Double Cross: A short story

by Camac Johnson

Gaines is down on his luck in London, broke and disillusioned with life, his ex-wife's taunts of 'loser' ringing in his ears. Then he hits on the idea of robbing the clients of a high-class prostitute. Simple. Easy money. He needs a partner and turns to Blanche. Blanche knows a thing or two about thieving - she's a prolific shoplifter with a history of drugging and stealing from businessmen in hotel rooms.

One by one, punters enter their carefully laid trap - and end up like the call girl and her maid: bound and gagged and relieved of their valuables. As the cash pile grows, Gaines can't resist pocketing more than his agreed share whenever Blanche's back is turned.

She is suspicious and senses his betrayal. She's not the type to let him get away with it. But there's a more serious problem to overcome. The prostitute's irate Albanian pimp is on the phone asking awkward questions. Before Gaines and Blanche can get away the pimp and a burly minder arrive at the flat.

The two thieves will need all their cunning to talk their way out of this one.

16 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2014

About the author

Well-travelled bookworm and writer. Has written fiction in the following genres: short story, children's, romance, crime, and mainstream. Some stories have been adapted into screenplays.

Interests: nature and wildlife, the environment, some sports, travel.

Self-published novels:

Zambezi Seduction (under the pen name Tamara Cape)
The Pink Pigeon
Hemingway Quest
Klipspringer Hill (later re-titled Squirt the Egg-Eater and included in the short story collection Squirt the Egg-Eater and other children's stories)
Pursuit
Mission: Africa

Short stories:
A Night at the River and other stories
Double-Cross (later re-titled Queen Bee and included in A Night at the River...)
Hat Girl (included in A Night at the River...)
Squirt the Egg-Eater and other children's stories.