Perfect Heist

By Elsa Joseph

Serena Kruger is fresh out of college and raring to make it in the world of art curation. But her life is turned upside down when a underworld crime ring recruits her as a international jewel thief. When Serena tries to leave the ring to start a new life in Vienna and go straight, her former employer lures her back for one more Perfect Heist! The mission, to steal the Shield of Bavaria Diamond. Will Serena accept the mission?

A sexy, suspenseful, edge of your seat heist thriller...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781471732096

Book preview

Perfect Heist

Elsa Joseph

Copyright © Elsa Joseph 2022

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-1-4717-3209-6

This book is dedicated to my father with love.

Chapter One

Hello, stranger, said Serena’s father, opening the front door and holding out his arms in welcome. They exchanged a hug and then he held her at arms’ length to look her up and down. "My, what a beautiful young lady you have become, meine liebling!"

Serena fumbled in her bag and handed him a bottle of his favourite Austrian red wine. He accepted it with delight, his perfect white teeth gleaming in his dark face, and stepped back to allow her to greet his wife Joyce who was hovering in the background. She rushed forwards to embrace Serena, kissing her repeatedly, and squealed with joy as her stepdaughter produced a big bunch of flowers form behind her back.

It was August Bank Holiday and Serena had not visited her parents since Easter. She knew her father was unhappy about this, but nothing had been said during her long absence and she decided not to mention it either. She smiled brightly at her father. "Mind if I go and freshen up, Vati? The train down from London was really hot and stuffy."

Of course, Doctor Kruger answered, indicating the downstairs cloakroom. You don’t have to ask.

It was cool and dark in the cloakroom and Serena breathed in the air with relish. Hope to God I’m not going to be expected to eat a roast, she thought.

Drinks were served in the garden under the horse chestnut tree. It all looked exactly the same as it had when Serena had moved there at the age of eight and she felt a surge of affection for the trees she had climbed, the bushes in which she’d played hide and seek and the view of the low Surrey hills in the distance, seeming to promise a new life in the future. Do you remember our games of conkers? she asked her father.

I do, he answered. We were lucky to get away with them.

What do you mean?

He leaned forwards and poured some wine from the bottle she’d bought him. Last year I operated on a boy who’d been hit in the eye playing conkers. I couldn’t save his sight. He’s now blind in one eye.

That’s terrible, Serena sighed. But, then again, don’t you remember what fun it was...and so exciting...

Do you know what day it is today? her father cut in.

Yes, it’s Sunday.

And the date?

It’s...um...the twenty-ninth, I think.

"That’s right, Maus. The twenty-ninth of August - the fifteenth anniversary of your mother’s death."

Serena felt her blood run cold. How could she possibly have forgotten? And that’s why he had insisted on the phone she should come down to visit this weekend.

I’m sorry, Vati, I’ve been so busy with leaving uni and looking for a flat...

He waved her excuses away. Doesn’t matter. It’s probably best you forget anyway. You’re a young woman now with your whole future ahead of you. There’s no point in dwelling on the past.

Serena said nothing, struggling to find words that would pacify him and not sound phoney. She was still trying to think of something when Joyce appeared at the kitchen door. Come on, you two, she called. Roast is ready.

***

Doctor Rolf Kruger was Austrian, the latest in a long line of doctors who originally came from West Africa. They had settled in Vienna just after the First World War, adopting a German name and the German language. In the Seventies, at the Medizinische Univeristat Wein - the Vienna Medical School - Rolf had met and fallen in love with another black student called Rose whom he married straight after they both graduated. Serena was born a year later. Working long hours as a junior hospital doctor, he saw very little of his wife or daughter, something he came to bitterly regret when he lost Rose in a car accident on the city’s Ringstrasse. Overcome by grief and regret, he decided to make a fresh start and moved to England where he took up a hospital post in Kingston-upon-Thames, eventually becoming a surgeon. This allowed him to purchase Bywater Cottage, a quaint old house in the centre of Bywater Village. The complete change of scene worked for his daughter whose new life gradually displaced the loss of her mother, but he had never got over it. So he devoted his life to bringing up his daughter, spending every moment he could with her and putting her into day care during the school holidays so she wouldn’t become attached to a nanny. Serena was happy with this at the start, but soon grew increasingly resentful as she became a teenager. Her friends did not have fathers who sought to control every aspect of their lives.

Serena took a sip of her water and put down her knife and fork with a flourish. Thank you, Joyce! That was chicken stew delicious!

Are you sure you don’t want seconds?

I couldn’t possibly, Serena answered, patting her stomach. You gave me an enormous portion to start with.

Hardly, murmured her father, still eating his own food. I don’t think you want our food or our company.

