The Magpie Oculus Part 1 Acte 1

The Magpie Oculus

 

An Intrigue in several Actes

 

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The epilogue

 

The Place: Monte Carlo

 

The Time: 10 years ago.

 

The Venue: The annual Bal de l'Eté

 

They were trying out an “experiment.”

 

He had met the subject that first evening at the casino.

 

The young lady had been most noticeable in her diamonds and frills, abruptly swishing in from the hotel lobby before making her way, weaving with slinky abandon through the crowded, noisy room.

 

He took polite leave of the quite vexing young lady he had been talking too. Her jewels were just expensive rhinestones anyways, once closer scrutiny was to be had.

 

He approached the newcomer, a young Canadian girl out on her own. Her jewels were real, and shimmering, especially her necklace of diamonds

 

They had struck it off and had ended up spending the evening gambling and dancing together.

 

She was there to have fun on her last night there, she was not staying for the festiva.

 

He was there to practice his honed techniques upon a rich lady wearing jewels, who also wanted to have some fun.

 

It was phase one in an experiment to find a way to make their (His, His Wife and their uniquely skilled accomplice’s) fortune in this world.

But this evening was only to practice making acquaintances with potential prey, and so he had let her go before going into phase 2 of their meticulously laid out plan.

 

He watched as she swished off, eyes watching her fine necklace rippling an even finer fire around the neckline of her dress as she made her way.

She had no idea how close she had come to being parted from her necklace with its’ abundance of shimmering diamonds.

 

But tonight had only been a practice run of phase one….

Phase 2 would have ended once he had acquired her necklace.

Phase 3 would have been to drop off the necklace to his accomplice.

Phase 4, the collection of the necklace by the said accomplice, and its spiriting away to a safe place, to be collected by him or his wife.

 

 

Later, as more quests poured in that week, with aspirations on an income supporting profit, the small band of thieves hoped to see all the phases of their well-rehearsed plan play out in hopefully profitable fruition.

 

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So it was, very late in the week, that their story would officially begin with an attempt at a successful execution of all 4 pinpointed phases that they had so meticulously ironed out, and worked on for going on two years now..

 

The first experimental attempt finally was tried out on early Friday evening, during the annual midsummer, the Bal de l'Eté, being held in the tourist rich Monte Carlo Principality…

 

End of the epilogue

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The Magpie Oculus

Part 1

Acte 1

In for a Penny

 

“The annual Bal de l'Eté is quite the fancy affair with a most colorful cast of characters. Headlining the attendance list are cigar-smoking wannabes, con artists mixed in with the real deal together with some ritzy globetrotters, including Indian Maharajas and plenty of Eurotrash plus aspiring models and socialites. One also encounters the 'feeders' who prey on the tourists who come out at night.”

Overview ascribed to Tatiana.

 

The scene opens on the large green of a park, surrounded by high hedges, that gave one an impression of being away from it all, and not in the centre of a major city, with its rude traffic and bright lights , which was the stark reality of the area.

 

A band is playing onstage at the Northern end, whilst a rather large bar area is situated upon the South end.

 

About 150 couples are dancing to the tango like beat of the music in the centre, another 200 or so surrounding tourists are strewn about. Quite a few standing, the rest either sitting at the bar or at the tables that have been set up to seat over 500 people.

 

 

If one had an aerial view of the place called Café de Minuit, they would see an almost perfect square, ringed off by walls of hedges. In its centre were swirling colours as the female dancers were twirled around their partners. Flickering sparkles could be seen captured in the soft lights. Bringing out the best in the jewels, beads, and assorted shiny baubles that the (mostly) female partiers wore.

 

Most of those partiers were tourists, with a few locals thrown in for a bit of flavour. Most of the tourists and locals were there to drink and dance, but a few of them had other, rather specific agendas of their own.

 

 

Seated at the Café de Minuit bar, a Welsh man is calm, contemplative, smoking a cigar, as he casts an eye about, surveying all the hustle and bustle from his perch on a barstool. He is drinking Brandy, neat on ice.

 

His week-long visit has made him no stranger now to Monte Carlo and its denizens. He had been watching the posh reception in deep meditation, taking long pulls of his cigar as he pondered and mulled in thoughts, both dark and intriguingly deep.

