Crooked

by Bronwen John

  “But live on in the matters of eternity,” Eleanor shot back, looking hard at her friend.

  Esther gave her a dirty look from where she was beginning to make her way out of the building. There was a taxi waiting outside, which made all three of them stop dead. It felt like a final hurrah and a farewell mixed together.

  “Hopefully when this con is over,” Eleanor said, before sharing a hug with the two of them.

  Ash asked quietly, “Est, are you sure about this?”

  The two looked at her.

  “You’re sure you don’t—”

  Eleanor smiled and gave Ash a tight hug. “Don’t worry. Es is usually right… and I’m sorry for treating you so rotten lately.”

  “Understandably; you thought I’d betrayed you all.”

  Eleanor patted her cheek a few times before looking at Esther. “Ciao.”

  “See you in a few days,” Esther said, kissing both of Eleanor’s cheeks in the French style and offering a small smile in fond farewell.

  The two watched her clamber into the taxi and drive off into the distance. Ash felt her heart sink lower than her knees. All Esther’s colleagues and friends were out of the picture. There was just her and Esther. The woman she was set to betray, but equally aimed not to. She’d just have to work like a devil, get the money and get set to run for their lives; make them believe it was a day or two. She’d never given dates. They’d believe that.

  “Where’s your head at, kid?” Esther’s voice broke through and Ash spun on her heel to see her standing over by the wall, leaning on it. “Certainly not on the con.”

  “Yes, it is,” Ash said, a bit too quickly. “Just…”

  “I told you once that you should take any deal that Innocent offered to you,” Esther said quietly. “I advise you again: take him into your confidence.”

  Ash coughed nervously. “Est…”

  “Make the call; I have to go to the Natural History Museum,” Esther said, beginning to walk off. “When the con is off, just text me. We’ll be on the run from now on; I’ll meet you at Leicester Square Tube Station.”

  Ash watched the shadow disappear into the distance, before looking heavenward. Redemption did not offer itself. Instead she texted Innocent of the plan with silent tears dribbling down her cheeks as she realised she had signed her friend’s death warrant, and had now waved a merry goodbye to any chance of redemption as hastily as she wiped the tears away.

  After all, she had an appointment to keep.

  “What do you mean, the artist won’t hand it over? Let alone that Esther Crook has already conned the others?!”

  Holmes had never heard of anything so ridiculous. A con woman being conned by an understudy whom she’d hired to do a job. It amused him to no end.

  Azeri stood in front of him nervously. “I can’t help it! I know that Innocent’s told you part of the line, but Crook moved so quickly I couldn’t do a goddamned thing to stop it.”

  Holmes looked across at Innocent, who was leaning on his desk, a silent predator as always.

  “How much is he asking for?”

  “£750,000,” she said demurely.

  Innocent scoffed.

  “Well, the other marks have paid!” She thrust out the iPad after unlocking it and the payment screen. “All via cheque, which has really wound Crook up.”

  “They take days to clear,” Innocent said, realising exactly what Crook was supposedly angry over. “Payment’s there, but hasn’t cleared yet.”

  “So Crook doesn’t have the funds to pay him off.” Holmes let out an evil little chuckle. “So I’m saving the little con that Crook has in line for me? Oh, the joy!”

  “The irony is not lost on anyone,” Innocent said drily. “And when is Crook planning her con?”

  “This weekend,” Ash said quietly. “She’s gone to the Natural History today to do some last-minute research into the jewel.”

  Holmes looked at the bank account with a smug grin. £750,000 wasn’t a great amount to someone like him, and it meant direct funds. He would have Crook in his grasp. He watched Ash’s face. It must’ve been hard to admit that her great mentor had failures, but there was no time for sentiment. He smirked and watched her retreat, satisfied.

  “Happy with yourself?” Innocent asked suddenly.

  “Of course I am. From both your information and Azeri’s, we will have Crook in our grasp by this weekend.”

