Chapter 9
Wednesday, April 21st. 6:55 pm.
They arrived home from their day’s business at the usual time, and as soon as Nicole had dished up the sausage casserole she’d left simmering away in the slow cooker, they dined.
Even though she was a trophy wife, and not your regular, stay at home kitchen dweller. Hartley still insisted that they ate well when at home. So Nicole tried to make an effort, under slight duress, to cook a reasonably decent meal, at least twice a week, with makeshift salads, ready meals and takeaways for the rest.
Hartley had decided earlier in the day, that he was going to have a relaxing evening. With the delivery of the Appleford Rock the following day, he couldn’t be bothered with anything else. So he’d deliberately planned on watching some television which, hopefully, would distract him from getting overly anxious.
Nicole on the other hand, had had her evenings work already prearranged for her.
She had to go and set up the video camera before Chandler arrived at the shop.
Then, Nicole would have to use her powers of sexiness and persuasion, to get him to consent to giving her a good fuck, there and then.
She was constantly watching the clock, knowing that it would take just shy of an hour, to drive back to Hatton Garden.
Since the time she’d spoken with Alf about the plan, she’d been trying to think of an excuse which would appear genuine. She couldn’t keep using Eve. That would be far too obvious.
Then it dawned on her.
Her mobile.
Carefully and quietly she lifted her phone out of her handbag, taking great care not to get spotted. Went through into the hall. Fortunately Hartley didn’t notice what she was up to; he was too busy watching an episode of ‘The Blue Planet, narrated by David Attenborough.’
Nicole slipped her phone into her coat pocket, which was hanging on the coat stand.
‘Hartley,’ she shouted whilst making her way back to the lounge, ‘have you seen my mobile?’
‘No, why,’ he replied, ‘is it not in your handbag? That’s where you usually keep it.’
‘That was the first place I looked, and its not there.’
‘What about your coat?’
‘I’ve checked there as well.’
‘Oh, no.’ she said, trying her best to sound disappointed. ‘It’ll be in the office on your desk.’
‘You won’t need it tonight, will you,’ said Hartley, ‘so why don’t you leave it until tomorrow morning. It’ll still be there. Nobody’s going to go into the shop and pinch it.’
‘I can’t leave it there all night,’ she remarked, ‘what if Eve, or any of my other friends need to get in touch with me. No. I’ll just have to go and get it.’
‘Surely they’ve all got our landline number, haven’t they?’
‘Oh yes,’ she was going to have to bluff through this again, ‘but none of them would think to use it, because I’ve always got my mobile with me. No, like I said, I’ll have to nip back and get it.’
‘If we must.’ he said, as he started to get up from his chair.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked.
‘I’ll just put my shoes on and come with you.’
‘Oh no, you don’t need to do that. I’ll go on my own. I’ll be there and back before you know it.’
The last thing she wanted was her husband going back to the shop with her.
That would be catastrophic.
‘Are you sure,’ he replied, ‘I don’t mind.’
‘No, it’s fine. Like I said, it won’t take me long. You just take it easy. Don’t forget we’ve got a big day tomorrow, and you need to be at your best.’
‘OK then, you go,’ he remarked, ‘I’ll just get myself a coffee and then carry on watching television.’
After giving him a quick peck on the cheek, more of an appeasement than anything else, Nicole made her way through to the hall and collected her coat.
Hurriedly she exited the house, and the minute she climbed into the drivers seat of her brilliant white, 3 Series BMW, her mobile sounded.
‘Thank fuck it didn’t ring a minute earlier,’ she thought, ‘otherwise Hartley would have heard it, and that would be the end of my charade.’
Nicole started the car and got to the end of their driveway before looking at the caller display.
Alf.
‘Yes.’ she answered whilst taking a left and heading down the A10.
‘Where are you?’ he questioned.
‘On my way to the shop. Why?’ she said, not understanding why he should be calling her, when it was him that had made the arrangements for this extramarital shagging session.
‘I just wanted to make sure that you’d managed to get away.’ he replied. ‘We need this recording for everything to work.’
‘I know what we want,’ asserted Nicole, ‘but if I don’t get off this bloody phone quickly, I’ll probably get pulled up for using it whilst driving.’
