Gretel Koch Jewel Thief Box Set Read online

  Her bank accounts had been frozen, but she had overseas bank accounts they knew nothing about. Besides that, she still had gold and diamonds hidden cleverly, in plain view, within her New York City apartment. Only thing was, that apartment had been seized along with a few other properties she owned.

  “Meanwhile, I’ve got the press wanting to interview you.” He chuckled. “You’re famous. Everyone wants to hear your story. I’ve even got a well-known author wanting to write your memoir.”

  “'Memoir?' Cripes! I’m only thirty-two.” She bit on the end of her acrylic thumbnail. Maybe her life was over. “Tell him to forget it.” She looked into his eyes that so perfectly complemented his silver hair. Scandinavian descent maybe?

  “Her,” he corrected. “It’s a fascinating story. You grew up in a strictly religious home and not just any religious family. You’re the daughter of a well-known evangelistic minister. Then you leave and go on to become an international jewel thief—the world’s most notorious ever.”

  “Well, I don’t know about—”

  “You never left a trace. You were always in and out before anyone knew what was happening. Until now you were a phantom, a legend.” He seemed impressed.

  It wasn’t that hard. Many people were careless, and as for the others, she had taken advantage of their lack of security. She stared at him, wondering if he’d help her escape. She decided, no, he wouldn’t risk his career and his freedom. But, her favorite sister might help her if she thought she wouldn’t get caught.

  “Considering all the press, they’re not going to go easy on you.”

  Gretel took a deep breath of the stale and humid air that filled the small room. “Why? I never hurt or killed anyone.”

  “You stole millions.”

  “They all had insurance—so what?” She shrugged.

  “Robbery is a crime regardless of insurance. Anyway, I’ve already said no to everyone wanting interviews.”

  “Good. Thank you.” She peered at the notes he had to one side.

  “We need your help to start working on your defense.”

  “You said it’ll take eighteen months to two years to go to court. There’s plenty of time to worry about that.” Panic rattled through her; all she could think about was escape. The longer she left it, the more time Ryan would have to find a fence for the diamonds. If there was one tiny mercy in everything that had happened, she’d never shared any of her key people with Ryan. He knew Kent and Marty existed, but didn’t know their names or how to contact them.

  “I think we’ll need all that time and more.”

  She sighed. “Isn’t there some way you can get me out of here? They said you’re the best. Can’t you pull some strings, bribe someone?”

  His eyebrows drew together until they nearly touched. “No.”

  “It’s so unfair.” Once more, she drummed what was left of her acrylic nails on the table.

  “Let’s make the best use of our time, shall we?” He took his glasses out of his pocket and placed them on his nose. Then, he promptly leaned down and pulled a notepad out of his briefcase.

  She sat there as Cameron droned on about his recommendations, feeling helpless, a total failure for the first time since she was a child.

  Memories flooded back. At eight years old, she’d stolen the money from the church offering. They never let her forget it, saying she was good for nothing and she’d never amount to anything. Also, they’d whispered about her being a bad seed.

  He sat back in his seat. “How did you get involved in crime? You’re not lacking in the looks or intelligence department. You could’ve done anything, been anything.”

  “I don’t know.” She did know. At sixteen she learned she’d been born to steal. While her sisters were at the mall, she went off by herself to look around the shops. A well-dressed woman walking in front of her dropped her pocketbook out of her bag. It was a temptation Gretel couldn’t bear; she scooped it up and looked inside. All of her Christmases had come at once when she saw a large diamond ring twinkling at her, along with a thick wad of cash.

  As soon as she’d popped the ring into her jeans’ pocket, she ran after the woman to give back the pocketbook with all the cash.

  The woman was ever so grateful for its return and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Gretel as a reward. Gretel gladly accepted.

  Then came the euphoria that flooded her being. She’d gotten away with it. It was the happiest she’d been in her life.

  She was hooked. Hooked on ice—not the drug. This addiction was just as intense.

