The Thief and the White Knight - 5

Taking a deep breath, Kerry asked, "Enough to have lunch with me sometime this week?"

Pia thought about it for a moment. "Sure, why not, but it has to be at one-thirty. That's when my lunch hour starts, or more like my lunch forty-five minutes."

"I can manage that since I'm between day jobs right now. What day, and where?"

"Thursday and at the side door of Tambrill's Department Store, on East A Street."

"Fantastic." He finished his beer, and noting her glass was empty, asked if she'd like another. When she nodded, he flagged down the bartender.

"So, Kerry, what do you do for a day job?" Pia asked.

"Work construction, which can be on again, off again, unfortunately. But when it's on it pays well."

"Acting doesn't?"

"If you make it big, it pays great. In a small city like this I make enough to keep the wolf from the door." He paid the bartender who had come back with their drinks, and smiled as Pia sighed with pleasure when she took a drink of hers. "That good, huh?"

"Oh yeah, here, try it."

He took a sip, rolling it over his tongue. "This is vodka? It's definitely—interesting."

"You don't like it," she said, pouting.

"I suppose one could get used to it, but I'm more of a beer drinker."

"Good," Pia replied with a grin. "Then I get it all to myself."

"You're not going to get drunk on me are you?"

She shook her head. "I don't do 'drunk'. Too dangerous. I stop at relaxed."

Something in her voice had Kerry suddenly alert but he couldn't put his finger on why, so with a mental shrug he filed it away for later. "What do you do for fun?" he asked instead.

"Read, when I have the time. Come here occasionally. That's about it. What about you?"

"Pretty much the same. Give me a good book and I'm in heaven."

That led to a prolonged discussion of what authors they liked, disliked and wouldn't touch even if they were stuck on a desert island.

It was close to closing time when Kerry, feeling more relaxed than he had in ages, looked around the room while Pia made a trip to the ladies' room. He was about to turn back to the bar when he saw the two men who had been watching Pia so intently the last time he was here.

"Is something wrong?" Pia asked as she rejoined Kerry at the bar.

"Look in the back-bar mirror. See the two men at the corner table under the Strega ad?"  

Pia moved slightly on her barstool to see whom he was talking about. "Yes, and?"

"Those are the same two who were watching you last week."

She nodded slowly, studying them before trying to pass it off by saying, "Just a couple of guys who think they're 'bad boys', looking for lone women to pick up."

"If you say so. Not being female or into that I wouldn't know."

Pia laughed. "You tried to pick me up last time you were here."

"True, but I did it immediately; I didn't sit at a back table and stare at you for hours trying to make up my mind. I sucked at it, but I did try."

"Not your forté, that's for sure." She grinned, patting his arm.

He chuckled, saying, "I think we've definitely established that." He was quick to note though that her eyes kept returning to the mirror as they were talking.

When she began gathering up her things he stood and put on his jacket.

"You don't have to leave too," Pia told him.

"It's only a few minutes until last call, I think I'll live if I miss that," he replied, offering her his arm.

After another quick look at the men, she took it. "I parked closer by tonight so you won't have to walk half the city," she said as they left the bar.

"I hardly think around the corner constituted half the city."

"Well this time I'm right there." She pointed to the small lot next to the bar.

They were about to walk into it when they heard loud voices behind them. Turning, they saw the bouncer in a vehement discussion with the two men as he blocked their way out of the door.

"I think this is the time for you to get to your car and leave," Kerry told Pia. "If they make it past your friend I'll stall them. So, move it."

Pia shot him a startled look but did as he'd ordered. As she pulled out of the lot she saw the two men hurrying towards it. She was half-tempted to stop just to see what Kerry would do but common sense took over and she drove off a fast as she could.

The Thief and the White Knight - 4

"You look like you're ready to scratch some eyes out," Kerry commented as he held the back door of the theater open for Marcia.

She took a deep breath, thanked him, and then said, "Someone broke into the Galleria last night. Casey says they only took a few items but they were all antique and very expensive."

"Damn. Is he insured?"

"Of course," she replied tartly, apologizing seconds later for her tone of voice. "He's upset so of course I am too."

"You could always put on your detective hat and find the thief." Kerry knew she ran her own small private investigation agency during the day.

