“This house was completed in 1884. There are twenty bedrooms and I swear, each piece of stained glass is its own piece of art.”
By now they were outside and Jennifer could fully take in the gray stonework and the dark-brown details of the windows and peaked roofs that really made the house come alive. It truly was a piece of art, but she knew her mother had an ulterior motive for being the walking tour guide. Once they were far enough from the house, Jennifer stopped. “Okay, Mom. We’re clear of anyone listening in. Want to tell me what we’re really doing here?”
Mel seemed taken aback. “We’re here for a wedding, right?”
Isobel got a glint in her eye that Jennifer was all too familiar with.
Mel must’ve recognized it too because she stepped back and shook her head. “Oh no. I thought we were here for an innocent, happy occasion.”
Isobel clapped her hands together and rubbed them in anticipation. “I’ve been setting this up for months and soon we’re going to walk away with the biggest payday of our lives. Get ready, girls. Our work is just getting started.”
“Okay, Hart.” Austin walked through the rows and rows of grapevines. “I’m here and I’m clear. It’s time to tell me the game plan because I’m not doing one more thing for you until I hear the whole story.”
“No one suspected anything?” said Hart without even a “Hello, Austin. Good job!”
“Since I’m not currently serving as grape fertilizer, we can be reasonably certain I’ve passed the preliminary round of tests. But this place is crawling with staff, some of whom are packing Glocks, so I need to know exactly what I’m getting myself into.”
“In a few days, the most exclusive wedding of the century is about to take place at that house. Greg Stranger is going to give his wife-to-be a special wedding present. One of his clients is lending the happy couple a necklace to wear on the big day. I need you to get that necklace and bring it to me.”
Austin ran a hand through his hair. “Where is the necklace being held? Is it in a safe? How many guards are there? What’s the exit plan once I have it? Do you have anything resembling a plan?”
“My plan was to put one of the best thieves in the world within spitting distance of the thing. If you can’t do it, just say so.”
“Going after a man’s pride is basically a nut shot,” said Austin. “Sure, it’s effective, but not very sportsmanlike.”
Unsurprisingly, Hart didn’t find humor in the statement. “I’m stealing a necklace valued at thirty million dollars, Miles. You think I care about nut shots? I want this done no matter what has to happen. I cannot overstate the importance of getting this right.”
“If you want to get it right, then I need something to go on. I’m good but I’m not fucking Superman.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Tell me what you need and I’ll do the best I can to get it to you.”
“The basics is a blueprint of the place. And not just the layout. I’m talking duct work and electrical.”
“You thinking about climbing around in air ducts? I thought that was only in the movies.”
Austin wished. “It’s a thing and trust me there’s a lot more dust than you see in the movies. In a place this size, I’d never fit, but most rooms, especially vaults that house priceless items, require adequate ventilation. The schematics will give us an idea of where to look.”
“Is that it?”
“Hard to know what I’ll need when I don’t know what I’m breaking into. I’ll keep you updated.”
“How is it looking? Did anyone seem suspicious of you?”
There was the cop paranoia he was expecting. “I’m fitting right in here, Hart. Thieves like us can fit in anywhere.”
“I’m not a thief.”
Austin snorted. He really hated the situation he was in, but giving Hart shit about his moral compass might make up for all the trouble. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, boss. I’m sure we’ll have a long talk about what you really are once we’re sharing a table in hell.”
“Keep me updated on your progress. I’ll email you the schematics once I get them.” Hart hung up.
Austin shook his head as he put the phone into the pocket of his black suit pants. The vineyard was pretty enough, but what really caught his eye was the private meeting between the Murray women about seventy yards out.
He couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but whatever it was, it was intense. Jennifer didn’t even seem to know he was there. If he was going to pull this off, he couldn’t have someone wandering into his room at all hours of the night. Maybe he could tell her he had a wife and kids at home. She was persistent, but she didn’t seem unreasonable.
He never should’ve gotten into this situation in the first place, but some temptations were too hard to resist. He resisted the urge to walk toward whatever intense conversation they were having like his curiosity demanded. He knew he had more important things to be curious about than family drama. He continued down the rows of vines, trying to get a good idea for the size of the place. The thinly spread out vines offered shit for cover. If he had to make a run for it, he’d better hope there was bad lighting because there was nowhere to hide out this way.
The vineyard stretched out as far as he could see. If he had to run, he’d want to get out as quickly as possible, so he turned and went in the direction of the road. A car would be the best way to make a fast escape. It should be easy enough to slip into an unsuspecting guest’s room and swipe the keys. If he played his cards right, he’d be gone hours before anyone knew something was wrong.
That was one of the best things about his cover. Once he had that paperwork signed, he could really do whatever the hell he wanted. No one would notice the missing lawyer.
The sun was getting low in the sky and he had to squint to get a good idea of the area. He followed the driveway until he could just make out the front gate.
The limo driver had buzzed in to get in, and Austin was willing to bet that the gate didn’t automatically open when someone was leaving. Which meant that if he was taking the car out, he’d need to get the gate open.
