chant, driving the price of the Midn

elve? Twelve million to th

ar, her earpiece hidden by her hair. "S

nk's compliance algorithm fla

ten minutes,"

on," the auct

on lifted his paddle la

t painting. Intelligence suggested it contained encrypted data trails leading

ranson Reeves took that painting into his R&D lab, it would be

she whispered

on the floor

was bidding against him? He raised

warned in her ear. You do

on the velvet pedestal. It was her ch

dows. She grabbed a spare

aid. Her voice wasn't loud,

er. The pink sequins fla

idened. It was her. The woman with the gaff

entin. "She's trying to drive the pr

toast to her, then signaled th

om the bank: Transaction Declined.

in her hand. She couldn't go higher. If she bid and couldn't pay, she

ered th

eves for fifty m

ed. It sounded

burning. She needed to

time she reached the lobby, Branson was coming down the g

He was tall, looming over her, sme

pping with condescension. "For someone who had

dry, burning with a cold fire. "You hav

eople like you. You think if you make enough noise, so

rsonal space. "Guard that canvas with your life," she whispered. "Because thi

him, knocking him

ard the exit. He felt a strange buzz i

ou?" Quentin asked, a

es narrowing. "I want to know who sent her.

phone. Her hands were shaking

s for the Reeves Tower's climate control syste