Thieves Like Us

by Starr Ambrose

  “They aren’t usually so destructive, but hitting the car first is how they think. It’s their trademark.”

  “You think they’d be interested in the Pellinni Jewels?”

  That was the part that bothered Rocky, too. “Not usually. But it’s possible they saw it as an easy snatch if they moved fast. The industry has wised up and made it harder for them to stage successful grabs, so it might have looked like easy money. Safer than a smash and grab at a jewelry store.”

  “But it wasn’t successful,” Ben pointed out.

  “No. And that worries me. That scratch down the side of the car had nothing to do with a search for the Pellinni Jewels. It was for shock effect, intimidation.”

  “Meaning what? Turn over the jewels or else?”

  “Basically. And if it is one of these gangs and they try the condo next, Janet’s in real trouble. They’re a whole lot more dangerous than a solitary jewel thief who wants to get in and out as quietly as possible. These guys aren’t subtle, and all they care about is the final result, getting the jewelry.” The thought of them even putting a finger on Janet made his gut twist.

  The frown on Ben’s face showed he trusted Rocky’s analysis and shared his concern. “You sure she’s okay tonight? She’s not gonna do something foolish like call a cab and go home?”

  “I told both Elizabeth and her butler, Mr. Peters, that she shouldn’t be allowed to leave. I don’t think we have to worry.”

  Ben nodded his satisfaction. “I’ll find out who’s working her case and make sure I’m kept updated. And I’ll talk to Janet in the morning, see if I can convince her to listen to your advice and stay with Liz for a while.”

  He pulled a grimace. “I don’t recommend calling it my advice, not if you want her to take it.”

  “Huh.” Ben studied him. “What’s she got against you?”

  “Nothing. She’s just doesn’t like me telling her what to do.”

  Ben mulled it over. Rocky squirmed under the scrutiny, regretting that he’d said anything.

  “The girl knows her own mind. Maybe she just doesn’t like you.”

  He didn’t want to discuss it. “Maybe.” Standing, he pushed his chair in. “Forget I mentioned it.”

  Ben didn’t move. “Janet has a right to be gun-shy after what that bastard put her through.”

  “You’re right.” Rocky started for the door. “Thanks for looking out for her.”

  Ben still hadn’t made any move to get up. “You know, her parents moved to Arizona.”

  He didn’t like the feel of this. “Yeah, I heard they retired there.”

  “So the only family she has around here is Liz. And me.”

  “And Jack and Ellie.”

  Ben ignored him. “So I have to step in sometimes, since her dad can’t be here.”

  Rocky sighed; he wasn’t going to get out of this, so he might as well face it. “Look, Ben, Janet’s twenty-nine years old. So am I. I’m not asking your permission to date her. But if it makes you feel any better, I know what she’s been through and I’m not rushing her. That’s all you’ll get. Anything else is between me and Janet. It has nothing to do with you.”

  Ben cocked his head, pinning him with a hard look. “That so?”

  If the comment was calculated to irritate Rocky, it couldn’t have worked better. He’d finally made some progress with Janet tonight, then nearly ruined it by insisting she follow his orders. Even if it had been the safest course of action, he wasn’t happy with the results. The proverbial “one step forward, two steps back.” The last thing he needed now was someone else’s opinion about their prickly relationship.

  Staring back with an expression every bit as hard as Ben’s, he said, “Damn right that’s so. I’d say the same thing even if you were her father, and you’re not. And for your information, Janet’s not made of glass. She’s tough and smart and capable of making her own decisions. One bad choice hasn’t changed that. But she might be in over her head here, and all I’m asking is that you keep an eye on the legal end of things. I can handle whatever else comes up.”

  A smile played at the corner of Ben’s mouth. “I believe you can, kid.”

  Rocky frowned, as irritated with himself as with Ben for baiting him. “Are you just jerking me around for fun, or are you going to help keep Janet safe?”

  “I’ll help. Jerking you around is just a bonus.”