That’s not true and you know it! Serena protested.

Isn’t it? Dr Kruger sat back and placed his cutlery parallel on his plate before handing it to Joyce. "You forget, liebling, I’ve been around you for twenty-two years and I know you far better than you know yourself."

If Serena had been white, a red flush of anger would have revealed itself on her face, but nothing showed on her smooth black skin. She got up and picked up two of the vegetable dishes. I’ll help you clear, Joyce.

Thank you, dear. That’s very kind. Then I can serve the big chocolate pudding and chocolate sauce I’ve made especially for you. Always your favourite, wasn’t it?

***

Back in the downstairs cloakroom, splashing her face with cold water, Serena dreaded the afternoon ahead and wondered how early she could leave without being blatantly rude. She picked up the fluffy towel from the rail and dabbed her face with it before reapplying some make-up. It pleased her to think she could use as much make-up as she liked now and there was nothing he could do to stop her. Not like the old days when he made her wipe everything off her face before going out. Taking out her make-up bag, she leaned forwards and applied a generous amount of bright red lipstick around her mouth. The face she saw looking back at her in the mirror gave her great satisfaction. She had a perfect oval face, big brown eyes and glossy shoulder-length black hair that no longer needed straightening. Chuckling to herself, she took a pair of big silver earrings out of her bag and put them on too. Not long ago this would have made him furious, but things are different now. He’s got to realise I’m no longer his little girl! With a final touch of mascara to her eyelashes, she turned with a flourish and opened the door ready for battle.

He’s gone, pet, said Joyce who was waiting in the hall. Urgent call from the hospital.

That’s a shame.

Her stepmother laughed.Isn’t it just? Let’s go outside and have another drink.

Sitting in the garden with a glass of ice cold prosecco in her hand, Serena relaxed for the first time that day. Her stepmother was kind and sweet with a beautifully-spoken voice and perfect manners. When she had first appeared on the scene, Serena had resented her and said nobody could replace Rose, her real mother. But over the years, Joyce’s genuine affection and caring nature had melted away any trace of resentment and she became a good mother to Serena, especially during her troubled teenage years.

Isn’t this nice, Joyce sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes.

It’s always nice when we’re on our own.

Oh don’t say that, dear.

Why not? It’s true, isn’t it?

Yes, maybe, but it doesn’t need to be stated quite so bluntly.

Oh, Joyce! What are you like?

Joyce gave a helpless sigh. My problem is I love your father more than I care to admit. There’s a really kind heart in there somewhere, you know.

Serena nodded in agreement. Yeah I know he means well, but he doesn’t go the right way about showing it – certainly not these days. He has to let go.

I know, dear, I know. Maybe he will as time goes on, said Joyce, leaning forwards to refill Serena’s glass. But never mind him. I want to know all about you.

There’s nothing much to tell?

Oh, come on. Tell me about you’re plans for the future…and your love-life.

Serena laughed and Joyce joined in, the two of them giggling together like schoolgirls. Okay, Serena said eventually. Which one first?

What do you think?

Well, I’m afraid there’s nothing to report on the love front. I haven’t had a boyfriend during my time at university.

Really? exclaimed Joyce, raising her eyebrows. I would have thought, after all the limitations your father placed upon you, you’d have had a wild time once you left home. You certainly had an excuse to.

Well, I didn’t. I concentrated on my studies the whole time.

I’m not sure I believe you.

"You can believe what you want, mutti dear, but the truth is I’m really picky when it comes to men."

"Maybe that’s true and maybe it’s not, but with a face like yours and a body to go with it I’m surprised the men aren’t lining up to ask you out. Oh, and by the way, please don’t call me mutti. I’m not German. I’m a genteel Englishwoman with delicate porcelain skin and size ten feet."

They both laughed again and Serena refilled their glasses from a second bottle they had just opened.

***

It wasn’t until Dr Kruger announced his return by honking the horn of his Jaguar that Serena realised she’d been asleep for most of the afternoon. She sat up with a jerk, feeling light-headed and sick, and saw Joyce still fast asleep in her chair opposite. Shit, shit, shit! Serena thought.

Are you still here? her father called, slamming the door of the car and marching towards her. I thought you’d be long gone by now.

We had an afternoon snooze, said Serena.

You had too much wine and fell asleep drunk, more like!

Serena felt a surge of annoyance, but kept it under control. "What if we did, Vati? We’re both adults. We can do what we like!"

By now Joyce had woken up and sensed the discord in the air. I’ll go and make some tea, she said, gathering up the glasses and bottles and hurrying back to the house with them. Her father sat down with a sigh.

Hard afternoon? Serena asked.

"Nein. Quite the opposite, actually. Some guy was admitted with agonising stomach