  The sale of that ring had funded her escape from her family. It was the inspiration for her life’s work, and through it she met Jackson Forsitto, her fence. Every jewel thief needed a good fence and Vince was the best.

  She’d lived her dream life and just when she considered retiring, in walked trouble in the shape of Ryan Castle.

  Cameron interrupted her thoughts. “I have another appointment. I’ll come back Monday.”

  “Good.” Monday was a week away. With any luck, she’d be out of here by then.

  Cameron pushed his paperwork into his briefcase seeming displeased. Then he looked back at her. “You’re facing some serious felony charges. Not just one—many.”

  He wasn’t so attractive when he was berating her. “I know. That’s why I’m paying you the big bucks.” Lawyers like him didn’t come cheap.

  “We need you to help us to help you.”

  She raised her fingertips to her forehead and massaged her temples, wondering how many times he’d used that line. “I appreciate it. I do. Right now, I can’t think of anything else except seeing my sister tomorrow.”

  He looked down at his briefcase as he clipped it shut.

  Chapter 4

  The first person Gretel saw when she walked back into the library was Anita, alone. This was a perfect opportunity, and she’d made a career out of seizing those. She walked up to her. “You’re planning something with the others. I want in.”

  Anita turned to look at her. Although small, she had the reputation of being aggressive. “Yeah? Who told you that?”

  “I figured it out. If you count me in, I can set us all up with fake IDs.”

  “You can get that done?”

  “I have a man, he does them for me all the time. I’ve traveled around the world on different passports.”

  “My uncle can do that for me.”

  “Yes, but would he do it for the other girls as well? Besides, do you really want to bother your uncle? Sounds like he’s a busy man.”

  Anita went back to placing books on the shelf. “We don’t have room for one more. It’ll be dangerous.”

  “It’s true, then? You’ve got to include me.”

  Anita picked up another book and then stared at her with a ‘how do I know I can trust you?’ look.

  It was time to talk money. “I can buy my way in.”

  Anita’s dark eyes bored through her. “How much?”

  Gretel knew she was in. All she’d had to do was talk money. “How many of us are there?”

  “Four.”

  “Ten thousand each.”

  “That doesn’t sound like much for someone like you. Didn’t you steal millions?”

  “Yes, but they were stolen from me. Ten grand’s a lot of money. It’ll give you a good start, along with fake IDs.” She moved closer. “He’ll do each one of you a birth certificate, a new social security number, the lot.”

  She looked around. “Let’s do it this way. Give me eighty thousand and I’ll talk the others into it because of the fake IDs. But … you can’t mention you’re giving me money.”

  Gretel tried to hide her excitement. “Eighty’s too much. I could make it fifty.”

  “What happened to all the money you got over the years?”

  “I spent it all. Holidays, gifts for my friends, and the police froze the rest. It’s true; you can read about it online. I could make it fifty, no more.” Gretel held her breath.

  “Okay fifty. How will you get it to me?”

  Gretel looked back over her shoulder, and seeing the guard at the door, casually picked up a book and looked at it. “I can deposit it into your brand-new bank account that I’ll have set up for you.”

  Anita’s face beamed with happiness. “You can do that?”

  “Yes. Are you sure you can talk them into it?”

  “Leave it to me. I’ll tell them we need you because of the IDs.”

  Gretel nodded. “When is it going to happen? I need to get out fast.”

  “Talk at dinner. I’ll speak to the others first.”

  “My sister’s coming tomorrow and if you let me in, she can help us. She can be waiting to drive us wherever we want. Do you have someone on the outside?”

  Anita’s mouth clenched. “We did have someone on the outside, but that fell through. We have a new plan that includes transport, but we could always use a backup.”

  Gretel put the book back and selected another. “Can you make an excuse to go see the others now?”

  “I could take the books trolley and do the rounds.”

  “Good. I’ll wait here. Hurry. And, when you come back I’ll need you to tell me the whole plan.”