 

Normally he smokes a pipe, usually an old brier from his Late Grandfathers collection. But pipes are not easily, nor quickly, stashed, upon a moment’s notice! Which may be a required event this evening!

 

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I sat there, taking a long puff on my cigar as I mulled it all over, the thoughts that had entered my mind as I had been watching the crowds.

One of those “Thoughts “just happened to be centered around a young American couple, obviously newly wedded, and just as obvious, naive about being in a foreign country.

 

Innocents abroad indeed!

 

My interest was on the wife, a long-haired vixen, pretty in her shiny taffeta gown of deep violet and the splendid diamonds that hung low down the front of her gown as they dripped from around her throat. Along with the diamond ring that sparkles like a bloody beacon, and blimey, what a beacon it would be to some! Around her left wrist was a thin tennis bracelet of diamonds, maybe ½ carats in size.

 

I had the impression that they were planning a night of it, partying until the wee hours of the morning like most of the guests. And then still try to continue their party as morning broke…Which was apparently an American custom…

 

And I knew, sooner or later, there was quite good bloody chance that the wife would find her jewels had been lost during the festivities. I knew this, not only because of the culture, those foreign tourists were seen as easy money targets…but also because an adventurous bit of profitable thieving of jewels was actually why my Wife, our confederate Sammy, and I, had travelled here from the comforts of our happily (mostly)sane Welsh home.

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So I idly watched the American couple, weighing the risks for a go myself to acquire her necklace, trying to come up a way to put phase one of our plan in effect.

 

My mind also strayed to other observational thoughts. Observations soon made that put all my ideas of our plan and its 4 phases on hold where this couple was concerned.

 

My thoughts being that there were a few things I found rather sad about Americans abroad!

 

Number one, they had no problems dressing to attract notice. And from where I was sitting, I could see that this couple had attracted notice and not just mine!

 

For I could see across the way, two men talking. One a short squat man, the other a rather handsome youth, both possibly Italian (sorry). So much for my thoughts centered around attempting to steal away the young brides necklace for myself..!

 

As I watched them watching the American couple, I soon saw the American husband leave to get fresh drinks. Instead of waiting for a waiter.

 

Number two, never leave your lady and her expensive jewels alone for any length of time in Monte Carlo, especially if she is wearing good jewels, and his wife’s shimmering diamonds were beyond good.

 

A necklace like hers would not survive being worn for ten minutes on the streets by an unescorted lady, and it did not look like it was going to be around her throat much longer, here in this packed venue, with her chaperone gone!

 

Now that her jewels had attracted attention, and she was alone, the vultures had begun circling in to do the pickings.

 

Because It soon turned out to have had been the opening the two men were waiting for:

 

Now, that I saw they were making a move; the questioned remained on how she would lose her jewels? Surgically or be lured away alone to be mugged.

 

Hopefully, it was to be the less rude, mostly initially painless “surgery”.

 

The shorter man left and made a beeline to the bar and started to talk up the groom.

 

Now, the third sad thing about young Americans is that they are naively polite to a fault. As evident when the groom fell for whatever story of woe was being spun, and obediently walked off with the shorter man to a far, obscured corner.

 

Once the husband was out of play, the younger gigolo than approached the American wife and asked her to dance!

 

She looked around fruitlessly for hubby, and of course not wishing to appear rude, allowed herself to be led to the dance floor. I sipped my drink, and settled down to shamelessly watch, to see how he was going to do it.

 

 

At that time, alone in a foreign country There was nothing else I could do. Most of the police here were either in cahoots with the crooks or crooks themselves. Reporting the crime would mean her necklace would be taken away as evidence and never returned. Plus, it would bring unwished for attention to me, and muddle the waters as to why I was here.

 

To try and break it up would probably mean me getting stabbed in the ribs by a sharp blade and the necklace being wrenched off the American bride anyways as he ran away soon to be lost down one of the multiple dark alleyways.

 

Most of these type of thieves are like timid vultures, hovering safely away as long as their victim was guarded and aware. Once that guard was let down was another story.

 

Forgive the oxymoron, but, Bloody thieves…!

 

It's my Wife’s and My paradox, thievery with honest intentions! We don’t consider ourselves to be vultures, just opportunists with a plan to make enough money to retire comfortably in a few years.

