Draft:Stealing Lillian

Stealing Lillian is a 1975 comedy/thriller novel by Tony Kenrick, which was optioned to become a film. It was included in the Tozai Mystery Best 100 list of 1985. Art Bourgeau called it a "classic" in The Mystery Lover's Companion (1986).

Bunny Calder, a con artist, Ella Brown, one of his scam victims, and an orphan, Lillian Phelan, are enlisted by the U.S. government to help stage a kidnapping in order to capture a gang of terrorists.

Plot
A con artist, Bunny Calder works in New York City. He is a good-hearted man but enjoys the thrills and risks of scamming. When lovely Ella Brown, an interior decorator, becomes a victim of one of his tricks, she realizes he was the cause and seeks the help of her lawyer, who tells his friend Daniel Lasky, an agent of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Lasky is hunting a gang of terrorists known to have entered New York, and he wants someone bold and and quick-thinking to stage a kidnapping, which he knows that these terrorists will attempt. He proposes that instead of making a federal case against Bunny, the Department will enlist him and Ella to stage the kidnapping. They will play multimillionaires Don Ray and [Mrs.] Bergstrom, with Lillian Phelan, an orphan, as their daughter Sherryl Anne. Lillian turns out to be a great con artist, too, tough and potty-mouthed, "like any nine-year-old Marine," as Bunny tells Hartley, the bodyguard acting as their chef.

At a press conference in a borrowed mansion, the "Bergstroms" announce that they are entering society and enumerate their riches, estate, and expensive car collection. Lasky's plan is to attract kidnappers, and that's who they get. But before they get the terrorists, they get Syd and Earl, who are also scammers, but small-time and stupid. Syd and Earl kidnap Lillian, but because the federal agents have attached a "beeper" to her skin, covered by a Band-aid, they move in and arrest them in a few minutes. When days pass with no (move) from the terrorists, Lasky decides to let Syd and Errol kidnap her again, and this time broadcast the news. Ella is furious, but it works; a day later, Lillian is gone. Unfortunately, so is the bleeper.

As Bunny, Ella, Lasky and the team listen anxiously, the leader of the terrorists phones with requirements for the ransom. Bunny nicknames him Sandhurst, after the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where the man had studied. Sandhurst demands $20 million and directions for a [Brink's armored truck].

Bunny tells Ella that he doesn't believe they should use the fake paper money; Don Ray Bergstrom can get those millions in a loan, and he is willing to take the risk in order to save Lillian's life.

Bunny and Sandhurst meet in a parking-garage cul-de-sac, Bunny with the twenty sacks of money and Sandhurst with Lillian. Bunny outlines an intricate plan involving seating Lillian in their getaway and then exchanging the truck rotor arms. When Sandhurst complies and brings the rotor arm, Bunny delivers a solid punch that sends Sandhurst momentarily down, and Bunny gets himself and Lillian safely into the truck with the money.

Sandhurst gives up and tries to flee after setting the truck on fire.

In the denouement, Bunny and Ella are in love, and they are crushed to see Lillian return to the orphanage. A few days later, Lasky learns of more terrorists arriving and suggests that they hire the same team for the same kind of con.

Reception
Stealing Lillian was a popular novel.