Chapter 6

176 11 0
                                    


The real art of theft is not in the stealing. It's the selling.

That is where Doc came in. He was known for his ability to secure items his clients wanted for their private collections. They desired to own something, even if it meant it was not acquired legitimately. Even if it meant keeping it out of sight. The value of a painting or antique went down considerably once stolen. It became hot, unable to be sold on the open market. That didn't worry Doc. He knew he could still extract a fair price. If a collector was desperate enough to have a stolen piece, they were prepared to pay for it.

His real name was John Henry Holliday, but everyone knew him as Doc. His other line of work was that of master forger, able to 'doctor' a painting to make unsuspecting buyers think it was by someone more famous. Hence his nickname.

The client for Nicole's next theft was a regular, with a passion for small expensive trinkets. He normally made a request every couple of months for a new piece for his private collection. His latest indulgence was an Eighteenth Century snuffbox made of green chrysoprase stone, featuring an intricate pattern detailed in gold and diamonds. It had belonged to Frederick II, King of Prussia. Snuff boxes were used as containers for 'snuff,' a powdered form of tobacco. Popular in that era, those partaking inhaled or 'snuffed' it up their nose, delivering a direct hit of nicotine.

Value: $800,000.

The collector was as much interested in the snuffbox's original owner as he was in the item. It was said the King had a passion for poetry, the flute and men. He had a string of male lovers, mostly officers from the Prussian army. The collector desired to caress the box that had once been touched by the hands of this particular King.

Doc never revealed how he acquired a piece. He kept Nicole's involvement hidden, letting clients believe he was the thief. It didn't matter to them who was involved, as long as they got what they wanted. Doc did this to honour his promise to his friend about keeping Nicole safe. The less people knew about her, the better. He also didn't want clients going direct to her. He needed his cut as the middle man. Nicole was happy to do the work and be paid her share. She never asked how much a job was worth. Doc sometimes felt she would steal for nothing, deriving her pleasure from knowing she could take pretty much anything she fancied.

Theft was a two-day operation. The first day involved viewing the piece to be acquired and its location. The second was acquisition day. Nicole called Day 2, her quiet day, since she needed to calm her thoughts and emotions in preparation for her actions. She needed to reach her place of sangfroid - the place where she was in self-possession, especially under strain. Once or twice she had carried out a theft on the same day as casing a place. The opportunity presented itself and she took it. Job done.

Nicole would run through her movements for the theft, what she would need to bring with her, check exits for a getaway. She never moved quickly, it would bring too much attention. She moved slowly, even with a stolen item in her possession, often spending an hour walking round other exhibitions before leaving.

Small items are the easiest to steal. Easy to slip out of a case, easy to place in a bag, or pocket. If required, Nicole would place a card she had with her in the space where the item had been on display, which read:

Object Removed for Cleaning

Amazing how few people, guards included, question such a sign. So clever in its simplicity. So effective.

If an item was in a case, a small screwdriver could lever a sliding door off its tracks. A box cutter could slice open a silicone joint. For museums with older display cases, a set of passkeys, or master keys might be needed. Such keys were able to gain access to almost all cases. She had been given a set by her father. She treasured them. Invariably one of the keys could tumble the lock. A telescopic antenna could be used to nudge a security camera in a different direction.

Steal My Heart (WAYHAUGHT)Where stories live. Discover now