  It was probably better if Rocky kept his mouth shut. Settling for a curt nod, he left. Driving home, the wry thought occurred to him that at least someone was getting a laugh out of his relationship with Janet. Too bad it wasn’t him.

  Janet sat halfway up the imposing cement and brick stairway to the Westfield’s front door, hoping the morning humidity didn’t send her short hair into mad ringlets. At the base of the steps, Jack’s thirteen-year-old daughter sat astride one of the life-sized cement lions that guarded the entry. Libby bent backward like a circus performer, chin pointed to the sky and hair falling over the lion’s rump, fixing an innocent look on Janet. “Is Rocky picking you up?”

  “Yup.”

  “I like him.”

  “That’s nice.” She was careful not to say me, too, in front of Jack and Ellie’s frighteningly perceptive daughter.

  Rising up in a smooth move that made Janet’s back hurt just watching, Libby turned around and sat backward, knees drawn up to her chin. “My friend Tanya likes him, too. She said Rocky’s cute in a really bad way.”

  The teen was obviously digging for gossip Janet had no intention of providing. But Libby had caught her interest with that last bit. “What does that mean, cute in a bad way?”

  “Really bad,” Libby corrected. “It means he’s cute, but not, you know, safe. Like he’d be good at doing bad things.”

  Janet instantly thought of a few bad things Rocky might do that made her mouth go dry. She knew exactly what Tanya meant. She squinted at Libby. “How old is Tanya?”

  “Thirteen, same as me.” She stretched out her legs and flexed her toes, balancing delicately. “She knows a lot of stuff about boys that they don’t teach us in school.”

  A year ago Janet might have been thrown by the statement, but she’d gotten to know Jack’s daughter since then. Before Jack had known of her existence, Libby had been abandoned by her drug addict mother and lived with her overwhelmed maternal grandparents. If not for the girl’s own intelligence and her young aunt’s valiant efforts at parenting, Janet imagined she wouldn’t have come out of the experience as well adjusted as she had. As it was, Libby was a master manipulator, who practiced her skills at every turn.

  Janet was determined not to fall for it. “What a thought-provoking comment.”

  Libby stuck out her lower lip in a deliberate pout and tried the direct approach. “What do you think about Rocky? Don’t you think he’d make a good boyfriend?”

  “Can’t say. I really don’t know him well enough.” What was taking Rocky so long?

  “No one around here wants to talk about boys. How am I supposed to learn anything?”

  “Try books. Or have you already exhausted that section at the public library?”

  Libby slid off the lion and skipped up the steps to sit beside Janet. Leaning back on her elbows, she sighed heavily. “It’s tough being precocious.”

  Janet laughed. As much as she dreaded being the target of Libby’s overactive mind, Janet was crazy about Ellie’s stepdaughter. With Jack and Ellie married for barely a year, the three of them had been feeling their way through family life, learning as they went. Despite the occasional hair-ripping and profanity-laced stories from Ellie about life with a teenager, they managed to make it sound like the best adventure life had ever thrown their way. And according to Ellie, they hoped to soon add a baby to the happy turmoil of the Payton family. Janet couldn’t think of a better life, and despite the occasional twinge of jealousy, she was extremely happy for Ellie and honored to be included in their extended family.

  A silver Lexus turned into the driveway, keyi
ng the gate open and following the half-moon curve that led up to the house.

  Leaning over to plant a quick kiss on top of Libby’s forehead, Janet said, “Stick to watching the guys your own age, kiddo. And especially avoid the ones who are cute in a really bad way.”

  Libby watched Rocky’s car as she pondered Janet’s comment. “Tanya and I were thinking that the cute in a bad way guys seem like they’d be a lot more fun to be with.”

  Janet would have loved to brush it off, but Libby’s voice had become hesitant and her expression was serious. She honestly wanted advice. A frisson of panic slid through Janet’s chest at the thought that Libby might be pondering a relationship with a tempting bad boy. She might even already have one. Whatever Janet said could have a big impact.

  Damn, this was supposed to be Ellie’s job.