Marcia rolled her eyes. "The police are handling it," she told him, mimicking the voice of the detective in charge perfectly.

"So? That doesn't mean you can't do your own sleuthing."

"Casey would kill me," she said, but her face lit up at that idea.

They were at the dressing room doors as he said, "I can be Watson to your Holmes."

Looking up at him she asked, "Since when do you know anything about crime investigation?"

"I don't," he admitted, "but I'm a quick study, easily trainable, and since I'm between day jobs I'm bored."

Marcia laughed. "So if I say 'heel' you'll heel, and if I tell you to roll over you will?"

Kerry snorted in amusement. "What's with you women? I had another one say about the same thing to me a few days ago."

"It's your puppy-dog look," she replied, patting his arm. "I'll think about it but right now we've got a show to prepare for."

He nodded before entering the men's dressing room, his thoughts flying to his brief encounter with the woman called Pia. He decided to go back to the bar where he'd met her, on the off-chance that she'd be there again.

* * * *

"Pia, il mio caro," the bouncer at the club's door said, literally sweeping her up into a big hug. "You need to grow taller," he said with a laugh as he put her down again.

"You say that every time," she replied, laughing as well. "Anything exciting happening?"

"You secret admirer is here." He nodded towards the end of the long bar.

"He's not so secret if you know he's an admirer, although I doubt he really is."

"You sure, Sweetness?" The bouncer grinned as she flipped him off before heading to only vacant seat left at the bar, which just happened to be right next to the man in question.

"Saving this for me?" she asked as she sat down, noting he pulled his feet off the rungs as soon as she had.

Kerry shrugged with a surprisingly shy smile. "I was hoping you might show up. May I buy you a drink?"

After studying him for a second, she nodded, asking for her usual when the bartender came over. Then she turned back to Kerry. "You really were waiting for me?"  

"Yes."

"But shouldn't you be on stage emoting profound words for an admiring audience?"

"It's Monday, we're dark."

"Ah ha, that explains why I haven't seen you in a week. And here I thought you were immune to my charms."

"How could any man—" Kerry took a long pull on his beer, wondering if he looked as stupid and embarrassed as he was feeling at the moment.

"What happened to the brash actor who was playing knight errant just a week ago?" Pia asked with a smile.

"He spent the last few days hoping he didn't make an ass of himself if he saw you again," Kerry replied honestly. "It's been a long time since I had the time or the inclination to be interested in a woman and that sounds strange doesn't it."

"A little. May I ask a question?" When he nodded, she did. "Are you bi? I don't think under the circumstances that you're gay."

"No. Straight up straight, just lacking in social skills on the male/female front."

"With your looks and body I'm surprised. Have you ever tried being a—a character I guess you could say, to make things easier for you?" She sipped her drink as she watched his face, which had turned red at her compliment.

He nodded slightly. "I tried that a couple of times but the moment I stopped being the bash, forward man and showed the true 'me' the women decided they didn't want a phony and moved on."

"You're doing very well with being yourself tonight, other than that you're wound up tighter than a spring. So relax, Kerry, I promise I won't bite."

He chuckled. "To which I'm supposed to reply, 'Even if I ask you to'."

"If you're a pickup artist on the make, like you were trying to be last Monday, then yes. But I think you've moved past that now."

"That was rather stupid, wasn't it?"

  

"Let's just say my friend watching the door is still teasing me about the 'Sweetness' thing. So yeah, it was." Pia smiled, adding, "Quite honestly I like the real you better."

The Thief and the White Knight - 3

Getting into the building was a snap, getting into the Galleria was harder, but Pia's skills overcame the excellent security system that was in use. The safe was proving to be a bit more difficult. But she would get into it. That was a given. No safe was unbeatable; she'd learned that at her father's knee. Mr Lupo had been a locksmith and taught his only child everything he knew in hopes that she might someday take over his business. She'd always thought she had, just not quite the way he'd envisioned.

The safe at the Galleria had eight wheels in the lock. First, she needed to discover the contact points before parking the wheels. That took time and a good ear but when she was finished and had graphed the results, she had all the possible combinations. Then it was just a matter of dialing each one until the safe opened.