First things first. He needed to know what kind of gate it was. He got a little closer and then took out his phone. He could probably take pictures and not raise too much suspicion, but considering those guards Stranger already had on the property, he’d prefer to not be on anyone’s radar. But there was one thing that came out of this social media-obsessed culture that was never threatening: selfies.
Austin took out his phone and turned on the camera. He didn’t turn on the front-facing camera, because that took pictures at a lower quality. If he wanted this to work, he’d need to zoom in as much as possible. He turned his back to the gate and then aimed the camera as best he could without seeing what he was shooting and clicked away.
Once he was reasonably certain he got the gate, he turned around and took more selfies. Mainly because it made a lot more sense to get a picture with the vineyards stretching out behind him. Not that he had anyone to send them to.
He could show it to Jennifer, though. She’d probably get a kick out of it. He shook his head at the stupid thought. Jennifer didn’t give a damn about seeing some stupid picture he took of himself.
He walked back into the sun on his way to the house. He noticed a few cameras lining the driveway, but made sure his gaze never lingered long enough to let anyone on the security team know he was interested.
Definitely more than a normal level of security. But people like Stranger tended toward extremes when it came to protecting themselves and their possessions. Stranger knew better than anyone how easy it was to have everything taken from him. He’d made a living profiting off exploiting companies.
It was only fair that Austin give him a taste of his own medicine. He laughed to himself at the thought as he went back to the house. Who was he to play Robin Hood? No. He was in this for his own benefit. No one was ever going to accuse him of being a hero.
Instead of go
ing back to his room, he continued through the house until he could look out at the back vineyard.
Jennifer, her mother, and her sister weren’t there anymore. He shouldn’t care, but he really wanted to know what they’d been talking about.
“Mom, we didn’t come here for a job.” Jennifer kept her face as stern as possible.
Isobel just rolled her eyes. “I’ve already done all the hard work! I have Gregory right where I want him and all the pieces are coming together.”
Although Jennifer was mildly annoyed at the plot twist she’d seen coming from a mile away, Mel looked as if she’d just gotten slammed in the stomach with a baseball bat. “I can’t. I mean—”
“Nonsense, Melody. I know exactly what you’re capable of. If I thought you couldn’t handle this, you wouldn’t be here.”
Jennifer crossed her arms over her chest. “If she doesn’t want to be a part of this, she doesn’t have to be a part of it.”
“I haven’t been playing the happy hippie for four months just so you two can come in here with your morals and ruin everything. I didn’t raise you girls this way.”
Melody stepped forward and held out her hands. “Hold on. Mom, why don’t you tell us the details? Once we know everything, then we can refuse to help you.”
Isobel frowned and pursed her lips. She’d probably gotten used to Stranger being at her beck and call. Her daughters not immediately agreeing was a change of pace.
“Start with the beginning,” said Jennifer. “What is the payday?”
“A necklace. The Dragon Heart.”
“Let’s steal a priceless artifact that we can never sell. Great idea, Mom.”
Isobel gave her a knowing smile. “I taught you everything you know. Don’t doubt me now. I already have a buyer. Twenty million once we deliver the necklace intact. Split three ways, that will keep us comfortable for the rest of our lives. We might even be able to get your sister jeans that fit.”
Melody narrowed her eyes but didn’t say anything. Jennifer wasn’t sure whether her mother was purposefully being mean or whether she was just trying to provoke some honest reaction out of Melody. Either way, Jennifer wasn’t happy about how this was turning out.
“Okay. So there’s a buyer. How are we getting this necklace? Stranger seems loaded, but not Dragon Heart loaded.”
“No,” agreed Isobel. “But his employer is. His employer who had so graciously agreed to lend Gregory the necklace so his lovely bride can have a wedding that will put all weddings to shame.”
If they weren’t stealing from Stranger... “Who owns the necklace?”
There was a slight hesitation before Isobel said, “Jonathan Sterling.”
Now it was Jennifer’s turn to feel as if she’d been hit with a baseball bat. “Jonathan Sterling? You want us to steal from the Killion Group! They have the word ‘kill’ in their name. What do you think they’re going to do to us if they find out?”
“By the time they find out, we’ll be long gone. Why do you think I need the two of you? This will never work as a one-woman operation. Besides, we’re not going to steal the necklace. They’re going to give it to us.”
Jennifer had heard that before. And she was more than happy normally to work the cons but she appreciated lower stakes. Ten grand here and there. Her biggest payday on her own had been a cool half a million, which she had been rather impressed with. But twenty million was life-changing.
Even Melody had gotten a familiar glint in her eye at the mention of that kind of money. She’d been living on the straight and narrow for six years now and all it had brought her was pain and suffering. Jennifer could more than understand the temptation.
But she also understood something more. There was no final job. Not for people like Isobel. The con, the lies, the adrenaline: it was an addiction her mother would never be able to kick. “I can’t let you put your life on the line like this, Mom.”
“The only one putting my life on the line is you.”
Jennifer stiffened. “Excuse me? What the hell are you talking about?”
“I need you to be on your game for this. Not off fooling around with the first handsome man who looks your way.”
“I have that under control. It’s harmless flirting.”
“We don’t have time for a possessive penis to get in our way, Jennifer.”