  She took a deep breath and tried to give a serious answer without making it sound like a sermon. “Cute in a bad way also means dangerous. A guy who overwhelms your senses keeps you from thinking straight. That’ll get you into trouble every time. Trust me. It’s best to just avoid those guys for now.” Or forever. Janet stood, anxious to meet Rocky at the bottom of the steps before Libby had a chance to ask more uncomfortable questions.

  “Is that what you do?”

  “Definitely,” she called out. Halfway down the steps she turned to give Libby a sharp look. “And don’t say it. Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s just giving me a ride.”

  Libby didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. Janet could clearly read the pity on the girl’s expressive face. Great.

  Slipping into Rocky’s car, she slammed the door and grumbled, “Hi.”

  He smiled, steering around the paved loop that sent them back down the driveway. “Good morning to you, too, sunshine.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “Sorry. I just had my love life reviewed by a teenage girl and it was found lacking.”

  “Sad but true,” he said with a nod. “By the way, I can fix that for you anytime you want.”

  She ignored the intriguing tickle in her mind and shot him an evil look. “That wasn’t an invitation, Romeo. I happen to like my life the way it is.”

  He winked. “Tempt not a desperate man.” The glance he slid her way held a flash of heat.

  Her brow creased as she repeated the phrase to herself, testing its familiarity. It couldn’t be. “Was that Shakespeare?”

  “Romeo and Juliet. I thought we had a theme going.”

  She stared at him as he drove. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”

  When he turned toward her, that devilish look was back in full force. “You have no idea, sweetheart.”

  Her breath caught as desire slammed into her chest, then shot down to her pelvis with such weight that she wiggled in her seat. Naturally, he noticed. She saw his glance fall to her lap and an amused twitch touch the corner of his mouth. Cheeks flaming, she slunk down and faced out the window. Celibacy must really be taking its toll, because something about Rocky Hernandez had awakened hormones that had been slumbering peacefully in her for over a year. She had to get control of her body’s reactions to those sexy smiles and searing looks.

  She said nothing for a while, then decided the silence was too uncomfortable. “I got a call from Ellie last night.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Why? Is something wrong?”

  “Not really, but it scared Ellie. Authorities detained them at the Frankfurt airport until they contacted the Bloomfield Hills police. Seems Furley and Beckman took your advice and questioned her about our visit to Portman’s.”

  “Huh. Good for them.”

  “What do you mean? Do the police really think this is some sort of international conspiracy, with Ellie spiriting the rest of the loot out of the country?”

  Her outrage seemed to amuse him. “I doubt it, but it’s good to know the detectives are looking into all possibilities and questioning everyone involved, even though I don’t have much faith in their ability to find the rest of the jewels. They don’t have enough contacts in that world to even know where to start.”

  She considered his answer. “And you do?”

  “I did.” He paused. “Yeah, I suppose I still do. But it’s not my job to investigate robberies and find stolen jewels. Let the FBI do it.”

  She felt strangely relieved to hear that he had no interest in contacting people from his former life.

  He pulled into her driveway, and she winced at the sight of her damaged car. The first thing on her agenda today was to get it to a repair shop and arrange for a rental car. “Thanks for the ride,” she said, grabbing her overnight bag as she got out of the car. Rocky met her at the front bumper.

  She stopped. “Where are you going?”

  “Into your condo. Give me the key. You’re not going inside until I check it out.” He held out his hand.

  It had been so long since a man had tried to look out for her instead of putting her in harm’s way that it took her by surprise. Wordlessly, she handed over the key.

  She stayed on his heels as he climbed the steps and unlocked the door. As soon as he pushed it open, she stepped forward, following him in. One step put her on the threshold; the second step made her run smack into his back.

  “Hey! What are you do—” her complaint stopped when she noticed the alarm box on the wall beside her. The cover was dangling from the only wire that wasn’t cut. Peeking around Rocky, she saw what had made him stop.

  “Holy shit,” she whispered.