The whole process took well over an hour and required incredible patience but time was not a problem and she had patience to spare. Finally, the safe door swung open and she examined the contents. The items she'd been sent to steal were on the top shelf, each one in its own velvet-lined box. After packing them carefully into her bag, resisting the temptation to take something small for herself, she closed the safe door, spinning the dial to lock it again, and then went into the Galleria's main office. File cabinets lined one wall. After a brief search she found the one holding the provenience papers for the stolen items and put them in her bag as well.

Then she was out of there, leaving being much easier than entering. She only had to reset the Galleria's alarms and then the one on the back entrance to the building.

Getting home proved to be more of a challenge. Perhaps Mr Reede with an 'e' hadn't been kidding when he'd said someone had been watching her at the bar a few nights ago.

She was a block away from the building when she saw the car. At first she thought nothing of it, it was late but that didn't mean she could expect to be the only driver out and about by a long shot. When she made a right turn onto a side street that was a shortcut to her place and the other car turned too she still shrugged it off, but after a third turn with it still behind her she began to tense up.

Let's just see if I'm being paranoid or not, she thought, making a last second turn onto another side street. "Guess not," she muttered as the other car did the same and then pulled up close behind her. That's when she realized the street she was on was very dark and held primarily warehouses and a few vacant shops. Way to go, girl.

She accelerated, hitting sixty as she came up to the next corner, which she took on two wheels, praying the car wouldn't roll. It didn't and she sped down the short block to the next corner, taking it just as rapidly.  

"Thank you, Tito," she said prayerfully when she checked the mirrors and saw she'd was alone on the street. He might disdain cars now in favor of his bike, but when they had been younger he'd taught her everything he knew about driving including evasion and escape techniques. Tonight that had served her well.

She didn't slow her pace until she was well out of the area and certain she'd lost her trackers. Then she pulled into the driveway of the closest house, parked, leaving the engine running, and buried her head in her arms on the steering wheel until she'd stopped shaking.

Pulling back onto the street once she was calmer, she carefully continued on her way home, vowing to herself to do whatever it took to find out who had been driving the other car and, she suddenly realized, how they had known where to find her in the first place.

* * * *

Pia marched into her contact's place of business mid-morning of the following day. Stalking past the startled receptionist, she pushed open the door to the man's office. He was obviously in the middle of a meeting with a client but one look at her face and he stood, excusing himself, and then led her into an adjoining room, closing and locking the door behind them.

"What's got your tail in a twist?" he asked.

"Who did you tell that I was going to do that job last night?" she said with quiet anger, not raising her voice as she put her bag down on the table in the middle of the room and opened it.

"Not a soul," he stated firmly.

"Did you attempt to hire someone else before calling me?"

He nodded reluctantly. "I put out a couple of feelers, looking for—"

"Someone who works cheaper than I do," she spat out before he could finish his sentence. "Who responded?"

"No one."

"But you let it out what the target was."

"Yes, of course. Now do you what to tell me what this is all about?"

Flopping down in the nearest chair, Pia watched him as she gave him the details of last night's chase. He muttered a couple of expletives as she talked but otherwise remained silent until she was finished.

"I swear I had nothing to do with that and I don't know who it was who was after you." He tapped his lips as he leaned back against the table. "You're right though, it had to be someone who heard what I was looking for. And you're well enough known in some circles that when they saw you leave they knew you would have the goods with you."

"And I'm going to find out who he was."

"You're sure it was only one person?"

"No. I wasn't really counting heads after I picked up on the fact that the car was tailing me." Getting up again she went over to her bag and handed her contact the cases and the papers.

He nodded his thanks as he took them over to the safe concealed behind a picture on one wall. After stashing them on one of the shelves, he picked up two wrapped bundles of bills to give to her.

Pia took them, thumbing them quickly. "A bit more than usual," she commented.

"Call it hazard pay," he replied with a smile. "Pia, I'll keep my ear to the ground and if I hear anything I'll let you know. I don't want to loose my best—associate."

"Thanks." She put the money in her bag and then slung it over her shoulder. "Next time," she said with a tight smile, "come to me first."

"For the big ones, I will."

"Better," she muttered as she left the room.

The Thief and the White Knight - 2

"Pia, I've got a temp job for you," the voice on the other end of the phone said.

"Oh wonderful. Do I want to know what?"

