Jewel

Shawn is a jewel thief with his eye on a million dollar diamond. But what will happen when he's faced with a choice between his dreams and his girl?

Shawn Javier looked across the couch at his girlfriend, Julia Crawford. She was snuggling with a throw pillow. Such an amazing young woman.

She had brown hair that hung to her shoulders and a smile that could light up a room. She was one of few people that called him Shawn.

The most common name he had come from the police force. They nicknamed him the Phantom. Eventually the name got around through the news and it caught on with his coworkers. Shawn was a jewel thief, and a talented one at that.

Rumor had it that he had never encountered a diamond he couldn’t swipe.

He’d never been caught, never been suspected in any of the heists. He was one of the best in the business. And now he was going to need every scrap of talent he had.

A man by the name of Derik Ricardo had hired him to steal the Resolute Diamond from a small jewelry museum in New York City. It was the most expensive diamond in the collection, and also the most valuable thing he’d ever stolen.

It was a ruby, set on a silver pendant, and surrounded by smaller white diamonds; valued at last estimate at a little over five hundred grand. He’d picked it up and left authorities baffled. Once the job was done, he went to Ricardo’s headquarters, run from the back of a shady loan shark company, to collect.

Ricardo pulled a gun and decided to collect the diamond for free. Shawn wasn’t about to take that lying down. He had a reputation, and if he let someone push him around, it would happen again. Not only that, but the Resolute was the most important diamond he’d ever stolen. The crowning of his career and a statement that he was the best in the business. He wasn’t going to let Ricardo get away with it.

So he was planning another heist. The target: the Resolute Diamond. Again.

In front of him was all the information that he needed to pull of this job. A few phone calls had earned him the name of the architect that designed Ricardo’s building and a small bribe gave him the blueprints to it.

Another significantly larger bribe had gained him an ally in one of Ricardo’s henchmen, who gave him the route and time they were moving the diamond.

Which gave him two options: take the Resolute from the building or intercept it somehow when they were moving it.

“So what are you planning honey?” asked Julia. She hated the criminal lifestyle, but loved him just the same. When they were married, he planned on giving up crime and settling down somewhere. Maybe Europe.

The Resolute would help him pay for all that. And her engagement ring would be the only diamond he’d ever purchase legitimately.

“Well I could try and break in to his building. But he’s got it guarded tighter than Fort Knox. I think the best bet would be to get it in transit.”

Julia shifted position and leaned on his shoulder. He put the blueprint on his lap and put his arm around her, squeezing her close. “So how do you plan on getting it in transit?”

Shawn sat back. “Well, I’ve heard from my man that he transports the diamond personally. If I wanted it, I’d need to either take the place of him or the driver. Or go for the direct approach.”

“He knows what you look like Shawn. You think taking the driver’s place is your best bet?”

Shawn shook his head. “Nope. Looks like I’ll have to do it the fun way.”

He looked over his diagrams. The layout was fairly simple. A middle-sized business with an average size building. The Resolute was in a back room and was guarded constantly by two men armed with automatics. There were alarms on the door and the walls were cinderblock. The ceiling was a suspended tile with a two-foot clearance between the ceiling and the floor above it. That would be the best way in. But now the question was how.

“Honey,” Julia said.

He looked up at her. “Yes?”

“Make sure you promise me one thing.” Shawn already knew what that one thing was. “Make sure you’re careful.”

“I will be. But listen, I want to make sure that you’re safe. So once I do the job, we’re getting out of town. I want you to meet me at Knight’s Café.”

“Of course I’ll be there.” She paused for a minute, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

 

 

Shawn looked inside the headquarters of Derik Ricardo. His first entrance into the lion’s den since he was thrown out by Ricardo’s thugs. And this time Ricardo wouldn’t be the one stealing from the thief.

The plan was flawless. Break in dressed as an electrician performing a routine check on the power. The building was being remodeled, and all sorts of technicians were coming in and out. Which was one of the reasons why the diamond was being moved so soon, Ricardo didn’t want one of them pocketing the diamond and sneaking it out, like he was doing.

Shawn walked over to the stairs going down. The door was locked, naturally. A quick lock-picking job sprung the door open. He walked down stairs and headed straight for the breaker box. “Hey, what are you doing down here?”

He turned around and came face to face with a large, heavily tattooed man with horrible breath. “I’m here to check the wiring on the addition.”

The guard looked down at a notepad. “I don’t see any notice of an electrician on my guest list.”

“Well I didn’t get a chance to finish earlier today before dinner. So I figured I’d come back now to finish this up before tomorrow so I don’t get behind.”

