THE THIEF
by
Michele Hauf
Michele Hauf
Pub
Date: 4/11/2017
Date: 4/11/2017
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
Romantic Suspense
The
Elite Crimes Unit works behind the scenes of Interpol—and employs
some of the world’s most talented criminal minds. Because as
everyone knows, it takes a thief to catch a thief—or to seduce one
. . .
Elite Crimes Unit works behind the scenes of Interpol—and employs
some of the world’s most talented criminal minds. Because as
everyone knows, it takes a thief to catch a thief—or to seduce one
. . .
The
old farmhouse in the French countryside is a refuge for former jewel
thief Josephine Deveraux. Admittedly, there aren’t many men in the
vicinity, but she has her cat to cuddle up with. It’s a far cry
from her former life, constantly running from the law, and she’s
enjoying her peace . . . until the intruder in the three-piece suit
tackles her. He wants her back in the game, helping with a heist—and
he’s not above making threats to get his way.
old farmhouse in the French countryside is a refuge for former jewel
thief Josephine Deveraux. Admittedly, there aren’t many men in the
vicinity, but she has her cat to cuddle up with. It’s a far cry
from her former life, constantly running from the law, and she’s
enjoying her peace . . . until the intruder in the three-piece suit
tackles her. He wants her back in the game, helping with a heist—and
he’s not above making threats to get his way.
Little
does Josephine know that notorious—and notoriously charming—thief,
Xavier Lambert, is after the very same 180-carat prize she’s being
blackmailed to steal. To his chagrin, he’s doing it not as a free
agent, but as a member of the Elite Crimes Unit—the team he was
forced to join when his brilliant career came to a sudden end. And
little does Xavier know that his comeback is about to include a
stranger’s kiss, a stinging slap, and a hunt for missing
treasure—along with the infuriatingly sexy woman who’s outfoxing
him . . .
does Josephine know that notorious—and notoriously charming—thief,
Xavier Lambert, is after the very same 180-carat prize she’s being
blackmailed to steal. To his chagrin, he’s doing it not as a free
agent, but as a member of the Elite Crimes Unit—the team he was
forced to join when his brilliant career came to a sudden end. And
little does Xavier know that his comeback is about to include a
stranger’s kiss, a stinging slap, and a hunt for missing
treasure—along with the infuriatingly sexy woman who’s outfoxing
him . . .
She
picked up the book, and the creased spine flopped open to the last page she’d
read.
An
hour later, she had to squint to read because the sun had set. Splaying the
book across her chest, she closed her eyes and breathed in the fragrance of
rain on fieldstones. Chloe nestled near her foot, keeping her ankle warm. The
screen door, still open, squeaked lightly with the breeze.
Everything
was….
Peaceful?
Was that a word she was supposed to embrace? To somehow understand?
“I
am embracing it. Life is good.”
Or
rather, more different than she could have ever imagined it would be. She set
the book down, but the sound she heard was not of a paperback book hitting the
wood floor. Josephine closed her eyes to listen intently. The floor creaked
carefully above her, where the bathroom was located.
It
did not indicate the aches and pains of an aging house. This house had settled
long ago.
Curling
her hand beneath the sofa, she gripped the cool bone handle of the bowie knife
she’d tucked up into the torn fabric amongst the springs and pulled it out.
Pointing the blade down, she took a deep breath and stood up. Moving sinuously,
she crept around the end of the sofa. Her free hand skimmed over Chloe’s body,
comforting and promising she’d return. The cat purred but thankfully didn’t
follow.
Upstairs,
it was silent. Josephine wasn’t easily spooked by natural noises, but that had
not been a natural noise. And she wasn’t unnerved now. Just…. annoyed.
This
was her sanctuary. No one knew where she had disappeared two years ago. Very
few had known her location before that. But since then, she’d completely erased
herself from the grid. Therefore, whoever was stupid enough to break in was
looking to rob a random person. And they had to know she was home, which meant
the intruder did not fear an altercation.
Tough
luck for that idiot.
Author Guest Post:
If I hadn't become a writer I would have had two career choices: Brain surgeon or jewel thief. I feel quite certain both professions aren't too upset I instead decided to go with the words on the page option.
When I'm not writing fiction, I read a lot of non-fiction, and am always attracted to anything and everything on the brain or how to get away with a heist. I mean seriously, how cool is it to learn about neurological disorders and how the brain can be damaged yet survive and even change a person's life for the better (but not always)? Or if the intricacies of the meninges and the Circle of Willis don't catch my interest I pick up a guide on cracking safes, or picking locks. Can I admit I have my own lockpicking set? I use it only as a hobby. (Because honestly, I haven't been able to crack the front door lock yet, so how do you think I'd actually be out in the real world?) ;-)
There is something so sexy about a thief in an expensive suit, walking into a crowded ballroom and assessing each and every person for the ease and value his attention to them would return. A strand of diamonds around a woman's neck? Who is she talking to? Does she have a lover on her arm? Is her hair long enough to hide his actions? Might she take to his flirtations for the few moments required to pocket the jewels?
I've written about jewel thieves before but this story, THE THIEF, is the first time I pit two professional thieves against one another. And, oh, such fun I had. There's action, adventure, some sexy hijinks, and don't forget Chloe, the strange cat who might be the force who keeps them together, despite the odds.
Michele Hauf
has been writing romance, action-adventure and fantasy stories for
over twenty years. Her first published novel was
Dark Rapture
(Zebra). France, musketeers, vampires and faeries populate her
stories. And if she followed the adage “write what you know,” all
her stories would have snow in them. Fortunately, she steps beyond
her comfort zone and writes about countries she has never visited and
of creatures she has never seen.
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