She did actually, as she was running low on cash. Clerking at the local department store kept her in food, clothes and shelter but left her little for the finer things in life like books and good CDs for her player. She listened as he spelled out what he needed, coding his words as always to make it sound like a legitimate job. While he did, she took notes that would be safely disposed of as soon as she'd committed the details to memory.

When he had finished she said, "You know I'm going to have to brush up on my skills with that particular program. It's going to take me a couple of days just to get the lay of the land so to speak." She nodded at his response. "Alright, I'll be in contact as soon as the job's completed."

Hanging up, she booted up her computer to search for basic information on her target. She knew about the Galleria. She had even, in her younger days, contemplated seeing if she could figure out how to get in and out just to practice her skills, but she never once thought someone would hire her to break into it.

As she ran through the pages on the Galleria's website she had to give them kudos for being smart enough not to show the shop itself. She drooled over some of the jewelry but knew better than even think about picking up a piece or two while she was there. After all, wearing it would be like advertising that she was the one who had stolen it, and what was the fun of having it if you couldn't flaunt it.

Finishing with that site, she preceded on to one that would give her the architectural and design specs of the building that housed the Galleria. From there she dug deeper, going into a well-secured site which held the blueprints used by the company responsible for the original renovations on suite of rooms housing the Galleria. She printed out the information she needed and then closed down, turning off the computer.

After getting ready for bed, she slid under the covers and began studying the plans. She had found that just before falling asleep was the best time to memorize details. Finally, folding the sheets of paper and sliding them under her pillow, she turned off the light and fell into dreamless sleep.

* * * *

One final curtain call and the lights dimmed to black, much to Kerry's relief. He'd been off tonight; not badly enough that the audience had picked up on it, but the other cast members had.

As he headed back to the dressing room his co-star hurried to catch up with him. She linked her arm in his to stop him, asking, "Is something wrong?"

"Naw. Just one of those nights when everything seems a half step to the left."

"It's the moon, it's full," she replied very seriously, and then laughed at the look on his face. "Just teasing you."

"Hell, for all I know it could be. I've been restless all day."

"You need to get laid."

"Marcia, you did not just say that."

"Humm, yes, I think I did. But before you do that you have to go out and find a nice young woman. It's hard getting laid without one."

"Does she have to be nice," he asked, playing along.

"Only if you want to see her more than once. Honestly though Kerry, you're probably the only actor I know who doesn't flit from female to female, and God knows they're out there hoping you will."

"Yeah, well that's just not my thing. I go to the bars or to parties and—Hell, I don't know, either I need to brush up on my flirting techniques, which I know suck, or I'm just not ready for a relationship or—" he shrugged.

"Or the right woman hasn't crossed your path. I know it took forever for me to find the right one." When his eyebrows shot up, she realized what she'd said. "I mean the right man. Don't go getting the wrong idea there mister."

"I knew what you meant," he told her with a laugh. "So go change and head home to your 'Mister Right', and I'll—do something. I have a pile of books waiting for me."

"Romances to inspire you?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows.

"No, smarty, serious stuff, Connelly, Morrell, the usual."

"Macho male reads, got it. Okay, have fun, dream of saving the delicate heroine from the wicked spy-master and I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Some how I don't think the 'delicate heroine' needs me saving her," he muttered under his breath when Marcia was out of earshot.

The Thief and the White Knight - 1

"Well aren't you the cute little thing."

Pia turned on the bar stool, looking up at the man. Her eyes traveled down the length of his body to his well-clad feet and up again. "Well aren't you the handsome big thing." Then she returned dismissively to her drink, stirring it with one finger as she watched the football game on the bar's wide-screen TV.

"Does that add sweetness to the whiskey, Sweetness?"

Without turning, she replied, "It's Mezzaluna, cretin. It doesn't need sweetening."

"Cretin, huh? I don't think I've ever been called that before."

"First time for everything. Today's your lucky day for that. Now if you don't mind I'd like to enjoy my drink and the game without further interruption."

There was a low chuckle and then silence. After taking a quick glance over her shoulder, she sighed in relief. 'Sir Cretin' had vanished. Probably, she thought, back to the cave he'd crawled out of.

Two hours later, still far from drunk but feeling no pain, Pia picked up her bag and jacket and strolled to the front door of bar.

