Your Favorite Crime

2. Eagle Eye

Tim was grateful that he had sat down when Lucy offered, because all of a sudden, he was a little dizzy. He eyed her critically after her confession that she is in charge of the robbery crew and not her father. The LAPD had been chasing the wrong person for years. No wonder she had not been caught.

"Okay, boss," he said and crossed his arms, "what kind of business do you do?" The office they were sitting in did not give away any details- no evidence of floor plans or schematics from recent heists as expected. It was clutter free aside from the plants crowding the windowsill. A very unexpected look for the office of someone who has stolen over a billion dollars in art and jewels...allegedly.

She narrowed her eyes and answered, "We're procurement experts."

"You steal things."

"Stealing is a crime. Criminal activity is not condoned in this house."

With a smirk, Tim realized she must be smart. Making sure if someone were listening in that she did not say something incriminating.

"Now," she pulled out a small black box with a switch and turned it on, earning groans from the other room. "This is a signal jammer. Cameras, mics, everything the cops might use to listen in won't work for the next few minutes so we can speak candidly. It also means no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth or anything else will work." Lucy sat back in the black leather office chair while still gripping the signal jammer tightly. "Tim Butler from Vegas. I've done my homework, and it sounds like you could use the money. So, you're gonna stay at the guest house for a few weeks. You're welcome to go anywhere you want and do anything you want, but there are 3 rules: Rule #1 don't even try going into one of the rooms with a keypad on the door, Rule #2 only come into the main house when I invite you over, and Rule #3 you're not allowed to do anything illegal while you're staying here. Don't even try to steal a candy bar. Do you understand?"

"And then what?"

"When it's time, you'll get paid and sent off on your merry way."

"How do you want me to help with your next procurement?"

"You don't have to worry about that. You won't be part of the job, but you'll still get a cut."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh honey, you're the very gorgeous distraction the feds will be following around. My real team are the people I can trust. They're the ones that'll be practicing for the big game next month." Her thinly veiled code was obvious to translate- the "big game" was her next heist.

"I'm good at what I do!" Tim tried to get himself a spot on the team. It was the only way he could be present to witness the crime taking place and arrest them...even if he would have to arrest the most gorgeous woman he has ever met. The one he had thought about for 2 weeks since meeting her.

"Is that why you were at the gallery? To case the place?" She asked with a satisfied grin.

"I'm not telling you."

"Good. That was a test. We don't talk about anything illegal unless a jammer is turned on. That's a house rule."

"Noted," he nodded curtly. "But, listen, I still think I can be useful..."

"You're very useful as eye candy," she winked. Then, she turned off the signal jammer, returned the device to a desk drawer, and rose from her chair. "Aaron will show you to the guest house."

"Okay."

She reached for the door knob but then turned around and asked, "Why did you stop to help me?"

"What?" He had not expected that question.

"The day we met at the gallery...I had car trouble on a popular street in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world, and not a single person offered to help. They just walked past me. But you, dressed up for a party, offered to help me...why?"