Jozsa Neptune King and the Gallant Thief

1. Auflage 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4835-4613-1
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 169 Seiten

Neptune King and the Gallant Thief is the 23rd and latest book in the Neptune King series. A charity function that the Kings are attending is robbed by a dozen shotgun wielding men led by a charismatic character calling himself Robin Hood. Robin makes an exception of Neptune and Rachel by not robbing them, citing their generosity to an old beggar outside the venue as his reason. At first Neptune is disinclined to go after him, especially when he learns that Robin is actually giving the proceeds to the poor, and even has a grudging admiration for the man for his proficiency in the art of disguise. However when aspersion is cast on his reputation and comments are made that he wasn't robbed because he was connected to Robin, he realizes he has no choice but to catch the thief for the sake of his business and reputation. Using his own considerable skills he goes in under cover to the East End as an elderly vagrant and soon picks up some information on Robin and his gang. He also learns that Robin is perhaps not quite as altruistic as he appears, as the poor are only receiving a very small percentage of the take. When one of Robin's men is found dead after casting doubts about Robin's integrity and motives, Neptune is even more determined to apprehend him. Neptune and Milo Washington (their employee in charge of insurance investigations) infiltrate Robin's gang, while Shark, with the help of his dog, Fang, set about recovering the missing jewels. Together, they set a trap for Robin, once again showing why K & J Investigations is not a firm to messed with.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Jozsa, Magda

Leseproben

CHAPTER ONE

“Got a penny, Guv’na?” The dirty, hideously disfigured man looked up hopefully at the fat, elegantly suited man.

The fat man, a banker, scowled. “Get away you filthy reprobate. There ought to be a law against scoundrels like you.”

His wife took one look at the man and shuddered. “Let’s go, Jerome. Don’t talk to that creature.”

They circled the beggar and made their way towards the entrance of the convention centre, now having been converted to a restaurant and ballroom, all as part of the Children’s hospital fund raiser. Only the wealthiest, the most elite, and the most generous were invited to this ultra-lavish affair.

Other people were getting out of the limousines pulling up in front of the building. All were just as elegantly dressed, the women in long evening gowns and dripping with jewels, the men in tuxedos, wearing expensive watches, cufflinks and tie pins. They all had to pass the pitiful beggar.

“Got a penny, Guv’na?” asked the beggar again, holding out his hand to next person to pass him.

“Get away from here, you filthy beast,” snarled the man, kicking out and knocking the beggar over.

The beggar winced and clutched at his side, gasping a little from having the wind knocked out of him. Undeterred though, he held his hand out again to the next comer. “Spare a coin, Mister?”

“Get away from here or I’ll call the police and have you arrested,” the wealthy socialite declared.

“Don’t talk to him, James. He’s putrid,” cried his wife, pulling on his arm to put distance between them and the beggar.

After suffering more threats, a few more kicks and being spat upon, the beggar decided it was time to quit. He started to shuffle down the path, but stopped when he saw yet another limousine pull up. He watched the man get out and help his pretty red headed, and obviously pregnant wife out.

“Thank you, Bennett,” said the man. “I don’t know what time this affair will finish so there is no need to come collect us. We’ll catch a taxi home.”

“Very good, Sir,” replied the chauffeur, marvelling once again his good fortune in having a considerate employer. His previous one, Lord Evans, would have expected him to wait around to be on hand when he wanted to leave no matter how many hours that wait would entail.

The man, around five foot nine inches tall had a round face, framed with wavy dark brown hair and slightly bushy eyebrows. His wife was some six inches shorter. They began to walk up the path, only to have their way barred by the beggar.

“Spare a penny, Guv’na?” asked the beggar.

When she saw the hideous scar that twisted and distorted his face, the pretty redhead gasped, “Oh, you poor man! Neptune...”

Her husband needed no urging, he was already taking his wallet out. “Now,” he said sternly, “I’ll give you this, but only if you spend it on food, not alcohol.”

“Don’t worry, Sir. I ain’t et in three days,” replied the beggar.

The man, about to take out a five pound note, changed his mind and took out a twenty instead. He also took out a business card and wrote something on the back. He put his pen and wallet away then held the money out to the beggar. “Here you are.” His aqua eyes looked sympathetically at the beggar. “Can you read?”

The beggar nodded.

The man held out the business card. “There is a mission in the East End that provides food and shelter for homeless men. See Father Murphy and tell him I sent you. He’ll be able to help you.”