The guard stuffed the pad into his pocket. “Alright, but this is a little bit out of the ordinary. I have to go with you.”

Shawn expected this. It wasn’t a big deal as long as he played his cards right. He shrugged. “Ok,”

He walked down the hallway, the guard following him and watching his every move. To his left was a short hall, and at the end of it were the two guards who were there to ensure that no one touched the diamond until Ricardo was ready. That’s where the Resolute waited for him.

Shawn turned right and found the utility closet where the circuit breaker was. He opened the little door and looked at the switches. And flipped the main breaker. Instantly all the electricity in the building went out.

One thing that made Shawn a great thief was the fact that he’d made the darkness his ally and learned to use other senses besides sight. The guard may have been large, but a hunter that couldn’t see his prey, was useless.

Shawn dove backward, just in time to evade the guard attempting to tackle him. The guard hit the wall with a crash. Shawn pushed up one of the ceiling tiles in the closet and pulled himself up into the crawlspace.

Once up there, the only thing he needed to do was make sure he walked on the rafters. If he stepped one of the tiles, he’d fall right through it. But the ceiling was a terrific hiding place, very few people ever thought about looking above their heads. He heard one of the two guards from down the hall running over to the circuit breaker. The lights would be on in a matter of seconds and they would realize he was gone.

He fixed the tile and started crawling carefully across the beams. He heard a muffle chunk of a switch. “Where’d he go?” demanded a male voice.

Footsteps raced down the hall.

Shawn knew this would be the time. He hurried, albeit still carefully. Two more feet. One. This was it. He was over the room. A motion detector alarm was installed in this tile, he yanked out the wires, cutting off the power. There was a camera in the corner of the room but Shawn didn’t care about that. He wanted Ricardo to know exactly who stole his diamond from under his nose.

It wasn’t like Ricardo would show the footage to the cops anyway. He’d have to admit that he was in possession of a stole, million-dollar diamond.

Now. Moment of truth.

Shawn slid the tile out of place and surveyed the room. One small case in the center of the room, sat the Resolute Diamond. He dropped down into the room silently.

He picked up the diamond. This wasn’t an imitation, he had an eye for diamonds, and this was the genuine article. The Resolute in all its glory.

This was the key to all his dreams. This little diamond was one thing he couldn’t live without. To some degree, this little rock was his life. One little red ruby that had the power to give him the life he wanted.

The jewel thief’s dream. His dream. His life.

All put into one little jewel that was smaller than his fist.

He put it in his pocket and zipped the pocket shut. He put the zipper on the pocket after almost losing one diamond will climbing out of a window. He wouldn’t make that mistake with the Resolute.

Shawn climbed back up into the ceiling and put the tile back down. Now it was time for the exit.

This would be the hard part. He needed to slip unseen to the get-away car and make it to Knight’s Café to pick up Julia. Smooth as silk. He had a plan. There was a large ventilation vent. One small explosive would blow it out and give him a nice little exit door.

He had a stick of dynamite. He would have used it for an entrance if the wasn’t so worried about announcing his presence. He put the dynamite up against the vent and lite the fuse. He had thirty seconds worth of fuse, enough to let him take cover.

Shawn slid down a reasonable distance from the explosive. Enough to get him clear of the blast, but close enough for a quick exit.

Boom!

The dynamite exploded. The vent cover was lying on the pavement on the ground outside. He crawled quickly to the hole, stuck his head out and looked around.

No one. But the explosion would draw them here relatively quickly. He pulled himself out, checked his pocket to make sure the Resolute was still there, and sprinted away.

His car was parked a block away. He rounded the corner and ran head on with a cop. “Whoa, sir, where are you going so fast?”

He had to think fast. “My wife, she just called me�"she’s going to be having her baby! She’s on her way to the hospital right now.”

The cop waved him by. “Get going then! And congratulations!”

Shawn turned around and thanked him quickly, before continuing his sprint. His car was ready and waiting for him. He was about ten minutes from the café. Once there, he and Julia would leave and start their new life. He turned on his cell phone in case she called him.

The drive seemed to take ages, but he made it. Julia’s car was parked by the street. He grinned and strolled in. He scanned the seats once, looking for her, but she wasn’t there. Strange.

He looked again. She wasn’t here.

She was probably in the restroom. He sat down at the stool and waited. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Not right now, I’m waiting for someone.”

“Ok, let me know when you feel like something.”

“Alright,”

Shawn sat back in his chair. Just then, his phone vibrated. He got it out of his pocket and looked at the ID. Ricardo.

