Taylor Made

by Alex Westmore

  “Adrenaline junkie? I don’t think so.”

  Connie smiled warmly and when she spoke, her voice was soft. “You’re fearless, Delta. Even your fear of fire didn’t keep you from going into a house you had no business entering. You’re the kind of person who goes to Six Flags Magic Mountain and rides the shit-your-pants rides. You soak up thrill like a sponge. That’s one of the things that separates you from other cops; you’re not only incredibly adventurous, but I think you enjoy the challenge of death.”

  “That’s absurd.”

  “I wish it were, but you fit every category. That’s why I think this woman chose you. You’re cut from the same cloth.”

  Delta rose and walked over to the window. “Don’t you think you’re reaching just a little?”

  Rising, Connie joined her. For a minute, only the clock could be heard. Then, so quietly that Delta strained to hear the words, Connie whispered, “Honey, you gave up your gun.”

  Delta turned and faced Connie. They had never discussed the subject since it had happened. She had done it, breaking all the rules, and was one of the few cops to live to tell about it. “So?”

  “So, Gina and I became a little scared for you. For your safety. I needed to know how you could do that, what gave you the courage to toss your life on the ground like that. Reading that abstract gave me the answers I was looking for.”

  Delta looked down into Connie’s deep brown eyes; those eyes which had never judged her, criticized her, or condemned her. Delta realized she had frightened Connie, and that hurt. “I’m sorry, Con.”

  Connie smiled in a way that said she loved Delta, regardless. “Don’t be. You did what only Storm would do. I just needed to make sure you didn’t have some kind of a death wish, that’s all.”

  “Isn’t that what you’re saying?”

  Connie shook her head. “On the contrary. An adrenaline junkie doesn’t want to die. The rush comes from succeeding. That’s what I needed to know. And it fits you perfectly. Beating the odds turns you on. It’s also what gets our thief going. She’s chosen you, Del, because you’re both adrenaline addicts, and this will be her greatest challenge.” Connie sipped her coffee and grinned. “This is just my speculation, of course.”

  “Of course. And what else, oh abstract guru, are you speculating?”

  Connie’s grin turned wicked as she returned to the desk and pulled a yellow slip from the file. “Glad you asked. I do happen to have a plan.”

  Delta sat down and shook her head. If Delta was truly an adrenaline addict, then what was Connie? Her pusher? “You have a plan already?”

  Connie nodded. “Megan’s last words to me were for me to take care of you, and I always do what I’m told.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since she threatened to shave me bald in the middle of the night and tattoo Daffy Duck on my head, that’s when.”

  Delta smiled. That was so Megan. “Okay, Kojak, whatcha got?”

  “First off, Van Cleef & Arpels is too obvious. She’s too professional to get tripped up by a common thread.”

  Delta nodded. “Agreed.”

  “But that doesn’t mean you don’t go ahead with your line up.”

  “What next?”

  “We’ll get on it about this necklace. I’ll give it to the guys in the Burg Unit, and fill them in. I still think that will lead nowhere as well.”

  “And we’ll continue with the Harley search, right?”

  Connie nodded. “And the NCIC report should be back later today. What are your plans for this beautiful day?”

  “First, I’m going to see Alex about free-forming her itinerary. Then, I’m going to visit Felicia at the paper and see if she can bury any more stories about Alex until we have a clearer picture.”

  “I didn’t know you and Flea were still friends.”

  Delta nodded. “After that exclusive I gave her, she warmed right up. If she had axes to grind, she’s ground them all up.”

  “Good for you. Never hurts to have a city editor on your side.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’m running some things through Eddie and waiting around for the NCIC report.”

  “Christian said his search didn’t yield much.”

  “Christian is a nice guy, Del, but he doesn’t politic enough. I’ve broadened the search to include everything from the Marshals to Interpol.”

  “Interpol?”

  Connie nodded. “Just a hunch. What’s all that crap you dumped on the floor?”

