Honor Among Thieves

Everyone in Boston’s high society knows Anderson Cabot by his nickname, Mister Boston. He understands all there is to know about wealth, business, social status, and how to trade power for political favors. His family ruled the Boston Brahmin social class for several centuries and there is no one belonging to this elite class that doesn’t owe a debt to Anderson and his family. Whether it’s developers in need of special permits to build a structure in an unapproved part of town, or a business owner attempting to block a competitor from renewing their lease, Anderson Cabot is the man to get it done.

Along with great power and privilege, comes equal portions of bitterness and disdain felt by those who have been on the wrong side of Anderson’s manipulations. Many a disgruntled individual, feeling swindled in a business deal or demeaned because of a perceived social slight, has tried to put him in his place. Unfortunately for his adversaries, each attempt has been unsuccessful, leaving his rivals crushed in utter defeat. Anderson Cabot is not a man to be trifled with.

Even with all his wealth and position, Cabot does not differ from any other man. He has his weaknesses. Some men get their thrills from fast cars, while others crave a lavish lifestyle jet-setting around the globe. Cabot’s obsession is collecting ancient artifacts and will do whatever is necessary to possess them. He considers his private collection of antiquities to be the finest in the world. He was not alone in that assessment.

John McBride also made his living by acquiring rare artifacts, usually illegally, for wealthy clients. Whether a customer desired an ancient stone statue from the jungles of Malaysia or a painting created by one of the old masters, if the price was right, John would figure out a way to get it. There were even times when he had re-stolen items he had previously sold to a former customer. No one ever said there was honor among thieves. One treasure-rich location McBride had never pilfered was Anderson Cabot’s collection. That was about to change.

A large box truck backed up to the kitchen door of Anderson Cabot’s mansion to deliver groceries and tableware for an upcoming social event. The incessant beep of the truck’s backup buzzer coupled with the clatter of pans in the kitchen made it impossible for him to get any work done in his downstairs office. Cabot snatched up his laptop and headed for the upstairs den.

So far, McBride’s plan was working to perfection. The kitchen staff were actually long-standing members of his crew, except for the tech guy. The new kid, Alex, came highly recommended and had the skills needed to disarm the primary alarm system. Each man knew his assignment, and they all moved out with speed and efficiency. Alex remained with the security monitors in case he needed to alert McBride about any unexpected visitors.

All was going well until the maid’s dog slipped into the open kitchen door and yapped up a fuss.

“Cathryn, will you see to that damn dog of yours, please? I’m trying to work up here.” Cabot’s voice bellowed down from the top floor.

“Yes, Mr. Cabot, I’ll take care of it right away, sir. I’m so sorry.” She called back upstairs as she raced to quiet her dog. Just before she reached the kitchen, her barking dog grew mysteriously quiet. She thought it was strange that the dog stopped yelping, but she was thankful that it had. Her relief soon turned to terror when she saw a man with his hands wrapped around the dog’s muzzle. Before she could react, a pair of powerful hands covered her mouth and dragged her into the basement.

McBride spoke to his team via two-way earbuds. “Wrap it up guys, we’re out of time.”

The Cabot house felt unusually still for a place being prepared to host a major event. At first Anderson was too involved in his business affairs to notice the how quiet everything had gotten, but slowly the tranquility roused his curiosity. He strode to the kitchen to find it empty. Instead of people scurrying about, Anderson saw the basement access to his treasure trove, wide open. A combination of fear and anger surged through him as he bolted down the stairs.

Lying at the bottom of the staircase were the chef and his maid trussed together. Anderson sprinted by them, hardly looking in their direction. His only concern was how much treasure was missing. Scanning the treasure room, Cabot realized that the only treasures missing were the artifacts he acquired illegally. This was a robbery he couldn’t report. The thieves knew exactly what to take.

The amount of plunder McBride and his crew stole easily filled the delivery truck to the back door. With the truck jam-packed and McBride’s shopping list complete, Alex re-activated the alarm system and the band of thieves drove to Boston Harbor, where a ship waited to take them and their bounty out to sea.

The sleek cabin cruiser pulled into a slip at Nantucket Harbor. McBride and his men had no idea why Alex had brought them to this port, but they soon understood.

The young computer geek simply grinned as he tossed mooring lines to two large, well-armed men standing on the dock. Several more men joined the original two, and they escorted McBride and his crew off the boat and drove them to the outskirts of town.

Before releasing McBride and his men, Alex smiled and

tossed McBride an antique Roman Coin.

“You see, Sir, there is some honor among thieves and drove away.”