‘OK, OK, get your point.’ Alf sounded a touch exasperated.
‘Once you’ve done the necessary,’ he continued, ‘and Chandler’s left the shop and is out of sight, I’ll come and get the camera from you.’
‘How long will it take to make the disc?’
‘Only about an hour or so. I need to run through it first, just to make sure I only copy the bits we want Hartley and the police to see. I’ve got every intention of giving them a free porn show. I’ve no doubt they’ll enjoy that.’ he laughed, but with a touch of restraint.
‘Got to go, there’s a set of headlights coming up fast, and I can’t afford to get caught with my mobile stuck to my ear.’
Nicole hung up. She wasn’t waiting for a reply, and didn’t want to take the chance that the lights could belong to a police car.
Fortunately it was just an Argos van. Probably on his way home after a late delivery.
She arrived at the shop around five minutes past nine, a little later than she’d planned. But this would still give her plenty of time to set up the video camera.
Nicole had been thinking about the best place to hide it, the right location to catch the best of the action.
There was the floor standing display cabinets, but they would be too low. The camera wouldn’t be high enough to get a good view. There were also three presentation units fixed at eye level, one on each wall.
She stood and contemplated for a few seconds. Then decided that the unit on the left-hand side wall would be perfect. If the camera could be positioned just right, it would be able to capture all the right side of the shop, which would include the store room entrance and the right-hand side floor standing display cabinet, where Nicole wanted Chandler to give it to her.
After setting it up, exercising care, wedging it between two earring showcase trays. All she could do now was wait.
Twenty five past nine came and went.
Nothing.
Half past.
Nothing.
‘He’s not bloody coming.’ she thought.
‘I’ll give him another five minutes. Then I’ve no choice but to ring Alf.’
Twenty five to ten arrived.
Nicole lifted her mobile out of her jacket pocket, and loaded up her phone book.
The second that she pressed the call button, the front door buzzer sounded.
‘Shit.’ she thought, whilst cancelling the call to Alf, ‘the camera.’
With no time to waste, she slid the wall cabinet’s glass door open, and pressed the record button, hoping that she’d not disturbed its positioning.
Quickly she made her way to the door and opened it.
She was surprisingly impressed.
Not quite what Nicole had expected. But then, what did she expect?
Maybe a little older than her husband, but not quite as tall, probably 5 – 8.
Well built, but not overweight.
His light brown hair barely reaching the top of his ears.
A well trimmed greying moustache, which gave him an air of distinction.
Blue open neck shirt. Beige trousers and a checked sports jacket, clearly all designer labels.
‘I’m going to fuckin’ enjoy this.’ she thought.
‘Mr Chandler?’ Nicole said optimistically, as she opened the door to welcome him into the shop.
‘I regret having to do this,’ he replied pleasantly. He was so well spoken, that Nicole wondered whether or not he would succumb to her sexual advances, but she still had to give it her best shot, ‘but I didn’t want to give your husband the impression that he wasn’t to be trusted. However, I still need to know that the Appleford is going to be locked up securely.’
‘Don’t give it another thought.’ she replied, smiling ‘I’m just pleased that I can be of assistance. After all, if you can’t guarantee the safe keeping of something so valuable, then you’d be within your rights to have it delivered elsewhere, wouldn’t you.’
‘Shut the fuck up you stupid cow.’ she thought. ‘What would you do if your stupid statement made him change his mind, and caused him to take the rock to another jeweller.’
‘Can we get on,’ he seemed slightly rushed, ‘I’ve got another appointment in twenty minutes.’
‘Of course.’ replied Nicole, wondering how the hell was she going to get inside his pants, given that they had so little time.
She walked towards the stockroom.
‘The door to the secure room that the diamond is to be stored has two locking assemblies.’
Fortunately, even though it wasn’t a procedure she used very often, she had remembered the set up and sequence, from when Hartley had been teaching her all the ins and outs of running the business.
‘The first is a combination pad.’
She turned, smiled, and looked him straight in the eyes.
‘Sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to look away for a second, while I punch the correct code in.’
‘No problem.’
