Cat Burglar in Training (10 page)

I was in mortal danger of losing what little control remained. My breasts ached, my nipples rubbing against the silky fabric of my dress in a silent demand to yield. I kept my thoughts north of my waist. To wander any farther equaled sheer madness. I valiantly ignored the masculine hardness pressing against my belly. He’d already stated his wants. His body only reinforced his words.

Slow. He did everything at an unhurried pace. A problem since my body had plenty of time to savor and appreciate. It hijacked me, giving my brain no chance to exert control over the lust fogging my good sense.

“Is she out there?”

I gasped deep down in my throat and wrenched my lips away from Kahu’s. Resentment made me frown, and I yanked my hands away from Kahu to ball them into fists at my sides. One romantic interlude about to come to a screeching halt. We stepped from the shadows.

“Eve! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Father marched up to us and fixed me with an accusing glower. Seconds later, Ben stood beside him. Two of the terrible trio scowled at me, unable to do more without tipping their hand to the enemy. They looked like irritable penguins in their evening finery.

“Did you want something?” I asked.

“I wanted to introduce you to our new neighbors,” Father said.

Check
.

“And Josephine Montgomery is looking for you,” Ben said. “She wants you to model in her charity fashion parade in two weeks. One of her models has broken her leg and she needs a replacement.”

Checkmate
.

There was no way I could afford to turn down the research opportunity. Sighing, I turned to Kahu in apology.

“It’s all right.” His gaze brushed my lips, bringing a rush of heat to my face. “Next time.” With a last intimate smile, he walked away, disappearing into the ballroom.

“What were you doing with him? I thought we’d decided he was too dangerous,” Father snapped.

“Don’t hold back on my account,” I said, folding my arms across my tingling breasts.

“Give her a chance, Charles. Let Eve explain before you bawl her out.”

“Thank you.” I didn’t bother holding back my sarcasm. “I was kissing him because he’s sexy.”

Father held his hands up, palms facing me in a definite stop signal. Time for business. I checked for potential eavesdroppers and made my report about the list of possible targets. I tried to ignore the twinge of conscience, finally shoving my scruples aside when I recalled the fat man pointing a finger gun at me and Amber. Needs must.

Father and Ben nodded at several of the names, and I presumed I’d done okay.

“Some of the guests are staying here overnight,” I said in a low voice. “You know what these balls are like. They’ll make a weekend of it. The women will have their jewels on show, but I’m betting the security won’t be as good as what they have at home. Would it be possible to hit here over the weekend?”

In the faint light spilling from the ballroom, I saw the gleam of excitement in Father’s eyes and the faint wash of it in his cheeks.

“I bet some of the women brought several outfits with them along with matching jewelry and accessories,” Ben said, looking to Father. “What do you think? Send Eve to look and maybe grab a few goodies tonight?”

“No,” Father said. “The copper is interested in you. If he sees you leave the ballroom, he’s liable to follow. Ben and I can handle this one.”

A protest formed at my lips and died. The idea of climbing and creeping didn’t exactly thrill me much. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m a bit stiff,” he admitted. “But we don’t have to do any climbing. We’re already inside. All we need to do is find jewels and pocket them. Then we can walk out as calmly as you please.”

“Okay.” Father was capable and since Ben was present to help, they’d get the job done more quickly than I could with the danger of Kahu appearing out of the woodwork. “The only thing that worries me is if the police question the guests once the crime is discovered.”

“Ben’s not on the guest list. I’ve noticed a few others who don’t usually get invitations to private balls.”

He was right. The ballroom was full to capacity. In old-fashioned terms—a squeeze. “All right. How long do you think it will take?”

Father smirked. “Not long. I’ve been here before. Let’s say I know one of the ladies of the house rather well.”

“Whoa,” I said, holding my hands in front of me.

Although trepidation wafted through me at the thought of letting Father and Ben do the job, I forced myself to let them merge into the crowd. I’d witnessed how excited Father was at being useful. Meanwhile, I needed to find Mrs. Montgomery before she decided to give my spot to someone else.

During the next hour, I resisted the urge to glance at my watch every five minutes. I accepted several requests to dance but never danced with the same man twice. I didn’t intend anyone to receive any mixed messages. My current partner and I traversed the dance floor in a sedate waltz that suited my bruises just fine. He asked me a question right when I spied Father and Ben arrive at the double doors leading into the ballroom.