For the love of— “Mom, I don’t have the hypnotic effect that you seem to have on Stranger. Please don’t get the two of us confused. I don’t meet a man and have them suddenly tripping over themselves to be with me.”
Isobel smiled and took a step forward. “Then why is he watching us right now?”
Jennifer barely moved her head, but she was able to make out the figure in the corner of her eye. Damn it, Lawyer. Why did you have to make things complicated?
“And we’re all set.” Austin tucked the papers back into Luther’s briefcase.
Isobel let out a happy little squeal before she turned and wrapped her arms around Stranger. “Oh, honey! I can’t wait to start our life together.”
Austin didn’t think he’d ever see someone so happy to sign a prenuptial agreement. Isobel had changed out of the loose white outfit and now wore an emerald-green dress that hugged her curves, some of which he doubted were natural. She was the kind of woman that you knew had plastic surgery, but hadn’t gone far enough to really know which parts were plastic and which weren’t. But it did make her age almost impossible to place.
It was hard to tell whether Stranger was cradle-robbing or whether they were the same age. Not that it was any concern of his.
“If we’re all set here, it’s time to eat. You’re coming with us, aren’t you, Raye?” cooed Isobel. If it were any other woman, he’d think she was flirting, but every time he made eye contact, her gray eyes, eyes so much like Jennifer’s, seemed to bore into him. As though she knew exactly what dirty thoughts he’d been having about her daughter.
He averted his gaze to the briefcase. “I’d love to. Where is the dining room again? I’ve gotten turned around at least five times since I got here already.” He inwardly smiled. It was always good to set up the lack of direction early on, so he could claim to be lost if someone found him snooping around.
Isobel listed out the twists and turns to get to the dining room on the first level, but Austin was already formulating his next steps because he knew where he was going. The dining room was on a different level and wing from his rooms, so it would give him a good excuse to scope out where the necklace might be hiding. Hart had sent over the blueprints to his burner email he’d set up for his burner phone and he had a few ideas where to look. Now he had to go by process of elimination.
“We’ll meet you downstairs,” said Stranger. “Dinner is being served in half an hour, but if you come down early, we’ll make sure your glass is full.” He winked.
“Be there in a flash,” said Austin with a fake laugh. Once he was back in his room, he unzipped the suitcase he’d borrowed. He’d lucked out—the clothes inside relatively fit him. He normally wore large, but the extra-large shirts were close enough. And the poor bastard favored black, which worked out even better.
All of the pants were too short, but Austin could stretch out the same pair of slacks all week. Now that Chris Luther was cooperating, his boss of the moment was on his way to offer support outside the walls of the vineyard. Hart had booked a flight to bring him to the area and should be in the state by the end of the evening. After he was local, he could drop any necessary supplies over the wall.
Once he figured out what tools he’d need to finish the job, he would arrange a drop-off with Hart.
It looked like this little heist might actually work out. Austin buttoned up the black shirt. The black-on-black look felt a little close to home, but it would do. When he was pulling off a character during his jobs, Austin liked to keep a strong barrier between the real him and the job. Clothes were one of the best ways to maintain that barrier.
But sometimes the job called fo
r a genuine Austin Miles. He picked his phone up off his dresser and went over the screenshots of the west wing of the lower level. That was his job for tonight. Clear that area. He dropped the phone into his pocket and ran his hands through his hair really quickly before he opened his door.
At that exact moment, Jennifer was leaving her room as well. He wanted to be upset about it, but damn it she looked good. Her dark hair was wrapped into a thick braid that stopped just below her shoulders. The black-and-white striped dress stopped right above the knee and showed no cleavage, but somehow it was utterly sexy to him. Probably because he knew exactly what she felt like under all that fabric.
When she saw him, her breath caught in her throat and he knew she was just as affected as him. Damn inconvenient, but he might as well play it to his advantage. “Good evening. Heading down for dinner?”
She licked her lips before she answered and he wondered at the hesitation. It had only been a few hours since he’d seen her last. What had changed?
“Not much else to do around these parts,” she said with an effortless grin. “On second thought, I forgot my lipstick. You head on and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
So that’s why she was standoffish. She officially didn’t want to spend any more time with him. Once again he found himself trying to remind himself that this was a good thing, but all he felt was annoyance once he was alone in the hall.
He shook it off and continued to dinner. Even though the house was buzzing with staff and guards, there weren’t that many guests yet. The three Murray women, Stranger, a few people Austin hadn’t been introduced to yet and, strangely enough, the priest. Bad guys really did like to pretend they were going to heaven.
True to his word, Stranger kept the liquor flowing, which made it easy to get to know people. Austin was pretty funny normally, but once someone was on their fourth Scotch, he became downright hilarious.
He’d had the opportunity to sit next to Jennifer, but considering their awkward meeting in the hallway, he gave her a break and sat across the table between Stranger’s assistant, Phillip, and his younger sister, Eileen. So he tried his best to be an amusing guest and rattled off all the funny stories that seemed like something that would happen to a guy trying to work his way up the food chain of lawyers at a promising firm.
The Cocky Thief (Stolen Hearts Book 1) Page 4
