Ron Rico Rum Poster 1969

Faux Detective

 

 

The young couple had been out for an evening attending an upper end ( although the sponsor’s would never admit the it was that exclusive) Charity Ball. It was being held to help defray the costs for the charities’ good works( for which the family member’s holding offices, president ,vice prescient, treasurer etc, received Lordly salaries in range of six figures!)

 

It was a large affair, the cavernous ballroom filled to capacity. Our young couple had quite a time of it, mingling, dancing, drink and various other forms of social merriment.

 

An existing Photograph shows them to be a very handsome couple that evening. Him in a tuxedo, black no tails, top hat and a solid gold pocket watch chain and fob at his waist., he sported a thinly trimmed reddish beard and devilish look sprouted from his green eyes. She was the epitome of elegance, her perky figure poured into a long satin sheath that flowed along down over her, accentuating every gentle curve of her body. From her ears, neckline and wrists was a glittering matched set of rubies; her fingers home to several ruby and diamond encrusted rings. Her longish hair was held up by a thin silver strand, woven in amongst her silken curls. Along the silver strand was set a row of matching white diamonds. Her head piece alone was worth almost £2000, paid for by her adoring parents.

 

At the end of the evening he delightfully surprised his younger female companion with overnight tickets to an upper end hotel located near the royally named venue that held the Charity Ball

The left the ballroom soon after midnight and naively made their way by foot along the mist filled streets to three blocks to their hotel.

Fortunately for the obviously “ripe for the picking” couple, those denizens of the night who make their living by waylaying pedestrian’s and unceremoniously stripping them of anything they possess of value, were off plying their trade on other streets that evening.

But such is the nature of the ultra--wealthy, they believe their station places them above such lowly deeds, such as being victims of a crime, until it actually happens right under their upturned noses, or when someone makes a statement that jolts them into the realty of such disdainful things occurring…

They reached their hotel in good time, happily talking the whole way, thoroughly enjoying the adventure of the evening. The room was a suite located in the uppermost floor. They entered their room, full of anticipation of the night’s activities that lay ahead of them. A vaise of red roses lay on an antique oak table in one corner of the room, next to a bottle of chilled merlot from the boyfriend’s family vineyard.

 

As she took it all in, excitement tingling all over her squirming figure, another tingle was to be heard. The suite’s phone rang, the boyfriend obediently answered it. An authoritative sounding male voice said he was from the front desk and needed to see him right away, urgent and personal. The boyfriend reluctantly told his pretty companion to wait, he wouldn’t tarry.

 

Minutes after he had left, a sharp series of knocks came to the door. She answered it, clutching her long silk wrap to her chest, covering her figures points of interest. She knew her boyfriend would not be knocking, he had the key.

 

She opened the door to find a man in a formal black suit, thin pointed beard, and black eyes framed by spectacles. He held out in front of her face an official looking card. He identifies himself as being an official from Interpol. She had heard of the name Interpol, but was unsure about what they were all about. She suddenly gasped, I know you, you danced with me earlier at the ball! He had been one of a number of men who had flooded her dance card once they realized her dominating boyfriend was absent,( He had gone out for a cigar). She had seen previously him throughout the evening dancing with quite a few ladies, so in a way when he asked her she was a little put out and felt her feathers ruffled that he obviously was not being selective and was treating her as ”one of the commoners”. But he his accent and charms soon won her over, and when the dance ended she watched him leave, secretly hoping he would come back for another dance.

 

He also acted surprised, and then caught himself, saying of course, How could I forget the prettiest lady there that I danced with. It was part of my cover, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, the dance I mean. She blushed, buying into the charmers words.

 

He patiently explained that Interpol was an international police organization. That they were after an international jewel thief known as “Le Sheppard” whose trail had led them to that very ball. She gasped, a jewel thief was there. He nodded; allowing himself to push past her into the room, still flabbergasted by his words she closed the door behind them. He explained that he was working with hotel security to inform the guests of the danger of losing their jewels that evening. Other agents were covering the other hotels in the area. It was believed that “Le Sheppard” would strike sometime that evening at one of them, and they wanted to catch him red handed in the act of lifting some pretty lady’s jewels.

 

His job was to suggest that the female guest of the hotel place their jewels in the hotels main safe that evening for safekeeping. The room safes were not above being robbed. These rooms have their own safes? She questioned, sounding as if it was a silly idea to here. Yes he said, so a thief won’t steal your pretty jewellery while you are away. A thief would break into a room like this, not with us inside she questioned, her eyes wide with innocent bewilderment at the very thought. It happens all the time he said, unfortunately, but mostly to tourists he added.

 

She gasped, buying his story. But were tourists, were from “scoutland” she said proudly, not realizing the rather hurtful insensitivity of her words. He asked if she had any jewels, she twittered knowing full well he had been eyeing the diamonded silver band holding up her long silky fawn coloured hair. She opened her robe, just these she admitted, watching his eyes open wide as the unexposed jewels glittered frantically in the light. My! he exclaimed, you certainly should keep those safe. She said that once her boyfriend returned she would have him take them down right away. But why have him leave you again he asked, when I can take them down for you and save him from spending any more time away he gallantly suggested. She bought into the man’s eloquent charms, and she had him help remove all of her shimmering jewelry. Even the band she removed, shaking her long hair down in fetching curls alongside her face. He had her turn around, which she did swirling; making sure nothing had been missed. He even suggested removing the rhinestone brooch from her gown, which she did. She smiled winningly as he placed the jewels carefully in a silken handkerchief, then in a small leather case, one of several he had in a pouch at his side. All the while thanking him so much for the hotels concern. He told her to think nothing of it, and with a sharp bow, departed the room.

It can be said that when the boyfriend returned he seemed to have believed her story. Even though suspiciously no one could be found at the front desk whom had placed the mysterious call to the suite.

 

The two of them apparently got right down to business, which may have been the reason the boyfriend had wanted her to believe that her jewels were safe in the hotels main vault. For it was not until late morning, after breakfast in their suite, that he came down to inquire about his girlfriend’s jewels. He was told that none from Interpol had been there, none of their security was allowed beards, and nothing from their room had been handed over by a bearded gentleman to place in the vault. The truth was, his pretty girlfriend had been followed from the charity ball and conned into handing over to the dapper gentleman posing as a detective, all of her valuable jewellery.

 

The debonair gentlemanly faux detective had left her suite, vanishing into the night with almost £28000 worth of fine jewelry. (over £65000 in today’s currency)

 

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Done