  “Oh, I almost forgot.” Reaching over, Delta slid one of the newspapers out from under the pile. “I’ve been thinking—”

  “Haven’t I warned you about that?”

  “Very funny. Do you want to hear this or not?”

  “Of course. Please, think on.”

  “A while ago, Megan told me that I get so wrapped up in my work that I don’t pay enough attention to her life.”

  “I remember.”

  “Well, I’m paying attention now, and I want to buy her something that shows her how much I want to be a part of her life and her dreams as well.”

  “A gift?”

  “Sort of. I’m thinking about buying Megan one of those parrots she was telling me about.”

  Connie’s eyebrows raised. “A macaw? You’re going to buy Megan a macaw?”

  “Yep. I’ve been reading the classifieds to see if there are any for sale.”

  Rising, Connie bunched all the papers together and tossed them in the fireplace. “You don’t buy a bird that expensive from some yahoo in the papers.”

  “Why not?”

  “There’s no guarantee it will be healthy, that it doesn’t bite, that it isn’t hot. Come on. You want to buy a bird for her, let’s visit a few pet stores and breeders and see what we can find out.”

  “You’ll help?”

  “Of course I’ll help, Pilgrim. If I don’t go, who knows what cleaners you’ll be taken to. I mean, I wouldn’t want someone to Smiffy-Snuff you.”

  Delta threw her head back and laughed. “That’s Snuffy-Smith, and that would be impossible with you along. Geez, Con, is there anything you don’t know?”

  Connie flashed her most brilliant smile as she locked her files away in her desk. “Sure.”

  “Oh yeah? Like what?”

  “Like, who shot at Alex, and what our little thief is really after.”

  The phone woke Delta from a dream of colorful flocks of birds flying high over skyscrapers while she and Megan lay in lounge chairs by a huge swimming pool.

  “Hello?” She answered, hoping to hear Megan’s voice on the other end.

  “Stevens, it’s Captain Henry.”

  Rolling over and turning the light on, Delta squinted against the glare. “What’s up, Captain?” Delta looked over at her digital clock to see what time it was. “Something wrong?”

  “Damn right something’s wrong. Your little burglar struck again tonight. Five times.”

  Delta was wide awake now. “You sure it was her?”

  “Oh, yes. All of the houses hit were on your beat. Dickens, Emerson, Lawrence, Tolstoy, and Alcott. Same POE, same MO, but there’s one major exception.”

  Delta shifted the phone to her left ear.

  “She raked in. Everything. I mean, she made a killing.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “She cleaned house. Every piece of jewelry, gone. You were right about her; we pissed her off by yanking you, and now, she’s ramming it down our—my throat. Five houses. Shit.”

  “So, why are you calling me?” Delta could hear the captain’s heavy sigh.

  “Five tonight, Delta. Add the four previously, and she’s burying us. Un-fucking-believable. She did exactly what you said she would.”

  “I really am sorry, sir.”

  “No, Delta, I’m the sorry one. Maybe it was hasty of me to pull you. In light of the circumstances, I’d like to rescind my original order.”

  “But what about the Pendleton investigation? We—I was maki
ng great headway.”

  “I’m sure you are. And I fully expect that you’ll continue...with discretion, of course. Bring to me anything you find first. The paper is tearing her to shreds. We’re going to need something yesterday.”

  Delta nodded as she got out of bed and padded into the kitchen to make coffee. “We’re doing the best we can.”

  “We?”

  “Uh...yeah. Me and my computer, of course.”

  “Of course. I’ll expect one hundred percent of your attention to be on your beat, and I’m not going to lift the guard from your house until you bag that little bitch. I’ll expect your full cooperation in that matter, Delta. No screwing around.”

  “Yes, sir. Anything else?”

  “Well...there is one small thing that I was going to let slide, but because it supposedly happened off duty, I’m required to inform you.”

  Delta smiled to herself. She knew exactly where the complaint originated. “Go ahead.”

