Steal Page 3

  "Someone who works for the hotel, maybe?" Blair asked, fingering the small communication device.

  "Possibly. We just haven't caught him or her yet." He sighed, scratching his head for a moment. "We have a room set up, with the hotel computer showing the arrival of a business man from Eastern Europe who has requested a safe for the weekend, and a translator who can escort him to the gold exchange downtown. Inside, you'll find two gold bars, worth a total of $50,000."

  "Real?" Blair asked, glancing at Jim.

  "Yes, in case they check. These nuggets are confiscated goods, from an import/export bust last year. We use them now and again for set ups like this. And, we'd rather not lose them."

  Jim shot Blair a quick look and laughed. "When's it set up for?"

  "Tomorrow afternoon, one o'clock. Our girls will have it scoped out, so we'll send a man in for check in, then at two sharp he'll leave. You'll have to make your move then, before Diana gets set up. These headsets give crystal clear pick up for a radius of one square mile. I suspect they use a similar set up. I really appreciate this, Detective. Portland had their hands full trying to nail these two and missed. Now, if we can stop the source of the trouble, maybe the next airport will be spared."

  Jim stood and shook Bryce's hand. "Glad to help. Come on, Chief, let's get cracking."

  Blair was walking towards the office door and shot Jim a look of surprise.

  Jim just smiled and pushed him out the door. It was late afternoon now, so they drove back to the loft to go over the files and make their plans. Jim was feeling much more confident now at having Blair along. If they could stay in constant communication, then maybe his partner could keep him from zoning out during the break-in. It would be a breeze convincing Jennifer and Diana that they were pros, and if Bryce was right, and they were willing to take on partners instead of simply moving on, then the only real work would be to meet the boss. And to get this knot out from between his shoulder blades.

  * * *

  Blair put the dirty plates in the sink and wiped the counter dry as Jim returned to the couch. They had been studying the files for the past three hours, and he was beginning to feel like he already knew Diana Meese and Jennifer Stralin intimately. It took him some concentrated effort not to stare at the photo of Diana that was in the front jacket of the file. She apparently preferred her skirts as short as possible, but how she got away with that in those higher class hotels, without being thought of as a working girl, he didn't know. Maybe she worked in jeans, and only dressed up when she cased the area? Either way, he sincerely hoped she'd be a little more discreet when they met, otherwise he'd be hard pressed to keep his mind on business. Most importantly, he'd have to keep Jim from zoning out on his tactile sense while in the room alone. For that, Blair decided the headsets would help. If he could keep Jim talking while he worked, he wouldn't lose himself completely in the task. But, if he didn't concentrate, he wouldn't get the safe open. Blair finished in the kitchen and walked back out to the living room. Jim was stretching again, trying to pop his back while reading a file at the same time. He'd been working his neck all through dinner and rubbing his shoulders. Blair hesitated for a moment. He new what Jim needed, and he knew if his partner really wanted help, he'd ask. But why should he have to? Why was he so hesitant to just help out when he was needed, instead of waiting to be asked? Come on, Sandburg, it's just simple male bonding, you can do that. He could see how tensed up Jim was.

  "Hey, Jim, slide over." Blair approached the couch from the side and motioned for Jim to move to the middle cushion. Jim absentmindedly moved, still studying the file, and Blair sat on the arm of the couch. From that angle, he could reach Jim's shoulders and be above him. "Come on, man, lean back. You're all bunched up." Blair reached, put both hands on Jim's shoulders, and began to massage the muscles, trying not to seem hesitant. He half-expected to be told to lay off.

  "Oh God, that's it right there." Jim put the file down and backed up just a little. "I was concentrating so much on that safe, I didn't realize I was tensed up."

  Blair found a knot between Jim's shoulders and began to work it. "I know, I could see it. I think that motion sensor was throwing you off. You were trying to beat IT, instead of the safe." Blair continued to work the knot and Jim began to lean into the massage. "I think that Fingers guy might have a Sentinel sense. That's probably what the really good thieves have, come to think of it."