  “Strange about the jeweller. You’ve not met him until now… and yet he needs money,” Innocent said, as Holmes watched Ash disappear into the mist of Hyde Park.

  “So? He got nervous, or saw how Crook was raking it in; decided to get in on it himself,” Holmes snapped, then froze. “Wait. A friend in trouble who can’t be seen… Crook’s played the girl! It’s the Spanish Prisoner.”

  He began to pace in horror. The Spanish Prisoner was one of the oldest cons (that still worked) in the book. It was based upon a confidence trickster using somebody or an imaginary friend needing finance, under some sort of pressure. Many years before, the tale had been built around a person of high estate who had been imprisoned in Spain under a false identity and needed funds. Supposedly, the prisoner could not reveal his identity without serious repercussions.

  “I swallowed it! I actually swallowed it, and from the look on that kid’s face, she swallowed it too!” Holmes looked out of his window, praying to see Azeri but seeing nothing but the mist. “And she walked out of here! She modernised it, made it seem like she was the hostage.”

  “Crook likes the classics, and it’s just as well, as I got the address and have already sent Vin.” Innocent flashed a nasty little smile. “He’s been following Crook since she left the Natural History Museum. The tiger is within my trap. Let’s go collect the hide.”

  “This is Leicester Square.”

  The sterile tunnels of the London Underground were familiar territory for Esther Crook, just as she knew nearly every public transport system in most major cities. They were her escape routes and her salvation. She knew every crack in every tile, every dot of gum on the floor, the optimum places for the musicians who performed in the winding passageways to stand to achieve the best acoustics. She leaned on the wall briefly, as she listened to a rather impassioned violin playing ‘Clair de Lune’.

  “I thought we were meant to be running?” Ash asked, playing with her bag as she joined her.

  Esther chuckled darkly. She had sent the young woman to buy an Oyster card, not allowing her the old trick of dodging the train fare. It was dishonest to say the least. Something no honest crooked individual would involve themselves with. “I am. You are sulking in the moment, but I’m just enjoying the atmosphere,” she replied.

  “You can be sneakier than a polygamist at a family get-together when you get an idea stuck in your pretty head.” Ash squinted thoughtfully in the direction of Esther’s gaze. “What’re you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking we’ve just been made by Vin.” Esther’s voice was calm and collected. “Hand me the bag, please?”

  Ash felt all the blood drain from her as she handed Esther the bag. She suddenly felt an iron grip on her elbow. She turned to be met with bright green eyes aflame with concern.

  “Don’t you dare run!” snapped Esther out of the corner of her mouth. “You run and we are stuck. I warned you about that before.”

  “Why are you so calm?” Ash snapped, directing her rage at Esther, the two surveying the room as calmly as possible.

  “Patience is a virtue for both cards and cons.” Esther looked around casually. “You got it?”

  Ash turned her gaze and saw the Tube coming into the station. Their exit. “I got it,” she replied. She held out her hand to Esther, regardless. “Nice doing dealings with you, Miss Crook.”

  “Likewise.” Esther shook the hand with the firm brusqueness attached to business dealings, before w
aiting to be jogged along by the commuters.

  The two allowed themselves to be pushed along, Ash watching as both Esther and Vin occupied the same carriage as herself, but Esther remained at the end, within Ash’s view. Ash watched as Hughes boarded her carriage. She pretended not to notice as they juddered through the various stations.

  Esther tapped the window and spoke loud enough for Ash to hear as they came into a new station. “Our change. Next platform.”

  The two exited, walking towards the platform, buffered by the midday commuters. When the next Tube came in, Esther grabbed Ash by the elbow to stop her getting on. She waited until most had boarded before they stepped on, Hughes and Vin joining them.

  “Nice to see you both again,” said the oily Welshman.

  “Nice to see you too, Lenny,” Esther said politely with a firm smile.

