Perfect Heist

Chapter Nine

"Ladies and gentlemen, we ask that you please fasten your seat belts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. Our descent towards the Aeroporto Internazionale di Napoli will commence shortly." The voice of the stewardess woke Serena who'd been sleeping with her head on Joey's shoulder. "Where are we?" she asked groggily.

"Nearly there, babe," he replied, "but I expect we'll run into a bit of turbulence before we finally touchdown,"

"Doesn't bother me," Serena murmured, settling back in her seat and closing her eyes again, "but you can hold my hand if you get scared."

As the plane sank downwards, jolting and lurching towards the runway, Serena let her mind run back over how she came to find herself arriving in Southern Italy. She'd imagined, after the Paris heist, life would have settled down and she'd enjoy a peaceful summer in London with Joey, but it hadn't worked out that way. An urgent meeting, called by Percy one Friday afternoon when everyone was looking forward to going home for the weekend, had sent her on another heist. "My net-work of eyes and ears who know the location of every important diamond in the world has alerted me to a perfect opportunity to steal one called the Sorrento Star," Percy explained excitedly. "For the past sixty years, since she inherited it from her father, Signora Isabelle di Marco, the Countess of Sorrento, has kept it in the vault of her mansion overlooking the Gulf of Naples. She's now 93 and in poor health, so she's decided to move to a rest home for Italian aristocrats in Rome. She's about to set off on this last journey and - here's the thing - she's not going to be accompanied by any security guards. Her son, Alfonso, is furious about this and has been nagging her for months to change her mind, but she's an obstinate old bat - well known for it, actually - and insists it is safer to travel with it hidden in plain sight. In other words she only wants to be seen with her driver so nobody thinks she's carrying anything precious." He paused and gave a hearty laugh. "Except we do!"

"So do we hijack the car or what?"

"Hold your horses, Pearson, I'm coming to that!" Percy snapped. He paused in annoyance before continuing, as he often did. "The old girl can only travel in short stages and her second overnight stop is scheduled at a grand hotel near Pompeii called the Albergo di Monti Vesuvio. That's where we strike. You guys can do the job anyway you like, but you must make sure the honourable countess wakes up next morning with nothing in her handbag where the Sorrento Star used to be."

"Am I leading this mission, sir?" asked Brie.

"Of course not! Why ever would you think that, woman? Nico speaks the language, so he's in charge of this job. You okay with that, Nico?"

"Si, capo."

"Speak English, man!"

"Sorry. Yes, boss?"

"Right, off you go then," said Percy, waving his hand dismissively like a teacher sending children out to play. "Your tickets are awaiting collection at Terminal Five at Heathrow and the flight's tomorrow morning at 06. 50 am. Make sure you don't miss it."

"When will I get to lead a mission?" Joey asked eagerly.

"When do you think, fuckwit? With your new little girlfriend here tucked up beside you, you're likely to fuck up a mission!"

Serena looked down, feeling embarrassed, even though the gist of Percy's remark carried some weight of truth. The others stood looking at each other, not sure if the briefing was over. Percy made it quite clear. "Get out of my sight, you buffoons, and don't come back without that diamond. Go, go, go! Arrivederci e in bocca al lupo!"

"That means goodbye and good luck," Nico translated.

"We won't let you down" Serena reassured Percy as she walked past him with a pleasant smile.