  "Hum?"

  "You know, there are hundreds of documented cases of people with one, or maybe two extra sensitive senses. Like the people who work as tasters, and perfume testers. I never thought about it before, but I bet a good sense of touch is what the old time burglars used. Now maybe it's not so important." He sighed, thinking for a moment and moved his hands from the knot that had now gone to Jim's neck. "I guess it stands to reason that not everyone with a Sentinel sense would use it for a normal, legal profession." He kept thinking of that as he worked the tension from his partner's neck muscles. Jim was the only real, honest-to-God Sentinel he had ever found. But there were documented cases, and certainly must be even more undocumented ones of people with just one sense that was heightened. A good sense of smell and taste would benefit many people in legitimate jobs. A sense of sight would benefit almost anyone. He had just assumed touch could get you a good job in the textile field, or micro-electronics, or even as a masseuse. But it could just as easily benefit a safe cracker or pickpocket. He was once again grateful that the one man who turned out to be his long awaited Sentinel, was Detective James Ellison, and not someone like Duggan 'Fingers' McCoy. Would he have wanted to guide a man who was breaking the law for a living, for the sake of his research?

  Part 3

  * * *

  "Jim, what did it feel like, anyway?"

  "Hum?"

  "When you were so focused on the dial. What did it feel like?" There was a pause and Blair stopped massaging Jim's neck. "Jim?" He was falling asleep!

  "Oh man, I feel so loose now. That knot is completely gone." Jim rolled his shoulders and sighed. "This is incredible. Thanks, Chief."

  Blair let go of Jim's neck and shrugged a little, "You're welcome."

  "No, I'm serious. I've never felt so loose and relaxed." Jim moved his head from side to side. "I've been thinking this should be one of the new house rules. A guy could get used to this."

  Blair laughed and rolled his eyes. "Come on, Jim. With your tactile sense you could back up to a pole and enjoy it just as much." He climbed off the arm of the couch and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the table. "What did it feel like, anyway? The safe, I mean." The last thing Blair wanted to hear was how good the massage was. He hadn't gotten a good backrub himself since he and Maria had that little fight, and he really wanted one.

  "Just before I zoned out, it was like...like that dial in my hand was the only thing left on earth." Jim turned to face him and Blair could hear a note of fascinated excitement in his voice as he explained. "The dial was larger than life, and I could feel every little imperfection in the metal. And the teeth fell into place with a sort of jarring suddenness." he shook his head with the memory. "I was on automatic for a few seconds, then I'd feel your hand on my arm like some sort of hook, pulling me back." He raised his eyebrows and sat back against the couch. "I hope you're right about keeping me on track in there, 'cause I never even knew the door was open until you pulled me out."

  Blair nodded, "I think I've got that covered. With the headset I can keep you talking. And, I think you might be trying too hard. Your senses are a natural part of you. If you just relax and picture the tumbler in your head while you're working it, you'll be fine."

  Jim nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right. It's like when I'm with a woman, it's more..."

  "Whoa, hey man, that's more than I need to know." Blair raised both hands and stood up. That, was the last thing he wanted to hear. "I think I get it. Thanks."

  Jim laughed and shook his head. "Hey, maybe Don Juan was a Sentinel, huh?"

  Blair rol
led his eyes and walked to the refrigerator, pulling out a beer for each of them. "Funny." he said, shaking his head. God, it was enough that Jim had women calling him every day, now he wanted to be Don Juan? Not that Blair had much trouble, but to have Jim's sense of touch...Blair hadn't even gotten up the courage to ask Jim about that aspect, not even for his paper. He pulled off the bottle caps and returned to the living room, handing a bottle to Jim, who was still grinning. "So, what's our plan?" He sat down in the chair again and took a drink.