“Eve?” The man prodded for my attention.

I gave him an absent smile while I craned my neck to check out their faces during the next twirl. Had they been successful? At least I knew they hadn’t been caught in the act.

“Eve?” the man asked again.

“Yes,” I replied still trying to decide if the venture had garnered jewels.

“Great!” The jubilation in my partner’s voice snagged my undivided attention. What had I agreed to?

“I’ll ring you with the details closer to the time. You’re at Oakthorpe, right?”

Sighing, I resigned myself to what sounded like a date with the man who still remained nameless. I stepped into the blonde-bimbo act that I was beginning to really loathe. “That’s right. I’ll look forward to the call. What date did you say? I’ll note it in my calendar. Um…as long as it’s free, of course.” Oh, what a tangled web we weave. The timeworn saying fit like my favorite pair of formal black heels.

The music came to an end.

“Another dance?” my partner asked.

“I’m sorry,” I said, determined to be gracious in my defeat. “I promised this dance to Seth. And I see my father wants me for something.” I wriggled my fingers in Father’s direction and let a tinkling laugh loose.

“I’ll call or text you,” he repeated. “Your number?”

All I could do was grit my teeth and smile. I rattled off my number, and he plugged it into his phone. As I walked over to join Father and Ben, the band leader announced supper was ready in the adjacent room.

“I think I might go home,” Father said, raising his voice.

“Don’t you want to stay for supper?” I’d caught on to his ploy and the heady taste of success brought lightness to my step. “Don’t you feel well?”

“What do you expect? I’m old, aren’t I?” he asked in a testy voice.

I pasted on a bright smile and silently acknowledged the sympathy of the woman beside me. “Would you like me to come home with you?”

“I’d never hear the end of it,” Father muttered, playing the grump to the fullest for his audience. “Stay and enjoy yourself. Ben will drive me home.”

“If you’re sure.” I brushed a kiss over his cheek and smiled at Ben. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Father and Ben departed the ballroom, Father walking in a slow, almost agonized gait, giving the appearance of extreme pain. He was good.

I trailed the rest of the guests into the room where they’d served supper. The first person I saw was Seth. He was talking to Kahu of all people.
Live dangerously. Why not?
I sailed over to them with a vapid grin on my face.

Kahu grinned. “You’re wearing your bimbo smile. Who’s been annoying you?”

My mouth dropped open in shock and both men chuckled. In other circumstances, it might have been funny, but today, it was downright dangerous. Was I that easy to read?

“My bracelet!” A middle-aged woman, dressed in a black gown that might have been fashionable thirty years ago, swung around in a rapid circle. “I’ve lost my bracelet. Do you see it on the floor?” she asked the circle of friends who stood nearby.

I checked the area around us but saw nothing because people kept moving. Instead of searching the floor again, I watched the ball attendees. No one looked guilty.

“Behold the drama queen,” a bored voice said.

I turned my head to see Jemima. She seemed happier than when I’d seen her earlier, and the glint of triumph in her eyes made me curious. A man?

“Lord, I hope they have some decent food. I’m starving.”

“Well, stay away from chocolate,” I said, waving my forefinger in the air in a chiding manner. We stared at each other for a moment before grinning.

“What’s the joke?”

Octopus Beauchamp. That’s all I needed right now when both Seth and Kahu were busy helping the hysterical woman look for her bracelet. A hand smoothed over my bottom, and I reacted instantly, shifting my high heel and placing it squarely in the middle of a highly polished black shoe. Beauchamp let out an unmanly squawk. A faint wash of color stained his cheeks.

Jemima caught my eye and smirked. I grinned back, enjoying the moment. I was starting to like this girl even though she watched my chocolate intake.

“Shall we?” She indicated the clear path to the buffet table.

“Definitely,” I chirped, firmly in my dizzy blonde persona. “You know, I might risk something chocolate. That man leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.”

“That’s not all he wants to put in your mouth,” Jemima retorted.

A gasp escaped. Not a lot I could say to that. Not a lot I wanted to say about that. I shivered at the thought of sex with Beauchamp. No way! We’d made a start on our debt-reduction plan. Other than falling into Beauchamp’s bed, I’d do anything to get rid of our debts even if it meant the Shadow became a fulltime commitment.

