Taking Death

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

About The Author

Taking Death

By G. E. Mason

Copyright © 2013 G. E. Mason

Copyright © 2013 Cover Design by G. E. Mason

This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual persons, places, things, alive or dead, are purely coincidental.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this Kindle book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without the expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author.  This Kindle book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited

Donna leaned back in her office chair as her last client of the day left.
The butter soft leather cradled her like a mother would a baby. She was an accountant for a small firm in New York City. He was a stockbroker who collected Faberge Eggs. Too bad. If she stole it, one of those would fund her next purchase if she wanted.

The problem would be where to sell it. She didn't have many good connections on the black market. They could fence any electronics and even some items slightly rare, but a Faberge Egg would raise a few flags for any good fence.

Except that she was pretty sure one of the eggs had been obtained by less than legal means.

She tapped her chin. "If I knew which one for sure, I'd steal that one. He'd never make an insurance claim on it."

Turning to her computer, she clicked on her favorite search engine. She typed in Faberge eggs, stolen and several pages of articles came up. Her client hadn't told her which one, but he did describe it. He seemed to be proud of his acquisition, though he hadn't let her include it on his worth statement. That led her to believe he'd stolen it. Or had it stolen.

After searching for a few minutes, she had a few pictures that she printed out. She knew her client's address and that no one would be home tonight after six.
He'd told her he was taking his wife out for their anniversary. She put the papers into a folder and set them aside on her desk.

Her assistant, Kelly, poked her head in.
A tall woman with red hair and freckles. "I'm going home? You staying long?"

Donna shoo
k her head. "No. I have about fifteen more minutes then I'm going to catch some dinner."

In Donna's eyes, Kelly was one of the sweetest women she'd ever met. She had no idea why the girl remained single. She could cook like the devil and had a big heart. What more could a man want?

"Drinks later?"

The pair went out every few weeks. Just to be two women. Not to pick up guys. That's what Donna like
d about Kelly. They'd been friend for years. She always knew that Kelly would never ditch her at a bar to go home with a guy. "Not a bad idea. How about eight?" Donna said.

"Usual place?"

"Riley's it is. See you then."

Donna listened to the soft footfalls of Kelly then turned back to her work. "I might have time to get it all done tonight before I meet her."

***

Donna slinked down the street past her client's house. She
glanced back at it then at the rest of the block. With darkness falling, streetlights illuminated the neighborhood. No one walked down the street of row houses. Everyone must be home for dinner or not coming home. She'd grabbed a burger for her evening meal then made sure she washed any remnants of it off before donning her leather gloves.

Dressed in black, she knew she probably blended into the night. If someone looked closely that person could see her, but if that same person looked out the window casually, she would not be spotted.

Secure in the fact that no one would see her, she circled the block on foot, coming back to linger in front of her client's house. The porch light on the brownstone lit up only the porch. The path to it remained dark and unobstructed by a gate or shrubbery. No hiding places.

To the left of
the house, a lighted alley led to the back. Glancing down it, Donna saw no one. With quiet steps, she entered the empty alley. The house next to her target had no windows on this side on the first floor.

No one would be able to see her now.

The back of the house faced another house, but no lights were on there either. Both neighbors could probably see into this backyard, but not if she was flush with the house.

From his file, she knew this client possessed an alarm system which made this job tougher than usual. Except that she had the code.
Or at least the app on her phone that would figure it out.

This job had been more work than usual, but the payoff would be bigger. She could replace her aging car with a newer one. Nothing too fancy so as not to set off anyone's alarm bells. But first she had to make sure she didn't set off any alarm bells at this house.

She picked the lock with a set she'd bought years before. The picks fit into her small hands easily as if they'd been made for her. With ease the lock clicked open. She had thirty seconds, but knew the panel was right inside the door. Her fingers moved quickly to detach the panel and attach the wire to one plugged into her phone.

She counted to twenty.
The light flashed that the system was disarmed.
Thank you modern technology.

The alarm company could probably give the owner the records that said the system had been disarmed at this time and date, but most people didn't thing about that.

"Besides, with his collection, he might not know the egg is missing for a while."

She thought briefly that her entry had been too easy
, but she shrugged off her suspicions. No one knew that she was a thief. No one suspected an accountant would be a petty criminal.

The egg collection sat in a locked room so Donna was not home free yet. Walking through the house to the stairs she hoped the owner didn't have a secondary alarm system.
Or a motion sensor.

No bells clanged as she slipped up the steps. The room sat in the front of the house. The owner had converted a large closet into a safe room.

Cracking her knuckles she looked at the lock on the door. This one didn't have an alarm system. She stood on tiptoes and felt around the top of the door frame to see if a key had been left there.

Paydirt.

The door slid open when she unlocked it. This room had no windows so she could turn on the light. Before she stepped into it, she used the camera app on her phone to look for cameras without actually sticking her head into the room.

She didn't see any. "I would have added another layer by putting up cameras."

Shrugging, she decided it was her client's loss.

The eggs were set in glass enclosed displays just like a jewelry store. Except none had locks on them. She located the one she wanted, slid it into a velvet pouch she'd brought then left the room.

She locked the door before returning the key to its rightful place. As if she'd never been there.

