

"Where did that come from?" Billy asked, in shock.

"You missed out on the French side of the family," Kyle mumbled. "Max and Maman wanted to drill some French culture into me. They mostly failed, but I remember liking the idea of a whole bunch of castles following a river."

"I think I know what sort of explains Lyon," Jimmy said. "How about Avignon?"

"Fair point," Jerry said, thoughtfully. "It is possible that one of the kings may have given the jewel as a gift to one of the popes. We should go, just to make sure we don't miss anything."

"I think Avignon is actually closest to where we are. We should go there first. Tours is miles away and coming back afterwards would be a total waste of time," Kyle said and Jimmy and Jerry both nodded. Though he wouldn't usually give it much thought, since he was technically leader, he turned to Billy for his approval.

Except Billy didn't seem to be listening. His eyes were fixed on one of the luggage belts where a tall, curvy redhead was waiting for her suitcase. It took him precisely five seconds to ditch them and go to her.

"Um, what?" Jimmy asked in disbelief as he watched Billy striking up a conversation with the girl.

"What is he doing?" Jerry asked. "Do we know her?" He turned back to Kyle and Jimmy with slight panic in his eyes. "Should we know her?"