“What did you get?” I demanded the next morning when I entered the office, where the terrible trio was waiting for me.

“Good morning to you, too,” Father said.

“What’s good about it? Thanks to you I have Octopus Beauchamp sniffing after me like a…” I shuddered at the comparison that leapt into my mind.

“We scooped the pool,” Ben burst out, putting me out of my misery.

“Plenty for the overdue payment,” Hannah said.

My indignation left me in a whoosh of exhaled air. I slumped onto the upright eighteenth-century chair and took a moment to savor the small victory.
Enough money to make the payment and keep Amber safe.

“We need to get the jewels and the medals to London. Alistair will sell them on our behalf.”

“I’m working at a ladies luncheon in Knightsbridge today. I’ll have time to drop them off beforehand. Grace will be pleased,” I said. “She’s developed a liking for exotic travel.”

Hannah laughed, but Father and Ben were all business today.

“We have to hurry,” Father said. “Ben and I have to sort out our produce for the market tomorrow morning.”

“And we want to follow up on a lead we have about the garden thefts.”

I considered the robberies. “It can’t be easy getting rid of stolen plants and garden statues. Have you looked at the ads in the local newspapers? The online auctions?”

“Or the notice boards in the shopping centers,” Hannah suggested.

Ben nodded. “Good idea, that, Charles. We’re checking out the other landscape gardeners in the area. Rumor says there’s a feud between Janet, the McKenzies’ designer, and Carl Johnson from Garden Designs.”

While I hoped Father and Ben didn’t land themselves knee-deep in trouble, it was good to see the enthusiasm and dedication they were showing for their new direction.

Hannah interrupted my musing. “Do you have clients for me to check out?”

“Huh!” Ben snorted. “Clients. That’s a new one. Fat pigeons ready to pluck—”

“Here,” I said, handing over the list of names. No time for bickering or distaste at the idea of more stealing. Although we’d earned enough to cover the upcoming payment, the next one would fall due before we knew it.

Father waved a copy of the newspaper at me. “Look,” he said, his voice rich with pride and more than a trace of smugness. “We made the paper.”

“What?” My heart dive-bombed my ribs in a start of fear. I snatched the paper from him. “We were caught on camera?” I bent my head to read the story Father indicated: Thieves Hit Harlequin Ball.
Thieves stole thousands of pounds’ worth of jewelry while owners partied and danced away the night. Police are following several leads.

“What leads?” I asked in alarm.

Hannah reached over the table to pat my arm. “Relax. The police always say they’re following leads.” She nodded sagely. “Standard operating procedure.”

“That’s all right, then,” I said, but privately acknowledged I still had a way to go before the Shadow settled like a second skin. I could see myself remaining jumpy for months to come. Years.

Father retrieved the paper and scanned the rest of the article. “Emeralds? Ben, we didn’t get emeralds! Or sapphires. It says here the Monkton emeralds were stolen.”

“Do you think our mystery competitor attended the ball?” Hannah asked.

We stared at each other uneasily.

Father slammed the paper on the desk. “That’s exactly what I think, and I don’t like it one bit.”

I wasn’t keen on the idea either. It was bad enough dodging the cops and security companies without another cat burglar on the prowl.

Almost two weeks later, Montgomery House, Knightsbridge, London.

“These are your outfits for the fashion parade. There are two, plus this blue dress is to wear afterward when the models mingle with the guests.”

I accepted the garments from Josephine Montgomery with a nod, and she moved on to the next model. Jemima was one of the models too. Her presence was the only thing keeping me sane amongst the giggly socialites. The strain of pretending to be one of them all the way through a week’s rehearsal was working on my last nerve.

I joined the group who’d received their outfits.

“What are you waiting for?” Josephine Montgomery boomed above the feminine chatter. “Try the outfits on. If anything doesn’t fit come to see me or Tina here.” She pointed to her hovering assistant. The poor girl acted as if she thought Josephine would bite. Josephine scowled. Maybe Tina was right to worry.

“Come on,” Jemima said. “We’d better hurry or the old girl will burst a saline implant.”

I tried valiantly to restrain my smirk and failed. Jemima owned a wicked tongue.

