This story is one that I've had sitting on my computer (3 of them now) for a while. I know eventually I'll get to it to write, but it's not been right yet. But for shits and giggles, I offer the beginning for a great read.
Excerpt:
The sound of the phone roused her out of contented slumber. Grabbing for the phone, Laurana Caellon mumbled into the receiver, “’ello?”
The voice on the other end began to speak quickly and franticly. Laurie tried to her best to follow the conversation but her attention didn’t catch up until she heard the words, “…after me and the jewels.”
Laurie switched on her bedside light. “Hold up, say that again. I’m wide awake now.” Grabbing the pen and paper she always kept there, she jotted down what she was being told.
“Laurie, I didn’t want to call you. I tried to reach JT, but couldn’t get him on his cell phone. The flight from Brussels just got into JFK airport. Can you get here? There’ve been a couple of incidents that make me wary.”
Laurana noticed it was one in the morning. She’d have to catch the overnight shuttle to the airport. “Why am I doing this?” she muttered to herself.
“Because we’re sisters and these gems are for your signature pieces for this year’s collection,” the exasperated voice on the other end of the phone responded.
Rubbing her eyes, Laurie sighed. “This is why I asked JT to not hire my triplet sister for courier duties. I’ve got to call the airlines and grab a flight in order to reach you, Tory. Go to where we normally meet up and trust no one. What makes you think something’s up?”
“Someone made a grab for the case. When I resisted, they told me to give up the jewels before someone got hurt. I swung around to hit them, but they disappeared,” Tory answered. “Normally, I’d complete this, but something is up and JT needs to get his security detail in on this.”
Laurana nodded then realized her sister couldn’t see it. “Yeah, it could be a lucky guess or someone who’s been listening to rumors. Give me three hours. After I take the case, then you can go where you want to. I’ll bring the gems home to work on them.”
There was a pause on the other end. “I’m really sorry, Laurana. I don’t mean to burden you with this. I know how much you dislike large places and people.”
Laurana smiled. “It’s alright. If JT had answered his cell, we both know he’d have handled it and still called me. I’ll see in a bit.”
Replacing the receiver on the base, Laurana struggled out of her covers. The chilly air in her room made her want to crawl back under the blankets. Quickly, she pulled out her clothes. Making a quick choice, she picked the portable phone, clipped the earpiece on, and dialed a number.
“JT, this is Laurana. Tory called and I’m heading out to get the case. I’ll take the jewels back to my workshop. Find out what the hell is going on.”
Laurana called about flights to New York while finishing dressing. Lucking out, she managed to grab the express to New York, which left in an hour and a half. She raced to finish dressing. Pulling on her biker boots, Laurana knew she looked more like a biker babe then a world-renowned jewelry designer. Snickering with mild amusement, she was out of the house and on her way to the Charlotte airport.
* * *
The phone woke him out of a dreamless sleep. Grabbing the phone, Ephram Walker was instantly alert. “Hello, Walker here.”
“Ram? This is JT Apollo. I’ve got a problem and I need your firm’s help immediately.”
Ephram sat up and grabbed his notebook and pen. “What’s going on, JT? It’s not like you to panic without a reason.”
The man’s words filtered through Ram’s waking mind. Possibility of industrial espionage, perhaps just a solitary wrong moment, but with the value of the gems the bonded courier was carrying, he understood his friend couldn’t take the risk.
“Want me to fly out to New York? I can escort the courier back to Atlanta for you. Then you can take the jewels from there,” Ram offered as he tried finger combing his hair. He was still exhausted from his last assignment, but it was one he personally had attended to be able to move on.
“Yes. The woman you’re looking for is Tory Caellon. She’s about five foot ten, long black hair, brown eyes. There’ll be a case handcuffed to her wrist, but that cuff won’t be noticeable. I’ll leave a message on her cell to expect you.”
“Tell her to meet me at the newspaper shop called Simon’s. Give her my description and the recognition word which is Hephasteus.”
“The Greek god of the forge? Apt. I’ll let her know. Thanks for doing this, Ram. I’ll pay you the regular rate plus emergency pay. My security team is pulling together records and such. I’ve got to notify the jewelry designer know there’s a slight problem with security as well,” JT responded.
Ram pulled on a pair of black pants while he finished his talk with JT. “Yes. If I remember right, your family allows the designer a major part in the jewel selection process.”
He hung up on his friend. Making a couple quick phone calls, he was booked for the next flight out of Atlanta to JFK airport. Tugging on his shirt, he chuckled to himself. “With my luck, she’ll be this Alias© wannabe or something. This is why sometimes women aren’t the best for the courier business.”
Sliding his feet into his shoes, Ram was ready to go to the airport. He hoped that Tory Caellon would do as she was told. Looking for her in the midst of that huge airport wasn’t something he wanted to do in the middle of the night.
* * *
Laurana looked for her sister. Born only three minutes before her, Tory was even more vibrant than either she or their other sister, Shanara. Searching the thinned out crowd for a tall raven-haired beauty, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
Whirling around, Laurana brought up her hand in a defensive position. “Hey, sis. Calm down,” the person who touched her said quickly.
Laurana pulled her hand back. “You startled me, Tor. Nice hairdo. Dropped black again, huh?”
Tory put her hands up to the newly reddened tresses. “Doncha love it? I know it’s closer to my natural hair color now. Plus it might confuse whoever it was that came after me.”
They hugged briefly. Laurie watched her sister eye her. “Still haven’t gone in to have your chocolate hair highlighted with gold streaks, I see.”
Laurie shook her head. “I’m not the hair adventurous type. I work with gems and metal, not hair.”
Tory snorted. As the sisters walked to the nearest bathroom, they kept up the banter they and their third sister, were known for. “Yeah and then there’s Shanara our mouth specialist.”
Laurana chuckled out loud. “Oh my god, if she heard you say that, you’d be eating dirt woman.”
Tory laughed. “This would be different how?”
The two of them stepped inside the bathroom and headed to the handicapped bathroom stall. Laurana smiled at the fact they were once again crowding into the bathroom. Opening her purse, Laurana removed a small case with jewelry repair tools.
“You burglar you,” her sister laughed.
Deftly, Laurana worked on the handcuff around her sister’s slim wrist. A small click let them know that once again, the Houdini triplet undid another lock. JT would have a conniption fit if he knew that the girls easily bypassed every security measure in place, just to see if it was possible. Tory handed the briefcase and the handcuff to Laurie. “You do realize that if anyone ever realized how dangerous you are-“
Laurie gave an unladylike snort that echoed in the small stall. “As if. People look at me and say how nice, adorable, and sweet I am. They’d not realize how dangerous I am until it’s too late.”
Both girls shared a laugh and a hug. Laurana looked at her watch. “You’re booked on the flight to meet with Shanara?”
They walked out of the bathroom as a couple of women entered. Both of them said nothing until they were outside the door. “Yeah, our sister will pick me up when I arrive. I’m going to lay low and give a couple of assignments to her or one of the others.”
Laurana nodded. “How’s things with Gregori?”
Gregori was an old friend, Tory’s ex-boyfriend. She knew her sister didn’t speak much of the guy who also helped create “Déjà vu Couriers.” She waited, knowing it would irk her sister more.
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