The beggar took the business card. “Thank yuh, Guv’na.”

The man gave him a smile, took his wife’s arm and walked past him towards the building.

The beggar stepped closer to the light and turned over the card. “Neptune King,” he read. He turned around and watched the couple enter the building. “Thank you, Mr King.” He kissed the twenty pound note, smiled, which did nothing to improve his appearance, and shuffled away.

“That poor man, Neptune,” said Rachel King. “Did you see his face?”

“I did. No wonder he has to exist by begging. He would find it hard to get work. Father Murphy should be able to help him if he goes to him.”

“I hope he does.”

Neptune smiled at her. She looked ravishing tonight in the white ball gown. This pregnancy seemed to be agreeing with her much better than her first. She wasn’t half as temperamental as she had been with their son Max. Her skin glowed, her green eyes sparkled, and her dark red hair shone. The only jewellery she wore was her emerald pendant and matching earrings. “I’m glad you felt up to coming out,” he said. “It should be good evening tonight. The children’s hospital usually puts on a pretty flash affair.”

“It should for the hundred pounds a head they’re charging.”

“Still, it’s for a good cause.”

“Ahhh!”

The scream cut across the music, and slowly, one by one, the dancers in the ballroom looked up and around, trying to find the source and the cause.

Being short, Rachel couldn’t see over their heads. “What’s going on, Neptune?”

“I’m not sure.” He craned his neck.

The scream came again. Suddenly, men dressed all in black with black hoods, swarmed into the room brandishing shotguns. One fired into the air. The band stopped playing, and the murmuring confusion of the crowd died away.

“Nobody move,” growled the man who’d fired into the air. “And nobody try to get smart. Everyone line up.”

The crowd hurried to obey, still being menaced by the other heavily armed intruders. There were a dozen in all.

Neptune, holding Rachel’s hand took his place in line, but paid little attention to his fellow partygoers. Instead he concentrated on studying the intruders. They were all dressed alike; shapeless black blobs. They all wore gloves and masks, and apart from being of different heights, there wasn’t anything to distinguish one from the other.

Once the crowd was lined up, two men came forward with sacks.

“Please put the money from your wallets and purses into the sacks, along with watches, cufflinks, tie pins, and of course, Ladies, all your jewellery excepting your wedding and engagement rings. Consider it a donation to another worthy cause,” said the leader of the robbers.

The two men worked quickly, moving along the line. When they reached Neptune and Rachel, the leader stepped forward. “Not them,” he said.

Neptune’s aqua eyes met those of the boss thief.

Brown eyes looked back at him through the hood.

“Why not us?” he asked.

“We were watching the place earlier tonight,” replied the thief. “We saw how everyone here treated that poor beggar that was out the front. You two were the only pair that stopped to give him anything. Contrary to what you might believe, we’re not thieves. We’re not doing this to enrich ourselves.”

“Then why are you doing it?”

“The government, the system, has let a lot of people down. Nobody in this room would understand what it is like to be poor, and live day to day wondering where their next meal will come from, or if they’ll have a roof over their heads. We’re doing something about that. We’re against one half of society getting richer, while the poor get poorer. There needs to be balance. Consider us the scales that create that balance.”

Neptune smiled faintly. “Like Robin Hood?”

Brown eyes met his. “Exactly. We take from the rich and give to the poor.” Now he motioned his men to continue with the collection. “I’ve heard about you, Mr King.”

“All good, I hope?”

The thief nodded. “Rumour has it that you are not averse to sharing your wealth with the less fortunate. We have nothing against you. It’s just a shame your peers here don’t follow your example.” Now he glanced at Rachel, “Mrs King, a pleasure.”

“It would be if you took off your mask and introduced yourself formally,” she replied.

The brown eyes twinkled, expressing his amusement. “Nice try.” He gave them a nod and backed away to see how his men were progressing. They’d reached the fat banker.

“How dare you!” he bellowed. “I refuse to submit to this.”

Another armed man came forward and shoved his shotgun’s butt into the banker’s paunch. He turned red and gasped, unable to resist the men searching him and removing the cash he’d stashed in an inside pocket.

They reached the end of the line.

“Now Ladies and Gentlemen,” said the boss thief, “If you would be so kind as to turn around and count to twenty. This will all be over momentarily.”

The people obeyed.

The boss thief motioned to his men, who began backing out.

“Thank you all for your donations.”

Neptune turned, and was just in time to see the boss thief disappearing out the door. He was the last to leave....