We found a clear space and set our clothes down. As had become my habit, my gaze surfed the surrounding area, taking in the
objets d’art
—the paintings and anything remotely valuable that appeared portable. I skimmed the family portraits without registering at first. My gaze slammed to a screeching halt, and I returned to study them closely.

“Better hurry up,” Jemima warned. “Jo-Jo is looking this way. She’s frowning. She’s heading over.”

“Lady Evelyn!”

I almost leapt out of my shoes at the booming shout right behind me.

“Told ya,” Jemima said, scrambling into a suit that looked a size too small for her.

Feeling as if I were back at school with one of the nuns, I slowly turned. Cripes! Josephine Montgomery was a fearsome sight in full sail. Compared to her, life as the Shadow was easy peasy.

Summoning up a chirpy smile I said, “Is something wrong?”

“The fashion parade is this week. Not next month.”

“I was just coming to see either you or Tina.” My heart knocked against my ribs as I handed her a garment still enclosed in plastic. “This won’t fit me. Besides, this is so not my color.”

Josephine grabbed the bright yellow dress to check the label. “This dress is for Evelyn Walters,” she said in an accusing voice, turning her wrath on her assistant. “You’ve given her the wrong outfit.”

“And the wrong color,” I chirped, deciding to go for broke.

“Find the right dresses,” Josephine boomed again.

I swear every one of the models jumped and moved a tad faster. Plastic garment wrappers crinkled, fabrics rustled, and chatter ceased as Josephine Montgomery strode up and down the room issuing orders like a sergeant-major.

“Come with me,” Tina said. I noticed she had a strange eye that seemed to look over my shoulder instead of matching the direction of the other one. Weird, the way the single eye gazed at me. I regretted landing her in trouble.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Josephine makes me nervous. I chatter when I’m anxious. Can I help you look for my garments?”

Her smile lit up her face. “She makes me nervous too.”

I attempted to put her at ease. Her job was difficult enough without prima donnas. “Nice portraits,” I said in an undertone, unwilling to risk Josephine’s wrath again. But I didn’t see why I couldn’t take advantage and do some investigating. My lack of progress was making me irritable.

“They are, aren’t they? The photographer has a real gift for bringing out the best in his subjects. I was really pleased with them.”

“Do you live here?” I asked in surprise.

“Josephine is my aunt.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, indeed.”

We exchanged grimaces.

“So who’s the photographer?” I held my breath and waited for the info that would lead me one step closer to closure. “I’m sure I’ve seen other photos he’s taken. I recognize the beach ball and bucket and spade he uses as props.”

“Jasper Cooney. He has studios in Chelsea. He’s expensive and you have to book ahead, but it’s well worth the wait. I didn’t think anyone would manage to keep my niece and nephew still long enough to take photos.”

If I hadn’t been aware of Josephine Montgomery in the background I’d have pumped my fist in the air and whooped. Instead, I grabbed Tina by the forearm and squeezed it with gratitude.

“Thanks for the info. I hope I can book in Amber. A photo would make a great Christmas present for my father.”

“Tina!”

“Oops, we’d better hurry.” Tina cast an alarmed glance over her shoulder. “I think that’s the other Evelyn over there. Let’s hope she has your outfits.”

A few minutes later, I gaped at my assigned outfits in shocked horror. “Can I have the yellow dress back?” I asked in a faint voice.

“I know,” Tina said. “There’s not much to cover you, but at least it’s your color.”

My gaze shot to her face. Although her face remained innocent, her words sure as hell weren’t. My complaint had zapped back to bite me on the bum.

“All right.” I knew when I was beaten. “I’d better try this…ah…” I picked up the minuscule piece of froth and stared, at a loss, “…thing,” I decided finally. I squeezed into a space between two girls I didn’t know and dumped my stash of clothes on a chair.

“Are your clothes as bad as mine?” The brunette to my right grimaced at the ceiling.

“Worse,” I said eying the scraps of red fabric making up the bodice of my dress.

“I wouldn’t even wear mine to garden,” my other neighbor said.

“But you’d blend,” the brunette quipped.

“Yeah.”

“Do you like gardening?” I’d never enjoyed the digging and weeding, the backbreaking work required to make a garden bloom. There was always a chance they knew something about the plant thefts. Father and Ben had struck out so far.