  Sofa cushions had been flung to the floor and slit open. So had the exposed back of the sofa. And the chairs. Janet stared, eyes wide and mouth gaping, barely able to comprehend the destruction. Paintings off the walls, furniture overturned, books scattered everywhere. Nothing seemed to have been spared, even the carpet, which had been sliced and pulled back in places, revealing the subfloor.

  The scene hit with a visceral blow that left her gasping for breath. Strangers had been here, searching her home, handling her things, destroying whatever they touched. Violating her. Deep inside, something primitive and territorial screamed, “My stuff! My home!” They had no right. They’d probably even gone through her drawers, touching her most intimate possessions. Anger churned, building energy and seeking release.

  Rocky forced her backward, out the door, and she turned on him, unleashing the outrage that had nowhere else to go. “Let me go!” She tried to push past him, but he grabbed her arm. “It’s my house!”

  “You’re not going in there until the police go through it.” He caught her struggling arms, holding her away from the door and absorbing a few flailing jabs in the process.

  “I have to go in! Where’s Jingles? Damn it, Rocky, what if they hurt him? Let go of me!”

  “Janet, stop.” When fighting him didn’t work, she stood and glared. “Your cat’s all right. He’s probably hiding under the bed or on top of the refrigerator.”

  She aimed a vicious look at him for patronizing her. “You don’t know that.”

  “I know whoever broke in doesn’t care about your cat, and they wouldn’t waste time catching him. They had only one thing in mind. Believe me, Jingles is fine.”

  She broke free with one final twist, still reluctant to back down. “He’d better be. How did this even happen? I thought the alarm system was supposed to go off if the wires were cut.”

  Her anger seemed to bounce off him without effect. He pulled his cell phone out but kept his eyes on her and didn’t move away from the door, obviously not trusting her to stay out of her own home.

  “Alarm systems work fine, and I’m sure this one went off as it should have. But I told you there are always ways to get around alarms. The guys who did this are pros, and nothing would keep them out.”

  He would know.

  It was probably best not to throw his past in his face. After all, he was on her side. But the frustration boiled over, and she kicked the front door.

  “I don’t blame you for being mad,” Rocky said.
“But I’m sorry to say, this was bound to happen. It’s why you stayed with Elizabeth last night, and I’m glad you did. Nothing can keep a determined thief out. This was probably the work of two or three men. They probably posed as employees of a security company. They could have told your neighbors they were testing your system, or working on it, and to ignore any alarms they might hear for the next ten minutes. Then they broke in, disabled the alarm—which went off for all of five seconds—and went through your house while the neighbors ignored the fact that you were being burglarized. But you can’t blame them. The guys probably had uniforms and a van with a company name on the side. This was a professional job.”

  Her anger had died down during his speech until she was simply standing in thoughtful silence, amazed at how easily someone could bypass her security system. He took advantage of her subdued attitude, pointing at the wrought-iron bench beside the door. “Sit down. The sooner I call nine-one-one, the sooner you can go find Jingles, and a cat carrier, and whatever else you need to stay with Elizabeth until these guys are caught.”

  She sat. He was right. Right that she shouldn’t go inside until the police arrived, right that she would have to move out, and right that breaking in had probably been a whole lot easier than she imagined. “What do you think they would have done if I’d been home?” she asked.

  His jaw tightened and his tanned skin seemed to go a few shades paler. “I don’t know. I’m just glad we didn’t find out.”

  “Me, too.” She leaned back against the iron curlicues of the bench, thinking about how close she’d come to danger and how scared Rocky had looked at the very idea. “Thanks, by the way. You’re the reason I wasn’t here.”

  A hint of his crooked, mischievous smile came back. “You’re welcome.”

  She sighed. She couldn’t help it, she loved when he did that. And hated that it made her feel weak all over. Mentally, she went through the litany. She couldn’t trust her instincts. After being taken in so easily by a slimy psychopath like Banner, she’d be better off never trusting them again.

  It was probably best to divert the conversation to a subject Rocky would be less charming about. “So what are we going to do about whoever broke in here?”