 

So, I just forcibly checked my emotions and just watched, maybe pick up a few pointers if this lad was any good…

 

He was… very good!

 

They began dancing closer and closer. He was smooth, incredibly smooth and I was the only person who saw when it happened, only because I suspected it was coming.

 

Her necklace began to make some rather odd moves up and down the front of her gown. The lass was totally clueless, the smoothness of her gown failing to allow her any notice. Then suddenly it was whisked off as she was twirled about. Her shimmering jewelled necklace vanishing as in thin aire.

 

I saw his hand move, but it was so quick that I could not even determine where he stashed the stolen jewels. They continued to dance, her eyes darting to see where her husband had gotten off to, hoping to be rescued from her plight I would imagine. His eyes were on her, and he kept on talking, keeping her focus away from noticing her now bare neck.

 

When the music ended, He then walked her shamelessly back to her seat. After he helped her being seated, took up left hand and, with elaborate gestures, kissed it.

 

The only thing that saved her from also losing her ring at that point to the slick gigolo, was a clumsy waiter who picked that moment to cut through and backed into him, pushing him off balance.

 

The Italian angerly cursed the waiter, walking off behind him with flailing hands. Meanwhile, the young bride had cringed, sticking her ringed finger inside her mouth in worry and embarrassment. Her other hand had then slowly crept towards her neckline…

 

But I never saw what happened next. Because, like a whip crack, my attention snapped immediately stage right as a newcomer emerged onto the stage…, and my full attention was now a requirement!

 

A mid-thirties lady had entered off the street, looking like a time traveller from the Roaring Twenties.

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To digress a moment for explanation.

 

Back in Wales, My twin sister has a colourized photo of our maternal grandmother. In her day she was a rather rakish flapper. The picture is of her in full costume.

 

A plum gown, long shiny bodice, short skirt, spaghetti strap with a blue boa over her shoulders. A few strands of sparkling beads, and a shimmering hair piece fringed with rhinestones hanging down well past her short hair. A hand with ringed fingers is placed on a tiger, stuffed, mouth open in a roar, with the beast’s devilish green emerald eyes staring outward.

 

Our grandfather( like our father) was a bit of a stuffed shirt, so it was a rather interesting courtship they had had…

 

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Now here comes walking in, this lady, looking like she had stepped right out of that photo.

 

Wearing the same rather flippant look, the devil may care attitude that her movements seemed to take on… I could almost believe a tiger with emerald eyes would be coming out of nowhere to join her.

 

This lady was also wearing a costume quite like Gran’s, a long silky number where the top part seems to go on forever, until reaching a low waistline from which fluttered a daring gilded age low fringed skirt to her knees.

 

Her total ensemble was stunning. Complete with an ostrich feathered hat, short black bobbed hair with a rhinestone(?) headpiece ( looking like an upside-down tiara ), and long beads dangling down from her neck, falling past her waist. long eyelashes and heavy lipstick and blush. The flapper effect overall was quite exotic! However, also intriguing, were her pair of diamonded earrings and 2 of her bracelets which were decidedly real enough, and worth a closer look…

 

But, once again, I was not the only one wanting to meet her…!

 

For, as soon as she got three steps in the arena, like magpies, 2 gentlemen descended upon her.

 

I watched as they vied for her attention, and she played along with them. Like any “Flapper” worth her salt, she was bloody well out on the prowl to have a good time.

 

She meandered over to the opposite end of the bar for drinks. I kept eyeing the real diamond bracelets that were mixed in with the rest of the cheap baubles encircling her wrists.

 

 

Other women, other jewels, other avenues I could have explored at that point. But the more I looked at the shimmering seductive fire that encased her wrists ... the more I desired them as a prize! So, I waited and watched. All thoughts of the hapless American bride driven from my mind.

 

 

I observed that the more she drank, the more she seductively she teased her followers ( for two more were soon added into the groups' tally )! Finally, she set her sights on one, allowing the others to bid their reluctant goodbyes and fade away.

 

 

They went out onto the dance floor and began a most wickedly entertaining tango.

 

I found myself wondering if our Gran had danced like that! But if she had, it certainly was not with our Grand-père.

 

They followed up the dance with another trip to the bar for drinks, and where two more hopeful males came to a calling.