On the way out, she reattached the panel, resetting the code so on first glance the owner would not know anyone had been there.

With the egg in her pocket, she walked back up the street to her car three blocks away.

Hopefully the next weekend she could shop for a new car.

***

The crowd at Ril
ey's Pub never changed. Mostly cops which always brought a smile to Donna's face. She had secured the egg back at her house in a safe before meeting her friend and assistant.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary," Kelly said.

Did she look that guilty?
"I'm just happy with the client I signed today. Well, not today, but he was assigned to me a month ago and we were finally able to meet."

"Why? Not like you work on commission?"

"No, but I like a challenging client."

Donna slid onto the chair next to Kelly at the bar.  A jukebox played classic rock in the corner. This was a shot and beer bar. No fancy martinis. No drinks with odd names. Just good beer on tap.

Donna ordered a Guinness. Kelly already had a lager in front of her.

Kelly leaned closer. "Does he do illegal stuff?"

Donna chuckled. "Nothing like that. Just some investments and collections that need to be considered when he pays his taxes. That's all. Nothing nefarious."

Kelly looked down at the bar. "Oh, so you mean interesting for an accountant. Not for the rest of us."

Donna feigned punching her. "What's going on in your life?"

"Same old same old. Sadly. No guy, no future."

Donna's mind wandered as Kelly whined a little. She wondered what she would steal next. But tomorrow she'd meet her fence.

***

Donna strode into the pawn shop in a neighborhood she wouldn't normally frequent. The reason for doing business here was that the guy didn't ask too many questions.

His front business was legitimate. He pawned jewelry and whatever other items the down-on-their-luck crowd could get rid of when in need of cash.

A customer stood talking the clerk at the counter. Donna nodded at the man, and then slipped into a back room to wait for him. She had the egg in her purse, still in the velvet bag.

She picked up the newspaper checking to see if the missing egg had made it into the news. She'd checked ever
y day, but hadn't seen a story. Yet.

A few minutes later, a clean-shaven man
, Derek, entered the back room. "Hey, it's been awhile."

Donna nodded from her spot at the table. "I wanted to lay low for a few weeks."

"You're back now, baby."

She laughed. He rubbed his shaved head.

"I have a unique item this time."

"You always have unique items," he said.

He yanked out a chair, turned it backwards, then straddled it. The overhead light glinted off his head.

She pu
lled out the egg from her purse. Sliding off the velvet bag, she placed it carefully on the table. He didn't touch it for a moment. His gaze ricocheted from the egg to her face then back to the egg. He let out a low whistle.

"You really like to challenge me," he said.

She grinned. "It was a challenge to me, too. This was stolen from someone else by the person I stole it from."

"A little Robin Hood action."
He finally reached out and touched it. "Wow."

Picking it up, he turned it over in both his hands.
An electric clock buzzed in the background.

"She's a beaut," Derek
said.

"Do you think it is real?"

Derek frowned. "I've got someone who can tell me. Even if it is fake, it'll probably get you a few hundred. You'll let me keep it to find out?"

"Of course. You know I trust you."

"So there is honor among thieves."

***

Donna waited a night before burglarizing another place. This time she picked a penthouse in the Tribeca area. She'd met the couple at an art gallery. They'd bought a painting of an up and coming artist.

That wasn't what Donna intended to steal. Instead, she wanted the diamond necklace the woman had worn that night. Hopefully the woman wasn't wearing
it to whatever event she was at now.

This building was older and had no doorman or security system other than you had to have a key to get to the penthouse via the elevator.

She entered the lobby with her head down just in case she hadn't found any cameras when she'd checked the place out earlier.

No one was in the lobby so no one could identify her. She figured this one would make the papers and the cops would investigate. But after she was long gone.

Insurance would cover the theft and unless the necklace had sentimental value, the owners would not really miss it.

The elevator doors opened. No one stepped out. Donna stepped into it, letting the doors close behind her. Pulling out her cell phone she scanned the electronic lock that was similar to a hotel door lock. Without much ado, her app unlocked the penthouse and up the elevator went.

The door opened directly into the penthouse which had views across the Hudson. She paused to look at the lights from New Jersey. She hoped to live in a place like this someday.

"That's quite a view."

Donna figured the safe was in an office. If the jewelry was even in a safe. This high up in a building the occupants usually felt as if their castle was impenetrable. Not so. Her presence proved that.

Sitting in an unlocked box, was the necklace.

"Guess they thought no one would steal it."

She procured the item then stuck it in her pocket. Now to get out without being seen.

Back down to the lobby, she held her breath as the doors to the elevator slid open. No one waited to go to their apartment. No one hung out in the lobby.

She slipped out the front door onto the street, her heart racing.

Striding down the block as if she owned the place, Donna saw a cop car. Had she tripped a silent alarm? On light feet, she hid between two buildings until the cop passed. She peaked out. The cop had stopped right in front of the building she'd just been in.

Her heart beat double time.

"Shit."

Looking behind her, she saw that the alley opened onto the next street. She took it, hoping no one lurked there, but not expecting anyone. This was a high rent district.

Safely onto the next block, Donna let loose a breath she'd been holding.

She looked around, but no one seemed to take notice of her. Then the hair on the back of her neck went up. Someone was watching her.