  “A woman named Gwen Anderson called and said you were ‘harassing’ her and her lover at one of the uh...gay bars the other night. Now, you know, what you do on your time is your business, but she alluded to abuse of authority, and that’s why I have to inform you of the complaint so I can shitcan—I mean properly file it.”

  Delta nodded. She was starting to like Captain Henry more and more. “I understand.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, Delta. It’s pretty clear by the way she boldly pronounced the word lesbian that she was trying to ruin your career by outing you. When I didn’t give her the stunned reaction she was hoping for, she pressed and tossed the word out several more times. I saw through her stupid game and thanked her for calling.”

  “Do you want my version of what happened?”

  “Not really. Like I said, what you do on your own time is none of my business. Just make sure it doesn’t become my business.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “No need to thank me, Delta. Just be back on your beat tomorrow night and tame that partner of yours. He’s been acting like a wild man without you. He’s made his opinion of your shift change clear to anyone stupid enough to listen.”

  This made Delta smile. “Will do.”

  “Good. See you tomorrow night. Oh...and Delta...”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Catch that woman.”

  “I’m gonna give it my best, Captain. Bye.” Hanging the phone up, Delta looked at the clock again. It was a little after five. She decided that if she had to be up, she would not suffer the dawn alone. Pressing the auto-dial on her phone, Delta waited. After just one ring, Connie picked up.

  “Rise and shine.”

  “What do you mean by ‘rise?’ I haven’t even been to bed yet.”

  “No kidding?”

  “My data came in from NCIC early this morning, and I wanted to have a look-see before we connected. Come on over morning-girl for some of my world famous coffee. What’s got you awake so early, anyway? Loneliness?”

  Delta told Connie about her conversation with Captain Henry. “Well, you got to feel for the man. He’s damned with you and he’s damned without you. How do you feel about what she’s done?”

  “You mean gone on a rampage of sorts?”

  Connie chuckled. “Of sorts? Come on, Del. The guys said she’s rolling in it by now. She could retire on the hits she made the last two days.”

  “Don’t we wish.”

  “Do we? I’d have thought you’d want to catch her.”

  Delta rolled her eyes. “Don’t start that again. Look, let me hop in the shower, and I’ll be over in a flash.”

  “Great. I’ll toast us some garlic bagels.”

  “Garlic bagels? Ugh.”

  “It’s my Italian ancestry. My grea—”

  “See you soon.” With that, Delta hung up the phone, shook her head, and laughed. Only Connie Rivera could make five in the morning a fun place to be.

  In less than an hour, Delta was pouring herself a cup of coffee while Connie arranged all of her notecards, printouts, and data she’d spent all night gathering.

  “After wading through tons of information from NCIC on unidentified persons, stolen jewelry, wants and warrants, etcetera, I think we may have something.”

  Delta nodded and sipped her coffee; next to Diet Pepsi, caffeinated coffee was her greatest liquid vice. “You mean, besides a headache.”

  Connie looked up and grinned. She lived for this stuff. “I checked the records on stolen property, focusing primarily on jewels and jewelry. I think the problem our Burg Unit is having is that they’re not narrowing their search enough. She isn’t just a thief. She’s a jewel thief, and her little two day spree pretty much proved that.”

  “Okay, so she’s a jewel thief with a very specific MO.”

  “Exactly. High story entrances aren’t just a modus operandi; they’re her trademark—her calling card. It’s the only real clue she’s left. I think we can use it to our advantage.”

  “I’m following. Go on.”

  “I’ve spent all night matching her MO to locations and cities throughout the country. It appears she began her little career on the East Coast, possibly in New York or New Jersey. High-rises were her specialty there.”

  “Those are some really high-rises.”

  Connie grinned. “She’s fearless. Scaling, swinging, rappelling. You name it, she’s done it.”

  “And she’s never been caught?” Connie shook her head. “Nope.”

  “Impressive.”