The brunette shrugged. “Not really.”

“It’s hell on the fingernails even with gloves,” her friend said.

Well, there went that brainwave.

“Aren’t you changed yet?” Josephine Montgomery hollered with impatience.

The girls and I erupted in a flurry of activity. Thankfully my bruises had faded because the red dress fit like a second skin. In the crowded room, we jostled for space, tugged hems, and assembled acceptable hairstyles in preparation for our rehearsal stint on the catwalk. Several stints, in my case. I glared at my next outfit, a bikini that consisted of tiny triangles and bits of string. I had no idea what I’d done to Josephine Montgomery, but it certainly seemed as if she intended to make me suffer excruciating embarrassment. Judging by its miniscule amount of material, the blue dress wasn’t going to be much better.

“Line up, girls. I want to see the outfits properly.”

Dutifully, we lined up like a platoon of soldiers on parade. Josephine was the sergeant-major inspecting her troops. She stalked the line with narrowed eyes, stopping every now and then to tweak fabric into submission or lambaste the poor girl she’d halted in front of. Suddenly, it was my turn.

“Lady Evelyn,” she snapped. “The bra will have to go.”

The bra was the only thing keeping me decent. “My boobs will hang out,” I said, making an effort to keep my voice low and reasonable.

“Off with the bra.” She uttered the instruction in much the tone I imagined King Henry the Eighth would have said, “Off with her head.” Her set face told me I wouldn’t win. “I want nothing to detract from the diamonds the Marconeys are lending us.”

Jewels?
My ears pricked before I wilted inside. I could hardly steal the jewels for which I was responsible. No prize for guessing who the cops would come after first.

The night of the fashion parade arrived way too soon for Josephine Montgomery’s liking. According to her, we had less coordination than children learning to use stilts.

Personally, I couldn’t wait for the whole thing to end. The red dress filled my nightmares, both waking and sleeping, because sans bra it was downright indecent. The blue dress was just as bad, and I didn’t even want to begin thinking about the itty-bitty green bikini.

I tugged at the offending bodice, trying to stretch the material. “That diamond is going to need to be plenty big to hide my charms,” I complained to Jemima.

“Your charms are gonna be flaunted, not hidden.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Up ahead, Josephine Montgomery was summoning those she’d bestowed with the honor of wearing jewels. Honor.
Huh!
That was a joke. I ambled forward with the rest of the chosen girls, feeling a bit like a thoroughbred horse on sale day.

“Perhaps the audience will consist of only women,” I said, hope in my heart.

“I don’t think so,” one of the girls standing beside me said. “My boyfriend is attending. I know my mother was trying to get my brother to come along.”

“Great.” My smile was as false as the woman’s boobs.

She studied me with an assessing eye. “You know, you look like my brother’s type. Would you like me to fix you up with him?”

Did I look desperate? “Thanks, but I have a man.” Thankfully, I arrived at the head of the line and my thoughts and eyes were directed elsewhere.

The diamond was huge. I heard a soft gasp and realized the sound had come from me.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” The small man standing at the head of the line with Josephine Montgomery beamed like a proud papa.

I studied the sparkling facets of the diamond, the color and size, and nodded. Man, I’d bet this puppy would put a sizable dent in our debt. I sighed. If it went missing, they’d lock me up so quickly my feet wouldn’t touch the ground. Still, the temptation to lift the jewel simmered through me with painful intensity. The itching in my palm stopped me short. I was starting to
think
like the damned Shadow.

Now there was a scary thought.

The diamond felt cool as it settled between my exposed—mostly exposed—breasts.

“This is our most prized jewel so you’ll have an escort for the evening,” Josephine said.

Great. Not only did I have to prance around looking like an expensive prostitute, I got to have my own personal guard, which put a right crimp in my plans to scope out jewels worn by the well-heeled guests.

“I hope he’s intending to protect me as well as the jewels,” I said.

A tall, well-built man wearing evening clothes stepped up to my side. To the man’s credit, he kept his gaze at face level. Perhaps I’d reserve judgment.

Josephine clapped her hands and hush fell over the changing room. “Girls, your escorts will meet you when the parade is finished and it’s time to mingle with the guests. All right. Places, everyone.”