Probably offering some kind of ransom for the diamond. By now he’d have seen the tape and known exactly who had his precious diamond. Shawn didn’t want to miss a chance to gloat.

He picked it up. “Hey Ricardo, what’s up?” He asked, nonchalant.

“You know perfectly well ‘what’s up.’ I want the Resolute back. Now.”

“Right now? How much are you offering me for it?”

“Nothing.”

Shawn was tempted to hang up, but decided to toy with him a little bit longer. It wasn’t every day that he could blackmail a criminal lord like Ricardo. “Sorry buddy, I’ve got overhead I need to worry about. I need to make a little profit here and there.”

“Then how about the life of your precious girlfriend? Talk for him, honey.” Shawn’s mouth went dry. There was no way Ricardo had Julia.

“Shawn, help me! Please, help me!” That was her voice. No mistaking it.

“What do you want?”

“You know exactly what I want. Get the diamond here before midnight or she’s going to be hanging around a streetlight. By a noose.”

The line went dead.

Now what was Shawn supposed to do? He could lose the diamond, along with all his hopes and dreams. Or he could lose Julia.

The Resolute would give him everything he’d ever want. All he ever needed. Everything. That’s what this diamond was to him.

But what about Julia? She’d shown him love. She’d given everything for him.

But there were other girls out there. He’d never get a chance like this again. The Resolute was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Ricardo would lock it up tight after this and he’d never get another shot at getting it back. There was only one chance at the life he’d been dreaming of for years.

But there’s only one Julia.

The thought hit him like a battering ram.

She was the only thing that mattered to him. What use was a life of dreams without her there next to him? She was the most important person in his life. The only one to see beyond his thick skin. To love him and accept him without demanding anything in return.

She was a person. She was an amazing woman, and she was his. Who cared about a jewel? She was the only jewel he’d ever need.

Shawn made up his mind. He strode out of the diner and made it to his car. He sped downtown, back towards Ricardo. And to Julia.

He didn’t care if a cop caught up with him. There was only one thing that he needed. Julia.

He pulled up in front of the loan shark building. He didn’t want to be cheated again by this filth. Shawn reached under the passenger seat and felt the cool handle of a Glocks. Fully loaded. Ready to send a viper like Ricardo slithering to hell.

Shawn threw open the door and stormed to the entrance. He didn’t bother knocking. He just twisted the knob and forced his way in. “Hold it,” a guard stood about ten feet in with an Uzi at his side.

Shawn raised his gun, aimed quickly, pulled the trigger once, and the bullet found its mark between his eyes. The guard was dead before he hit the ground. 

He stormed through the door to the large office and found Ricardo sitting behind a desk, a crooked smile plastered on his face.

Two goons held Julia just two his right. Both had guns trained on her head. If they fired, she’d die instantly.

“Well, well, this looks a little familiar.” Said Ricardo.

“Give her to me and no one dies.”

The snake smiled. “You’re not exactly in the place to make demands. Hand over the diamond and I’ll give her to you.”

“As if. You can’t pull that on me twice. I’m not a moron.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You had the audacity to steal my diamond. That kind of arrogance means you’ll do it again. Maybe I should teach you a little lesson.”

“No!” Shawn fumbled in his pocket for the diamond. He held it out to the nearest minion. “Here, take it.”

Ricardo grinned. The crook reached out to take it. And Shawn reacted. When the scum was grabbing the diamond, he took his gun off Julia, meaning only one gun was trained on her. He fired one shot into the only guy holding her. The bullet went straight through his heart. The other one tried to raise his gun, but was too late. Shawn shot him at point-blank range. He dropped instantly.

Julia’s eyes were wide and she was shaking, but she stood up and ran over to Shawn. Ricardo now had a gun in his hand.

“What are you going to do now? Shoot me too?” Ricardo asked.

“No. For half a minute after you called me. I was going to abandon Julia for a worthless hunk of rock. If it can get between me and her. I don’t want it.” He threw the Resolute over to Ricardo. “Take it.”

He was speechless. The gun dropped to the desk with a clatter. And Shawn walked out of the office, holding Julia tight around her waist.

They got out to the car and Shawn pulled out into traffic. “So it was true what Ricardo said.” Julia said after half a second.

“What’s that?”

“He told me that you loved the diamond more than you loved me. You were considering letting me die for the diamond.”

Shawn looked her in the eyes. “That’s why I gave it up Julia. I didn’t want to ever consider something to be more valuable than you. There are plenty of rocks in the world. But you’re one-of-a-kind. Perfect just the way you are.”

Shawn paused for a minute. “You’re my jewel. I love you.”