She pressed the combination numbers.
‘Secondly there’s a key.’
Nicole lifted it out of her pocket and slipped it into the relevant slot.
‘And to make it even more secure,’ she didn’t want to appear like she was rambling, but wanted to make sure that Chandler was going to be more than satisfied with their system, ‘both the combination lock, and the key functions, operate three 3 inch cast iron bars, which slide into the concrete pillar inserted in the doors frame.’
She pulled the door open, and the two of them walked in.
Chandler inspected both the side of the door, and the frame, checking on how rigid and solid the bars were.
‘The diamond couldn’t be safer if it was locked up in Fort Knox.’
His eyebrows lifted slightly, and he titled his head a touch, giving Nicole the impression that he was more than satisfied with the set up.
‘Yes. This is fine.’ said Chandler. ‘I’m more than happy with were the Appleford will be kept until I come to collect it.’
‘Are you married?’ remarked Nicole as she led him back into the sales area.
She had to make her move, or they wouldn’t have any video to throw the police of their scent.
‘Excuse me?’ he enquired. ‘What kind of question is that?’
‘I was just wondering if you were married.’
Nicole turned to face him, undoing the top two buttons of her lacy pale green blouse, whilst walking backwards.
She needed him to be in front of the display cabinet.
‘I mean,’ she all but whispered, promiscuously, ‘a good looking, sexy man like you, shouldn’t be deprived of his oats.’
‘In answer to your question, yes, I am a married man.’ Chandler was clearly taken aback by her forwardness. ‘And I certainly didn’t expect to be seduced by the wife of the man that I’m doing business with. What would your husband have to say.’
By now the rest of her buttons were undone, and her blouse was wide open, giving Chandler a clear view of her full, voluptuous breasts.
Nicole pressed her hands gently on his shoulders, and eased him backwards, until he was leaning on the cabinet.
‘Well I won’t tell, if you won’t.’
She placed the palm of her right hand on the front of his trousers, and slowly started to caress his shaft.
He’d understandably been aroused. There would definitely have had to be something wrong with him if he hadn’t been.
Nicole felt his erection through the material, and smiled.
‘Alf, you’ve got competition.’ she thought, as she stroked her hand up and down his eager weapon.
Chandler slipped his hand round Nicole’s back. Placed his palms on her bum, and squeezed.
She’d obviously got her wish.
The plan had worked.
Firmly, but gently, Chandler turned her round, so that it was Nicole that was leaning over, facing down on the display unit. She heard the sound of his zip being pulled down, and suddenly felt his hard shaft, sliding up and down on outside of her skirt.
Nicole was more than happy to allow him to take control.
She simply stood there. Letting him do whatever he wanted to.
Gently, he lifted the hem of Nicole’s skirt until it was resting on her waistband.
Carefully he pulled her knickers down to just below her knees.
Nicole lifted her right leg a touch, so as to allow her pants to fall to the floor.
She’d purposely not worn tights, so as to make access easier. The thought of suspender belt and stockings had crossed her mind, but decided against it. If Hartley had managed to catch sight of them, he would, without doubt, have known that she was up to no good.
Within seconds he was thrusting in and out of her, and he could feel her juices lining the length of his shaft.
It only took another two or three minutes, and then he exploded all over her bum.
Success, thought Nicole.
Chandler took a handkerchief out of his pants pocket, and cleaned himself up.
Nicole pulled her knickers up, and straightened her skirt. Grinning all the time.
‘It’s time I was leaving.’ said Chandler sounding a tad embarrassed. ‘I’m going to be late for my next appointment.’
‘Was it worth it though?’ enquired Nicole, still smiling.
‘Oh yes,’ he said, ‘I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.’
‘You never know,’ she remarked, ‘we might be able to do it again some time.’
‘I can’t say that I’d argue with that.’
Chandler left, undeniably satisfied. Not only with their security set up, but with the additional bonus he’d just received.
‘I take it he got what he wanted.’ said Alf, as he approached Nicole, who was stood in the shop doorway. ‘And I presume we got what we need.’
‘Of course,’ replied Nicole, as she handed him the camera,’ I must admit though, I’m bloody good at what I do.’