  Ash tensed as she felt Esther’s hand once more on her elbow. As the train doors began to close, she realised what Esther was about to do and prepared herself just as Esther threw her through the doors and followed in one swift movement. Behind her, Ash heard the slams of two bodies against the door. She spun on her heel and let out a small laugh as she saw Hughes and Vin rammed up against the glass. Vin was looking wryly at Esther departing up the stairs, while Hughes was obviously cursing at her. She merely smiled and followed Esther up the stairs; they kept a respectful distance.

  Ash dodged through the crowd, blending and blurring with the people. She waited for that iron grip before Esther dragged her to one side outside the station.

  “Where are we going?!” Ash snapped. “That’s not going to slow down a bounty hunter on our heels.”

  “Easy – back to the apartment where we spent our last evening!” Esther looked around. “I’ll take the long route; you get in and wait for me!”

  Ash darted into the dark, busy street, quickly making her way to the next street where the building was. The tingling sensation of being followed was more intense than before, but adrenaline helped her navigate the streets as quickly as she ever had. Vin had the advantage of being a bounty hunter, but she knew this area and he did not. Home advantage and all that stuff, Ash thought to herself. Her heart was thumping from both excitement and more than a tinge of fear.

  A young man was exiting her building and let her in, recognising her from that brief interaction the previous week. She knew the door would lock behind her, and ran up the stairs to the flat. She didn’t see anyone, but knew in her gut that Esther had led them away to give her time. She threw open the door to her floor and scrambled down the corridor, then rounded the hallway corner to open her door, her key falling to the ground in her haste.

  Finally, she let out a long breath as she stepped inside, followed by Esther a few minutes later. Esther panted and went to lock the door, when it burst open and sent her sprawling to the ground with the force of it.

  “Did you really think you’d outrun me?”

  Instantly, Esther let out a loud yelp as she began to thump at Vin, who deftly grabbed her and heaved her up.

  “Stop it! Christ!” The two ended up on the floor, Vin straddling Esther over her middle and holding his hand over her mouth. “Will you shut your mouth and just listen to me, you little shit? And don’t even think of hitting me, Ash, or I’ll have you upside down from an outside window.”

  “Hi, Vin,” Esther greeted him as she lay on her back, him still straddling her. “Rather glad you bumped into me in the Natural History, right now.”

  “This way, brat!” he said, dragging her up. “You know how worried your father has been? You know how much effort it took to arrange everything for you?!”

  “Well, it’s not my fault,” she said, as he touched her forehead where the cut was healing still. “Needed to get him good and distracted. I take it, it worked?”

  “It worked all right.”

  Esther brushed herself down as Vin cursed. “What happened to Hughes? I thought I saw him with you?”

  “Seems he was that busy watching your skinny ass, he forgot to look where he was going and fell into the gap between the Tube and the platform edge.”

  “The man had enemies of his own,” Esther replied ambivalently. “As I am sure you are well aware.”

  “He’ll be out of commission from that fall.” Vin looked hard at her. “Might not walk again. Might not even survive.”

  “What a shame,” Esther said, smirking. She jerked her arm free of his hold, ignoring his glare. “What?!”

  “Holmes is after you. There is no honour in that man.”

  “Then you shouldn’t be helping Innocent, should you?” she snapped. “The poor kid is beating herself up thinking that I was annoyed thinking she’d done the betraying here.”

  “Well, she can stop that for a start,” he muttered. “I promised your old man that you’d see each other shortly. Your con is over.”

  “Fine. Can I pack—” She broke off as she heard the front door being opened. “No one’s due home. I have them timed.” She ran over to the still-open door, to the stairs that Ash had fled up only a few moments before. She returned a few seconds later. “They’re earlier than I thought, even for Innocent.”

  “Somebody’s ratted you out that isn’t this little fool,” Vin said, throwing her a look. “Somebody has you made.”

  “Quick, Ash, get your boots off – I’m not kidding,” Esther said as Vin took off his belt. “Do you trust me?”

  “You’ve never given me reason not to trust you with my life; just not to when you’re playing cards,” said Ash, as Vin pulled Esther to him.