  “Save your admiration for later. I haven’t even gotten to the juicy parts yet. Apparently, she traveled around the New England states for quite some time, hitting high-rises and posh apartments.”

  “Just jewels?”

  “You got it. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds—”

  “Lapis?”

  Connie smiled. “Actually, none on file. Until now, she stuck with only the biggies. Also, after a great deal of cross-referencing, I discovered that she usually cleans people out. This little one item shtick must be entirely for your benefit.”

  “Odd that she’d deviate so much from the norm. I mean, why lapis now? Surely, she could have stolen a few diamonds instead.”

  “Brace yourself. I highlighted all of the burg cases in the printout matching her MO, location, and dates. If she is the same thief in the highlighted sections of that printout, she’s amassed earnings of well over five million dollars.”

  Delta’s mouth dropped open as if her hinges just busted. “Five million?”

  “Astounding, huh?”

  “And no one has ever caught her?”

  Connie shook her head. “Nope. And, brace yourself one more time. Interpol has a file on her as well.”

  This information brought Delta to her feet so fast, she nearly spilled her coffee. “Interpol. When you said...I mean...I never imagined...”

  “Well, I did. Our little thief isn’t so little. The trail first started in London, and by the time Interpol got involved, she’d stripped six European countries for an estimated net worth of nearly fifteen million dollars in jewelry.”

  “What happened to five million?”

  “That was just here in the states. Her total is a cool twenty million dollars.”

  Delta paced across the floor. “My God.”

  “It gets better. Interpol was reluctant to get involved until she lifted a ten-carat diamond and sapphire ring from some royal bigwig in Scotland. By then, she was already a pro. She beat a living security system in France, and to this day, they still don’t know how she did it.”

  “Can I be impressed now?”

  Connie nodded. “Feel free. She’s beaten Dobermans, Rotts, camera systems, live security guards, and even light-sensitive systems that crisscrossed entire rooms.”

  Delta finished her coffee and stared down into an empty cup. “Then you were right. It isn’t for greed. It’s the challenge.”

  “She’s a pro, and she loves what she’s doing.”

  “Did Interpol agree that our
woman is the same one?”

  Connie frowned and shook her head. “The inspector I spoke with admitted there were similarities, but he seriously doubted she would have made contact with you the way she did. They say it doesn’t fit her profile. Inspector Parnell from Scotland Yard doesn’t want to jump to conclusions simply because both thieves are female.”

  “That’s big of him.”

  “Her. She also explained that Interpol really has its hands full with all of the terrorist activity going on, so our thief isn’t a high priority.”

  “Bullshit. She’s not a high priority because she’s here in the US. If she were anywhere else, they’d bust their balls to assist us.”

  “Now don’t go getting all nationalistic on me. They’re like any other overworked, underpaid law enforcement body.”

  Sighing, Delta walked into the kitchen and set her mug into the sink before pouring water into it. “Whatever. What else did Inspector Clouseau have to say?”

  Connie’s answer came through the doorway. “She said that delivering the jewels to you wasn’t at all like the woman they were after. She said if we got anything else, to give her a call. Then, she politely ‘rang off,’ and that was that.”

  “In other words, do all the legwork and then call me when it’s time to make the bust. I think not, Inspector Shmector.”

  “Care to hear my theory?”

  Delta returned to the den and sat back down. “I’m all ears.”

  “I think she’s bored. Maybe after beating so many different types of security systems, she’s trying something new. I think she’s goading you.”

  A gentle mist wove lightly through the trees, and for a split second, Delta wondered if that was what a rainforest was like. “An international jewel thief, huh? Imagine the chief’s face when we turn her over to Interpol. He’ll just die.”

  Connie sipped her coffee and stared at Delta’s reflection in the window. “Yeah, it would sure look good for everybody.”

  “Where do we start?”

  “The most obvious place to start is with you. She could be anywhere in the world doing whatever the hell she pleases, but she isn’t. She’s here in River Valley because something about you has drawn her here.”