Lady Thief

           She carefully slid down the tree, the cool bark slipping through her hands as she landed crouched on the roof.  Moonlight slid around her as she slowly straightened up.  Soft blue eyes looked around the yard, but saw no one. 

            She walked silently over to the skylight the couple had stubbornly insisted designing.  A small smirk crossed her soft face as she opened the window.  It was unlocked.

            Experimentally, she sniffed the air inside the house.  Still dusty, she thought as she took out the dentist’s mask she kept in her small bag.  No sense in risking sneezing. 

            She took the grappling hook and rope out of the bag and hooked it on the side of the window, letting the rope drop down two feet short of the floor.

            Bathed in moonlight, she slipped down the rope, her dark gloves protecting her hands.   Landing softly, she walked to the bookcase next to the old couple’s bed.

            Let’s see, pull out The Moonstone and put it next to…Treasure Island!  She pulled the first book down to the bottom shelf and held her breath.  The two books pushed the bottom of the shelf into the floor, revealing a small hole with a sapphire the size of her fist.  Without hesitating she took it and placed it in her bag.

            “Police!  We have the house surrounded!  Give up, Lady!”

            The sound was coming from the hallway.  The time for subtlety was long past.  Lady raced to the rope as the man and his wife woke up, yelling at her to give up as well.

            “Sorry sir, milady.  I just can’t do that,” she replied, her voice soft and her accent decidedly British.

            She sprung up the rope, flipping herself onto the roof while pulling the rope and hook after her.  She doubted her fingerprints were on it, but it was better to be safe then sorry.

            She looked around as she pulled the mask off and shoved it into the bag with the jewel and hook.  It hadn’t been a bluff.  The house was surrounded. 

            “Bring ladders over here!”  Swarms of police came around the house, carrying ladders and beginning to climb them up to her.

            “Sorry gentlemen,” Lady said,  “But a Lady needs her beauty sleep and I doubt I’ll find it in prison.”

            She pushed a button on the front of her dark jacket and a ladder slid down to her from a helicopter above.  She climbed it as quickly as she could in her long dark skirt and the black helicopter sailed away.