  "I figure we get in place just before Bryce's man leaves the room." Jim pulled out a plan of the hotel's 12th floor from the file and tossed it to Blair. "Room 1215 is right there in the middle of the hallway, with the elevator at the end here, a nice corner spot five doors down, then around the other corridor are more rooms, and the stairs. You can sit there in the corner, and watch both hallways from that V." Jim paused and took a drink.

  Blair was examining the plan and saw how the V in the corner of the building held two chairs and a small table. From there, he'd have a clear view of anyone coming off the elevators down one hall, and anyone coming towards them from the other. "So, you figure Diana to be coming up, see me there, and...?" he let the sentence trail.

  "She won't make a move unless the hallway is clear. I'm sure she cases the area, then calls for Jennifer when it's clear. If they see you sitting there, then me coming out of the room they want, they should be able to put two and two together."

  "And we're sure they'll want to team up? What if they just ignore us?"

  Jim shook his head, swallowing a drink of his beer. "No, I don't think they'll like passing up $50,000 in gold, and God knows what else we'd get to before them. Besides, according to Bryce's information, they aren't adverse to teaming up." He took another drink then set the bottle down. "We just have to make them believe we're that good, turn on the charm, work those eyes of yours, and we'll be in."

  Blair rolled his eyes and took a drink. Jim and Simon were always giving him a bad time about his facial expressions. He had to admit, he never gave it much thought. In fact, unless they were pointing it out, or making fun, he really didn't know what he was doing. Could he help it if he was expressive? Maybe that's what made him so good with the embellishments?

  "Then what? If this gold is a plant, and we get in, do we continue to steal until you get this boss of theirs?"

  Jim nodded, "Don't worry, Chief. We'll let Bryce know exactly who and what we do. He'll take care of the rest. And when it's over, everyone will get their money back."

  "Yeah, some day. Don't they keep everything until after the trial?"

  "Sure, but it's just a minor inconvenience most of the time. No one's being hurt here, Chief. Better they be robbed by cops on a case than just two thieves getting away with it."

  Blair made a face. He didn't like the idea of actually committing the crimes against innocent people, for who knew how long. "Yeah, but Jim, we'll be stealing from them. Can't we just use a setup each time?"

  Jim shook his head. "No, they'd smell a rat sooner or later. Some of these people have booked reservations months in advance. If we keep them from doing a job they've been planning on, they'll get suspicious. We need the big fish, these two are small time really."

  Blair nodded, but he still didn't like the idea. He'd been around Jim and the cases he'd solved for some time now, and he knew the time frame between arrest and conviction could be months, sometimes years. That thought brought another one that was nagging at the back of his mind: Brackett. It had been nearly a month since Brackett was put in jail. His trial would be coming up soon, wouldn't it? Or did he even have a case? Maybe they could just convict him and put him away based on so many witnesses already. Maybe he wouldn't have to be part of it. He should ask Jim, but he didn't want to know. Not yet. Besides, Jim had that nightmare this morning, and it had bothered him enough to not want Blair along on this job. If he brought it up now, he could find himself sitting at home while Jim zoned out in front of a safe in some hotel room. No. Jim said he wanted him along, he needed him.

  "Well, I'm turning in." Jim stood and took his empty bottle to the kitchen. "Well get to the hotel at 1:00, that'll give us some time to look around and maybe spot our girls. They should see us hanging around the hotel before the job." He reached both arms high above his head and stretched, smiling. "Man, my back feels great! Thanks again for the backrub. That really hit the spot."

  Blair raised his eyebrows for a second and laughed shortly. "Sure, anytime. Glad I could help."

  Jim was crossing the room and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, you help all the time, Chief. More than you know." With that, he climbed the steps to his room.

