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    Sean's Predicament
    Sean's Predicament
    Sean's Predicament
    Ebook126 pages1 hour

    Sean's Predicament

    By Edward Kendrick

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    About this ebook

    A C21 Story

    Sean Miller is a professional thief. When he breaks into the home of C21 handler Jonah and is discovered, Jonah makes him an offer he can't resist -- join the covert organization and put his talents to a more legitimate use. C21 skirts the edges of the law, bringing criminals to justice that the police can’t seem to catch, and they could use someone with Sean’s talents.

    For his first job, Sean is teamed with Ken Ward, one of Jonah's men, to bring down a phony adoption racket. In the process, Sean fights his growing interest in Ken, certain it won't be reciprocated. Is he right? Or will the two men become more than just partners when they are teamed up again to stop a gang of jewel thieves?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJMS Books LLC
    Release dateNov 8, 2015
    ISBN9781611528534
    Sean's Predicament
    Author

    Edward Kendrick

    Born and bred Cleveland, I earned a degree in technical theater, later switched to costuming, and headed to NYC. Finally seeing the futility of trying to become rich and famous in the Big Apple, I joined VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America—ending up in Chicago for three years. Then it was on to Denver where I put down roots and worked as a costume designer until I retired in 2007.I began writing a few years ago after joining an on-line fanfic group. Two friends and I then started a group for writers, where they could post any story they wished no matter the genre or content. Since then, for the last six years, I've been writing for publication—my first book came out in February of 2011. Most, but not all, of my work is M/M, either mildly erotic or purely 'romantic'. More often than not it involves a mystery or action/adventure, and is sometimes paranormal to boot.

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      Book preview

      Sean's Predicament - Edward Kendrick

      10

      Chapter 1

      Sean strolled casually down the street, with Pax leading the way. Just a man out walking his dog.

      Of course the fact this is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city has nothing to do with why we’re here. As if.

      He chuckled softly, causing Pax to look up at him in question. Nothing to worry about, pup, he told the black lab mix.

      They continued walking while Sean studied each of the large homes with a practiced eye. He knew from his research that every house on this side of the block backed onto a shared wooded area. Across the street was a park set on the lake’s edge.

      Wouldn’t mind being able to afford living here. Someday, maybe, if I hit the right houses.

      Now that he had a visual—a real one, not one from the map site—it was time to do his research. Going to the park, he found a bench facing the homes, tying Pax’s leash to one of the legs. Then he took his book from his messenger bag and settled down to read. Or so it would seem to anyone who was watching.

      In reality, he was tracking the comings and goings of the people who lived on the street. It was late afternoon, when husbands were coming home from work and teens from school—or wherever. Sean had done the same thing that morning, checking to see when the hired help arrived and what time family members left for the day. The next day he’d spend the late morning/early afternoon doing another perusal of the neighborhood for the same reason.

      An hour later, he put the book back in his bag before taking one more walk down the block. From there, he and Pax headed back to the car, and home to the apartment he was renting in a much less affluent part of the city. After feeding the dog, and himself, Sean sat down at the computer. Logging onto the Internet, with a name that was not his own, he began his search for information on the three homes he thought would be the best targets. By the time he finished it was well after midnight but he had the information he needed on them and the owners.

      What do you think, pup? he said after logging off. The cream one with the swimming pool in back? Pax looked at him in question. The man’s past rich. He collects coins; his wife inherited a ton of jewelry from her grandmother, according to the information in the woman’s will. Nice small stuff that’ll be easy to walk out with.

      He stretched and got up. One son is away at college, the other one is in high school, so no young ones to worry about waking up wanting a glass of water. He smiled slightly, remembering when he’d had to abort a job for just that reason. A two-year-old had started hollering that she wanted a drink, which of course woke her parents. He beat a hasty retreat with not much to show for his troubles. But at least I got away clean. No cops, no arrest.

      The only time he’d ever been arrested he was seventeen. It was his first foray into burglary and had been a failure to say the least. Since it was his first arrest, and he hadn’t actually made it inside the house, he was given a year’s probation. By the time that was over, he had improved his skills. Now, ten years later, he was well accomplished at getting in and out without being caught. He also didn’t operate in one city long enough that the cops could put the pieces together and decide they had a one-man crime spree on their hands.

