"I have a job for you, Kate." the man behind the desk said.
Lieutenant Katherine O'Donnell shifted uncomfortably, "Why the hell don't you get more comfortable chairs Captain. What's the job?"
She was well aware that Joe Hammond was leaning forward to get a better view as she twisted uncomfortably in the hard wooden chair. What the hell? Fifty years old and divorced, he deserved some excitement. She rewarded him with a brief glimpse of powder blue panties and the whispering sound of sheer nylon as she crossed her long legs.
His voice was husky as he answered. "You know Rochelle's Boutique on Fifth Avenue?"
"I've seen it, but I've never gone in. On a cop's salary I couldn't even afford to buy a bra in there."
Mention of a bra caused her precinct commander's eyes to drift down over her tight sweater. "Yeah," he muttered. "A really fancy joint. Its customers are mainly the country club crowd, yet they have quite a lot of shoplifting."
"That's not so unusual." She was currently studying criminal psychology for her master's degree. "A lot of rich women are in to shoplifting. After all, kleptomania is a disease that can afflict anyone, whatever their financial position. In any case, what does it have to do with us? The uniforms normally handle that stuff."
"True, but there are whispers on the street that the owner and his store detective have been blackmailing some of their customers. In return for not pressing charges, they demand sexual favors. There haven't been any direct complaints. They probably choose their victims carefully, women with influential husbands who would do anything to avoid the shame of prosecution."
"What do we know about these guys?"
"The owner is Henry Rochelle. No prior record although there have been a couple of unresolved sexual harassment complaints from female employees. The store detective, Jack Simpson, is something else. He's ex-army, Special Forces. He was court-martialed and dishonorably discharged for insubordination.
He also has a couple of nasty assault convictions. A mean dangerous guy."
"I guess you want me to go in and steal something, see what happens?"
"Well, yeah, but you'll have to build up to it. You need a cover they can check on. Something that will convince them you're vulnerable to that kind of blackmail. I'll get Sgt. Rodriguez to set something up for you. He'll give you a story and the necessary documents"
Kate nodded as she gratefully eased her five-feet ten inches out of the hard chair. Heading for the door, she could feel Joe Hammond's eyes on her and couldn't resist exaggerating the swing of her hips. She was well aware of the impact on the old lech as he watched her gluteus muscles rippling under the clinging silk skirt.
It was a month later when she again sat opposite Joe Hammond. "How's it going, Kate?"
"Good. I think I've pretty well established myself. I've bought a couple of dresses in the last couple of weeks and they've had plenty of time to check on my cover story. By now they should know I'm the wife of a bank president, and that I have a prior conviction for shoplifting."
"Do you think they've taken the bait?"
"The second time I went in, Rochelle introduced himself. I had the feeling he had checked and knew my background. Otherwise, why did he take such a personal interest? I think they're just waiting for me to make a move."
"OK, I talked to some of the uniforms who have been in the store. They say it's tied up tighter than Fort Knox with hidden security cameras everywhere. They even have them behind the mirrors in the fitting rooms."
She felt a hot wave of embarrassment wash over her as she remembered stripping off in front of one of these mirrors while trying on dresses and underwear. Shit, she thought. These slimy bastards have been ogling me. "That's illegal. If we knew about it why didn't we stop it?"
She could see from the reflective look on his face that Joe Hammond knew why she was perturbed. No doubt the old rake was pissed because strangers had been able to see more of her body than he ever would. There was a faint smile on his face as he replied, "You're right. But you know we often turn a blind eye to things like that if it helps catch the bad guys. Anyway, what did you think of Rochelle, and did you see the store detective?"
"You were right about Rochelle. He's really smooth and some women are attracted to slime balls like that." In fact, she had found Henry Rochelle to be a lot more attractive than she was prepared to admit. A perfectly proportioned six foot four two hundred and twenty pound body gave him an overpowering physical presence. When he turned on the charm and showed those perfect white teeth set in bronzed classical features, it was difficult for a woman to remain unaffected. She had kept reminding herself that this man was probably guilty of several crimes including rape."I think I saw the store detective hanging about," Kate continued. "A huge bear like man. About six-eight and wide as a barn door."
"That's him. A very dangerous customer. You're going to need help on this case. I've briefed Jenner and Bronson. They'll back you."
"O, Christ, not them." She couldn't stand the two sergeants named by Hammond. "I've had nothing but trouble from those two since I was promoted. They think I got ahead of them because I'm a woman and they don't even try to hide their contempt for me." She shuddered as she recollected the constant jibes and sexual innuendos.
"I'm sorry, Kate but they are the best we have. Don't worry I'll have a word with them. I think I can promise they'll behave themselves from now on."
"OK," Kate reluctantly agreed as she rose to her feet. "If it was just Rochelle I could handle him by myself."
From the way he looked at her beautifully proportioned one hundred and fifty pound body it was clear that Joe Hammond had little doubt about her ability to beat the crap out of most men. "Yeah, I'm sure you can, but watch out for Simpson. He's a trained killer and could be a real handful even for the three of you."
Still thinking of having to work with the two intractable sergeants, she tossed her thick shoulder length black hair and there was a slight sneer on her patrician features as she turned to leave. She didn't forget, however, to roll her ass for the old man. It improved her humor to think of the frustration she was causing him. His lust was such a palpable thing that she could almost feel his large gnarled hands going under her skirt and sliding up her stockinged legs.
Two days later Kate, accompanied by sergeants Jenner and Bronson, sat in an unmarked car a block away from Rochelle's Boutique. She was giving them a last minute briefing. Having in mind the condescending way she had been treated in the past by these jerks, her tone was cold and officious.
"Now we're pretty sure that the back room where they take shoplifting suspects is sound proofed. So we'll have to rely on the alarm." Kate was referring to a radio activated device that had been issued to them. All she had to do was press the button on top of a special pen she carried and it would sound a signal in a small receiver carried by Sergeant Jenner. "When I signal," she continued, "Come running. It will mean they've sprung their blackmail threat. Mind you," she couldn't resist a sneer, "I would probably be better off without you two."
"Yes ma'am," said Bronson with uncharacteristic politeness. "You can count on us. We won't let you down."
Snorting her skepticism, she left the car. Heading for the store she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Jenner's upraised finger and heard the hissed- "Pompous bitch."
When she entered the boutique she was startled to hear someone calling her cover name, "Good afternoon Mrs. Johnson. How are we today?" It was Henry Rochelle, the owner, walking toward her, with hand outstretched.