  Blair sat there on the chair for a few minutes, finishing his beer and thinking about what his partner had just said. He used to think Jim was taking him for granted, and resisting almost every suggestion he made regarding the police work. Jim only seemed to listen when he was helping him deal with his senses, and keeping him from zoning out. But he had begun to realize that wasn't true. He was slowly learning to interpret Jim's few facial expressions, but more importantly, his words. He was a man of few, but he always meant what he said. Blair had a tendency to speak too soon, thinking out loud, and then find himself trying to back track or explain something and choosing all the wrong words to do it. And, if Blair was to be completely honest with himself, Jim was always supporting him in some way. If it wasn't verbal, then it was a pat on the back, or a hand on his arm. Jim used touch more than words to convey support and friendship. Blair was getting used to that more and more, now that he understood what it meant. Jim never made fun of the occasional absurd remark Blair made, and he never got impatient with Blair's constant questioning during a case. In fact, he was more patient than most men Blair knew. Definitely more than Simon.

  Jim turned the lights out upstairs and Blair decided it was time to turn in. He'd have to figure out how to hack into the hotel's reservation computer tomorrow morning, in case he had to prove himself for one of the real jobs after the setup. He still wasn't sure about actually stealing from innocent travelers. But, Jim had done this before, and it was better that they be robbed by an undercover officer on the case, than by the real crooks, right? If they switched the real loot with fake, they would surely find out. Blair yawned and walked to the kitchen to throw away his empty bottle, hitting the lights on his way. The moral implications of Jim's work were endlessly fascinating at times, but he was tired.

  The next morning, it took Blair only an hour to figure out how to intercept the hotel's reservations. He was sure, for a true hacker, it would have taken minutes. Maria had taught him a few things about finding back doors in secured systems. He'd have to call her soon and apologize, if she didn't call first.

  "Wow, this place is popular with the jet-set." Blair pushed the laptop around slightly so Jim could see the display. "No less than ten master suites booked for later this week alone, all with requests for in-room safes." He shook his head in wonder. "I never realized there were so many rich people flying into Cascade."

  "That's just it, flying in," Jim replied, glancing at the screen. "Up here for business deals, most likely."

  "Oh, hang on...Look at this." Blair accessed the hotel conference room schedule and found a reason for all the high rollers to be in town.

  "Estate auction?" Jim read the reservation then raised his eyebrows. "See if you can find out what's being auctioned off."

  Blair switched screens, did a little surfing, and found a list labeled "Members Only", "Wow, check this out. We've got gold coins, jewelry, some antiques, and several varieties of loose gems." Blair whistled through his teeth. "Some estate."

  "They must be planning a big payday this week," Jim said, glancing at the list. "Looks like we'll have our hands full."

  "Won't they have security for a collection like this?"

  "Of course, but look here." Jim pointed to the list of contributors on the display. "Each guest coming in this week is bringing an assort
ment for the auction, not just one. Ten different contributors, with ten different schedules, and ten different ways of protecting their property. I'm sure none of them wanted to lump it together for security when they can keep their own goods in their rooms. Besides, big time security plans attract too much attention."

  "So much trust in the world." Blair shook his head. "So, our job isn't any different?"

  "Nope." Jim checked his watch. "And, we'd best get moving. You ready, Chief?" Jim patted him on the back and walked over to grab his coat.

  "As I'll ever be." Blair replied, shutting off the computer.

  Jim handed him the black box for the safe, and both headsets, putting the key entry decoder in his jacket pocket. They had decided Jim would take the motion sensor Fingers McCoy had given them, but not turn it on. It would look more natural if they were using the same equipment they expected Jennifer and Diana to be using, but keeping it off would prevent Jim from trying to out match the box. The headsets they would each wear were small and lightweight, fitting snugly around one ear with a short, thin microphone extending a mere two inches from the base of the unit. On Blair, the entire setup was invisible in his hair. On Jim, it was much more obvious, but he would be in the room, and not seen by any passers by as Blair would. The big mystery, aside from who was organizing the two women, was how they always managed to pull the jobs without getting caught with the goods. Detective Bryce and his men had arrested them several times, but never once found the just-stolen property on either of them. They had a method, and possibly an insider, but unless that insider moved with them from town to town, they must have a new recruit at each hotel.