 

But she stuck with her chosen one, and soon were back out on the dance floor.

 

They followed this cycle for almost an hour, and I was failing to see an opening for phase one, let alone phase 2 of the plan I was supposed to be working on that evening!

 

I had about then decided, with time running quite short, that I should set my sights somewhere else. I looked around for the American couple, if she still had her bracelet I could have a go. And if she had not somehow noticed her missing diamonds…?

 

But as I looked around for new prospects, I saw a change in the winds. For I spied my flapper and her courtesan sneaking about, slipping off from the dance floor and heading off towards the entrance.

 

Both were giggling drunk, leaning onto one another for support. And both were fondling without shame!

 

As I watched the pair disappear around the corner of the hedge, taking the path outside, I got up to follow.

 

It was a risk, and it may mean going back empty-handed, and facing my wife's disappointment, But…

 

Something in the way they were acting reminded me of a similar situation I myself had been in. And it had been my collage girlfriend, now wife, and me, both tipsy, who had had to get somewhere private fast. I also remembered what had happened to us, which was the cause of my decision to throw lady lucks' die and follow…

 

They stole off to take a stroll, not and in hand, but drunken figure against drunken figure.

 

After giving them the lead, I got behind and discreetly followed. In its way, this was an “on the fly” variation on completion of phase one.

 

They were walking along the path that led through the wooded park. Benches lined that path.

 

As I followed keeping to the shadows, I was not alone on my quest. For I had caught a glimpse of our partner in crime, Sammy boy’s skulking dark form! He was silently flitingt in and out of the trees’ shadows on the path behind me

 

The couple finally plopped onto a bench and began to grope each other with purpose.

 

A pair of dark forms moving, the enchantress’s jewels faintly glimmering in the dusky light

 

I had no definite plans and so just was going along with the flow of the moment as I stopped some distance away and melted into the dusky shadows of some trees to watch, and wait.

 

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Back home, there is a similar spot, called Abbot's chase lane with similar paths and benches. And it was there my future wife and I had headed with a hungry, drink driven desire, not unlike the couple I now kept under observation.

 

We had found a secluded bench and began to “make out”. But alas, in our alcohol-infused lust, we had found the exertion of our preliminary lovemaking to be too much and had both passed out so dead to the world that my girl’s jewels could have been nicked from her satin clad figure with almost no effort!

 

I know this as fac,t because I woke first and……

well back to the present…!

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So I just waited and watched. Sure enough, within 20 minutes, just as the sun barely started its setting, this pair finished snogging and drifted off to deep sleep in each other's arms.

 

I left the shadows of the trees.

 

I walked past as they laid there, dead to the world, they're poor, poshly attired, figures snogged out in exhaustion. Her arm lay across him.

 

Bracelet laid bare, just screaming to be spirited away. Phase two was in play!

 

It would have been an easy pick, easily accomplished without any disturbance.

 

But I could see her, as she slept on, losing all her lovely sparklers by the morning as the various crooks and thieves spotted the couple.

 

So I took pity on these babes in the woods and walked up. Placing one hand on her wrist and the other upon her warm silky feeling figure. I played the part of a Bobbie and briskly shook them “ere you to sleep it off somewhere else”

 

As I shook them awake, I unclipped and slipped off her shimmering bracelet from around her wrist as easy as you please.

 

They woke and while still too groggy to see me clearly, I was off for the first bend in the road where a flickering gas lamp left a small pool of light at its cast iron foot.

 

It was there that I plopped her purloined bracelet, seeing it sparkling as the yellowed light played off the bright gems, laying there unprotected on its soft bed of green.

Phase 3 completed, the set.

 

I went on for a way, then turned out of curiosity just in time to see our cohort Sammy's dark figure standing there over the bracelet, he cocked an eye at me before snatching it up before spiriting the heavily jewelled piece away.

 

Phase 4 completed. Game, set and match!

 

We were done for the evening, a successful ending!

 

I lighted my pipe, shielding the flame of the match as I watched the dark hollow where Sammy had disappeared.

 

Walking away I head Bogie's voice in my head, speaking out last lines of the movie Casablanca.

 

Turning my collar up, I parroted the words in a soft mummer to myself as I walked away alone down that darkened path of our choosing….

 

“Sammy boy, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

 

End Acte 1

 

Done