  Once Anita had moved away, Gretel sat down and pretended to read a book. She chuckled to herself. Contrary to what she’d been raised to believe, money, not God, opened prison doors. She’d tell that to her parents, if she ever saw them again.

  Just under an hour later, Anita was back. “You’re in. Don’t forget, don’t mention money to anyone.”

  “Thank you. I won’t.”

  “I hope I can trust you. Don’t let me down.”

  Gretel knew there was the underlying threat of Anita’s uncle in her staring dark eyes. “I won’t. It works both ways you know. How do I know you’re not leading me up the garden path?”

  “I’m not.”

  “I hope not. I’ll help you put these books on the shelves while you tell me the plan.”

  With each word that proceeded out of Anita’s mouth, Gretel’s hopes were crushed further. It was a dreadful plan, childlike at best. The plan involved taking one of the guards as a hostage. One of the girls had made a knife out of a razor blade pushed into the end of a toothbrush and they were prepared to kill. It wasn’t good. Gretel was devastated. She wanted no part of killing or taking someone hostage. There had to be another way.

  A new plan was what she needed—fast.

  Chapter 5

  Gretel was taken aback when her sister walked in sporting a tattoo on her forearm. Their parents hated tattoos. Never mind the tight jeans and clinging black tee shirt, clothing not fitting for the daughter of a minister.

  A silent moment passed between them while they sat in the visitors’ room along with several other inmates and their guests.

  Hazel hadn’t been the strongest member of their parents’ church until she met Jason, a nice church member whom she’d been set to marry. Without one word passing between them, Gretel knew her sister’s new look meant the romance was over.

  “What’s going on with you?” Gretel asked.

  “Jason and I are through.”

  “I’m sorry.” She wasn’t, really. Even though she’d never met the guy, she knew his type. Her sister needed someone a whole lot more interesting, someone more arty. Hazel had always been a free spirit, and while she appeared to follow the rules, she hadn’t been influenced by the family values, until Jason.

  “Thanks. And I’m sorry you’re in here.”

  There was no time for small talk. “I need you to listen closely. At the right moment, I’m going to slide a slip of paper across to you and you must hide it somewhere. Follow the instructions precisely.”

  “What’s it about?”

  “I’m escaping.”

  Hazel’s nose twitched. “Can that be done?”

  “I’m about to find out. There are people you’ll need to contact. Tell them all the instructions are non-negotiable because I can’t make contact a second time. You know where we went when that friend of yours needed ID?”

  “Yes.”

  “Go back there and give him the note.”

  “Sure. I’ll do exactly as you say and make sure they do too.”

  One person she could trust above all others was Hazel. When a domestic broke out between one of the inmates and her husband and the guards hurried to separate them, Gretel took the moment to pass Hazel the note.

  Hazel moved it seamlessly into her jean’s pocket, bringing Gretel extreme relief. One piece of her plan had gone well, but there were many more to go.

  “Sorry it’s been so long. What’s going on with you?”

  “Never mind me,” Hazel said. “How did you get caught?”

  “Don’t you read the newspapers?”

  “I do, but they didn’t say much.”

  Gretel shook her head, disappointed with herself. She’d gone so far in her life and been brought down by a man. “I made the mistake of falling in love.”

  Hazel’s eyes bugged out. “Who with?”

  “No one important. He stole from me and then told the police I’d hidden the diamonds somewhere. He’s obviously still got them stashed.”

  “He betrayed you.”

  “Exactly. Never trust a man.”

  “Tell me about it. Jason broke up with me and never said why.”

  Gretel narrowed her eyes. “Are you still living at home?”

  “Yeah. It’s hard making enough money with my art. I could move into my studio, but home’s more comfortable.”

  “You’ll make it. Stick with it. You’re talented. You’ll be discovered one day.”

  Hazel offered half a smile. Then, it left her face. “Dad hasn’t been well, and Mom’s getting older.”