      Okay, pup, a quick walk around the block to work out the kinks then off to bed. Unsurprisingly, Pax beat him to the door. They took their walk, and twenty minutes later, were asleep.

      * * * *

      A week after his initial foray through the neighborhood, Sean was ready to do what he did best: relieve the owners of the targeted house of their valuables. He knew their schedules and the helps’. The cook/housekeeper always left at eight P.M. on the dot, along with the girl he figured was the maid. There was a gardener, but he was gone before five.

      The teenaged son who still lived at home had a girlfriend he visited at least three times a week. Tonight, being Saturday, he left the house dressed as if he was going on a heavy date. Twenty minutes later, the husband and wife exited, also dressed to the nines. Sean knew, because he’d checked the social pages, they were on their way to a fundraiser across town.

      Sean waited in the wooded area behind the house until eleven before cautiously approaching the back yard. He knew the security was primo, but nothing beyond what he could handle. Easing his way beneath the second floor balcony—after jamming the motion sensors covering the pool area and patio—he took a grappling hook from his backpack, flung it up to catch on the railing, and seconds later he was on the balcony. Picking the lock on the door to the son’s bedroom was no problem. Neither was disarming the wireless security system for the door, and the rest of the house, using his jammer.

      Once inside, he used his detector to check the room for hidden cameras. It came back negative, but he didn’t put it away. He was aware from his research that the company that had set up the security liked to put cameras in places where there were valuables. A nice thing to know. It’ll save me time hunting around.

      He left the son’s bedroom, staying on high alert as he walked down the hallway to the master bedroom. Easing open the door, he did another check for cameras, and smiled when he found two. They were activated, so he took care of them.

      I wonder if they ever forget to turn them off when they’re going to bed. If they do, that should give the guys monitoring them a thrill.

      Sean found the reason for the cameras in the large, walk-in closet. There was a well hidden, well secured safe. It took a few minutes before he got it open.

      The treasure trove—or one of them. He emptied the jewelry boxes, putting the contents into chamois bags before placing them in his pack. He also checked the jewelry box on the dressing table in the bedroom, wishing he could take an obviously valuable necklace. But he didn’t, because doing so would clue the owners in on the fact he had paid them a visit. It was always like that with him. Take the hidden, well secured items—leave the rest so the burglary would be discovered later rather than sooner.

      From there, he made his way to the ground floor, all the while searching for cameras. He found one in the study off the living room and disarmed it. It took a while, but he finally found the safe where the owner kept his coin collection. The collection went into the backpack as well.

      After that, it was just a case of looking for anything else Sean thought was worth taking that wouldn’t be immediately missed. By the time he was ready to leave, his backpack was full.

      A good night’s work. He smiled as he left, rearming the security system before closing and locking the patio door. Then, again after getting out of range of the motion sensors at the back of the house, he rearmed them as well and returned to where he’d parked the car, two blocks away. Twenty minutes later he was back at the apartment.

      * * * *

      The next morning, Sean watched the news while sorting his ill-gotten gains to take to the two fences he trusted in the city. So far, last night’s burglary apparently hadn’t been discovered. But one he did a week ago was finally, if not the top story, at least before the sports and weather. He was amused when he realized he was slightly offended by that.

      Once he had everything ready, he went into the bedroom to begin packing. He had pulled off four successful jobs in the last five weeks and wasn’t about to press his luck.

      Yeah, pup, we’re on the move again, he told Pax when the dog stood in the doorway, watching. Grab whatever you don’t want to leave behind. Pax looked at him for a moment, then disappeared. He returned with his rope toy and well-gnawed rawhide bone gripped between his teeth, dropping them on the floor. Okay, that’s weird, Sean muttered. Guess you’re way too used to our moving.

      Since the apartment came furnished, Sean didn’t have all that much to pack, ending up with two large duffle bags and a smaller one for Pax’s bowls, toys, and food. After checking to be certain he hadn’t forgotten anything, he lugged the larger items down to the car, stowing them in the trunk. Then he came back for his laptop, his backpack which held his tools, and messenger bag—and of course, Pax. The

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