  Vin looked hard at her, already using his belt to fashion a lasso around Esther’s wrists. “How’re you with knots, Est?”

  “Crap. Can’t you just handcuff me and I can make a daring escape like the last time?” Esther asked, wincing at the tightening. “You’re doing that on purpose.”

  “Should’ve just told me that you were planning this scheme,” he said. “Spanish Prisoner, Est? Even I know that one.”

  “Innocent told you?” Ash asked, smirking at him – of course he would’ve.

  “Damn it, Ash, keep your mouth shut!” snapped Vin, tying her hands behind her back. “Est, do you mind taking a hit?”

  “Slug in the face, if you please,” Esther said. “I don’t fancy any more hits to the st—”

  She fell silent as Vin smashed his open palm across her face, knocking her out. Ash looked at him, surprised.

  “What? Did you think she’d go with hair all combed? Now, give me your hands… need it to look good at least.”

  Vin had only just finished tying Ash’s hands together when, as one, Holmes and Innocent strode decidedly into the apartment. Holmes wore a triumphant look on his face, but it faltered when he saw Vin standing there, putting Esther in some sort of trunk that barely fit her body.

  “I figured the girl was willing to come,” he said politely. He glanced at Holmes and Innocent. “Since you’ve all been working together.”

  “Good. As soon as you get her to the townhouse, tie her up and fix her cheek. After all, I have a party I wish her to attend.” Holmes smirked.

  The Sting

  Nineteen

  The apartment overlooked Hyde Park, which looked strange from this high vantage point. It was a pretty green pasture in an urban jungle. Harry Holmes looked at the view with jaundiced eyes.

  The girl Azeri stood in front of him. She had tried to run with his money, taken her chances with a woman he’d looked to break.

  “The Spanish Prisoner? Did she really think I wouldn’t see it?” scoffed Holmes, as Innocent stood with arms folded across his chest. Innocent looked displeased at the suggestion that Holmes had thought of it himself, but then again he was annoyed that Vin had only just managed to capture them.

  “I think she was working on the idea,” Ash said patiently, “that it would be so obvious that she
’d not be spotted.”

  She was bold, Holmes had to give her credit for that, but he was done being played; he wouldn’t let himself slip in front of this comedian. “Do you know what you cost me? The honour?”

  “What honour?”

  Holmes snorted. “You know everything in this world; our – and yes, I mean our – world, is about reputation. I couldn’t let it get around that I let a grifter make a fool of me, could I? You understand that, Azeri?”

  Holmes worried that Azeri could tell that he half-wanted to see that she did indeed understand. It was pure business. Even Innocent understood that. She was an added bonus.

  “Yeah, I get that you’re nothing but business—”

  Before she could get any further, Innocent moved and punched her in the stomach. She doubled over, coughing and spluttering.

  “Silence, my girl, would be wiser.”

  The girl threw her head up, still struggling to catch her breath. Openly hurt, but defiant and angry. Holmes was almost admiring of her insolence in the face of the cold, harsh reality that awaited her. A quick death was too easy, much too easy.

  “Yeah, I was never exactly good at that.”

  Holmes walked around the desk and got in Azeri’s face. Brown eyes glared balefully at him. He opened his mouth to speak, only for the girl to spit at his cheek. He growled and wrenched her in so that they were nose to nose.

  “I can’t let it get around that you were in my city and escaped punishment. When I’m done with Crook, she’ll be begging to be sitting pretty in one of my brothels.”

  “Just get on with getting your pound of flesh.” The girl flashed a nasty little smile. “You follow?”

  “Want me to give her to the boys?”

  The girl’s head jerked to the left at this implied threat from Paulsen.

  “No. Just… make her less pretty tomorrow night. It’s too bad she has a dinner party to attend.” Holmes tossed a look at them. “And you didn’t know?”

  “Not really, no; Crook told me that the job had altered slightly and it was time to bow out once your funds were in. I could see the funds had gone in and I phoned Innocent to warn him of exactly that.”