  “Hey, we’re all getting older.” She looked around the room, not wanting to give a second thought to the parents who’d treated her so harshly.

  “You look exactly the same as when I last saw you, Gretel, beautiful.”

  Gretel was pleased to hear it, even though she knew it was a lie. “You too.”

  The time with Hazel ended too quickly. It broke Gretel’s heart to have her sister watch her led away with the rest of the inmates, like a common criminal.

  Escape day came one week later. Gretel woke with a start not knowing where she was. Then it all came flooding back like water breaching a dam. Today had three possible outcomes. She’d either escape, be killed, or end up in solitary. It all hinged on Hazel having gotten the instructions to Marty.

  When everyone lined up to be counted that afternoon, Gretel’s plan kicked into action. The women were making their move after the mid-afternoon headcount, so there was no time to lose. She made sure to stand next to Zora, a known and disliked snitch.

  Once the headcount was over, Gretel whispered to Zora, “It’s a shame about Bulldog. Have you heard?” Bulldog was the nickname of the guard the women had planned to take as their hostage.

  Zora squinted at her. “What do you mean?”

  “There’s going to be a hostage takeover any minute. One of the girls has a gun.” The gun part was a lie, but she figured Zora would believe it.

  Zora’s eyes nearly crossed at the news, and then without a word she hurried away.

  Gretel had to get out of the building and into the yard for her plan to work.

  Rhoda grabbed her by the arm and swung her around. “Why were you talking to her?”

  “She knows what’s going down. She heard about the escape and asked me about it. I denied it.”

  Rhoda’s mouth dropped open in shock. “We’ll have to do it now.” She rushed away, probably expecting Gretel to follow, but Gretel headed in the opposite direction.

  There was one locked door between her and freedom—also one heavily armed guard.

  When she heard yelling and then a gunshot, that was her opportunity. The guard at the door drew her weapon and started running toward the strife. Gretel stepped in the way. When they collided, the guard shoved her aside and Gretel managed to unhook the guard’s keys from her belt.

  Gretel landed with a thud on the hard floor with the keys firmly in her hand. Any second, the place would be in automatic lock-down and the keys would no longer work. She bounded to her feet with her eyes fastened on the door.

  A quick look at the lock and she knew which key opened it. She shoved the key into the lock and turned. The door opened just as the sirens sounded. Once she leapt through and pushed the door closed, she leaned on it and looked up at the sheer forty-foot wall.

  Chapter 6

  Gretel Koch, jewel thief, looked up into the blue sky hoping her sister had reached Marty. What if she’d forgotten how to get to his house? It had been many years since Hazel had been there and it had only been once.

  All Gretel heard now were deafening sirens.

  “Hurry, hurry.” She jumped nervously from one foot to the other.

  Then she saw what she’d been waiting for.

  A helicopter.

  In her plan, all the guards were summoned inside to get the prisoners back to their cells.

  Not so.

  When the helicopter got closer, shots were fired from the tower at the front of the prison. Gretel hoped the helicopter pilot wouldn’t abandon his mission.

  Gunfire retaliated from the helicopter.

  Gretel watched the scene in horror. This wasn’t what she wanted. Then she saw the pilot making hand gestures to her.

  The roof. She had to get up to the roof. In her note, she’d stated she’d be on the western side; maybe they were expecting her to be on that side of the roof. She spied a drainpipe and scampered up it, the same as she’d done many a time. When she finally made it, she saw the helicopter was low, now shielded from the gunfire from the tower.

  Then the helicopter zoomed closer, but didn’t land.

  A rope was thrown out. Was she going to have to hang onto a rope—a single rope? Her plan had involved the helicopter landing, for crying out loud.

  With no other option, she made a run for the rope and grabbed onto it. Seeing a loop on the bottom, she stuck one foot into it like a stirrup. Before she was organized properly, the helicopter moved off and away. She looked back just as the tower came into view. A guard was taking careful aim with a large gun.