"You okay to drive?" the bouncer asked from his stool by the door, giving her a visual check over.

"When am I not?" she replied with a smile. "I know my limits. The only time I go over is when our team looses, and they didn't tonight." She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "But thanks for worrying."

"Take care—Sweetness." He grinned when she glared and smacked his arm. "I overheard that idiota, Pia. I'm surprised you let him live."

"Eh, blood's so hard to get out of clothes, and he's probably a bleeder." She winked at him and stepped onto the sidewalk outside the bar.

As she walked down the block and around the corner to where she'd parked her car, she got that tingly feeling between her shoulder blades which said someone was watching her. Not one to ignore well-honed instincts she reached into her jacket pocket, took out her taser and palmed it. Despite the bouncer's teasing, she never carried a weapon. Having one on her, if by some fluke of bad luck she got caught while working, would only add to the charges and make it harder to bond out quickly.

Stopping for a moment, she checked her reflection in a shop window, running her free hand through her hair to get a few loose strands back where they belonged. At the same time, she looked for who was following her. I know it wasn't my imagination, she thought when she didn't see anyone other than a couple across the street getting into their car.

Tightening her grip on the taser, she kept walking, going past her car and around the next corner. She knew the area well, including all the safe places she could duck into and remain virtually invisible. One was right ahead of her, a cavernous, dark entryway to an office building. Whoever owned the building was too cheap to keep any lights on once everyone was gone for the day.

Ten seconds later she pressed her body against the entryway wall and waited. It didn't take long before she heard muffled footsteps approaching. Whoever it was was being very cautious.

The streetlight on the corner of the block put her follower in silhouette and she could tell it was a male, not that that surprised her in the least. His shadow lengthened as he got closer. Then it stopped moving.

"You can come out now, Sweetness. I have not intention of hurting you; I just wanted to make sure you got to your car safely."

She remained silent, hoping he was bluffing and would move on. He didn't. Instead he stepped into the entryway.

"Damn it, I'm not lying," he told her, holding his hands out from his sides to show he wasn't carrying anything.

"Why the hell would you care whether I was safe or not?"

"I'm a knight in shining armor?" he replied with a laugh.

She snorted, not moving the hand holding the taser from its defensive position in front of her.

"If you want the honest truth—" he said, stepping back a bit.

"That would be nice," she interrupted.

"There were two men at the bar who were just a bit too interested in you, so—" he shrugged.

Pia took his words to heart, wondering who would be watching her, but tossed his words off as if they were unimportant by saying, "So you decided to ride to my rescue. Thanks, but I can take care of myself."

"With whatever you've been clutching in your fist since you spotted me?"

"It's worked before."

"So you're used to having men come after you?"

She smiled slightly even though she knew that as dark as it was he wouldn't be able to see it. "Occupational hazard, though most aren't as chatty as you. Now, if you don't mind terribly I'd like to get back to my car and go home."

He moved back to the sidewalk and with dramatic flair gave her a sweeping bow.

"God, are you for real?" she asked as she moved from the entryway, giving him wide berth as she did.

"Sweetness, I'm as real as they come. Pure, unadulterated thespian with a Sir Galahad complex."

"In other words a second-rate actor," Pia muttered as she started down the sidewalk.

"Hey now, a first-rate one thank you very much." He stood where he was for a second and then started after her, keeping a few feet behind her.

"If you're going to insist on following me back to my car, at least walk with me, not behind me like a well-trained dog."

He laughed as he did as she asked. "I heel, roll over and play dead on command, Sweetness."

"Will you please stop calling me that."

"If you tell me your name."

She gave that some thought before answering truthfully, "Pia."

"Italian, meaning devout or dutiful." He smiled. "Are you?"

"Not even! So, what do I call you?"

"Besides cretin? My name's Kerry, Kerry Reede with an 'e'."

"Well this has been fun, Kerry Reede with an 'e', but this is my car so thank you for the escort. Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime." She unlocked the door then realized she was still holding the taser and put it back into her pocket before getting into the car.

He nodded, smiling. "Perhaps, if the gods smile down on me." Then, turning on his heel he walked away.

"Definitely an actor," she muttered, but she was smiling too as she drove off.