What she didn’t have was enough to take him with her. “I promised we’d stay together. I meant it.” They reached the door of the ramshackle furniture repair shop where she and all the other boys lived. The moment they entered, Chuk ran down the hall. Nasha hung back in the front room, filled with broken chairs. Counting off half the money to go toward their bus tickets, she stuffed that into her pocket, kept out the rest to turn over, and knocked on the door to Bako Kalu’s room.
Bako lowered his beer can, his eyes narrowing as she walked in. “What are you doing back? Why aren’t you with the others?”
She held out the paper bills.
He snatched them from her hand, tossing them onto the table next to a heap of coins and wrinkled bills. The sight of that other money surprised her. Frightened her. When she looked at him, he leaned forward, pointing at her with his can. “You’re not holding out on me?”
Heart thumping, she told him no.
He cocked his head toward the door. “Get out.”
She backed to the door, then hurried down the hallway to the small room she shared with Chuk and some of the other boys. Checking to make sure no one else was in there, she moved the rags that doubled as her bed, pulled the money from her pocket, and lifted the floorboard.
Her breath caught.
Empty. All of it gone.
“So, it’s true.”
Nasha spun around, seeing Bako glaring at her from the doorway. And behind him, Chuk and one of the older boys, Len. Chuk wouldn’t even look at her.
Bako crossed the room, grabbing her by the arm, ripping the cash from her hand. “You steal from me? After all I’ve done for you?” His grip tightened, his face filled with disgust, as he held out his hand for the rest of the money.
“That’s all there is, I swear.”
He eyed it, then her. “If you weren’t so small and nimble, I’d toss you back where I found you.” He shoved her against the wall, pain shooting across her shoulder as she hit the wood siding. Gritting her teeth, she tried not to cry out.
“Quit your whining,” he said, before turning his attention toward Len. “Go get my brothers. We’re going to get that truck and their car.”
“How?” Len asked. He’d been the lookout in the store. His job was to delay their marks, giving them time to steal the Land Rover.
“Same way we took the last one.”
The boy shifted on his feet.
“What is it?” Bako asked him.
“I don’t think you should. This man. He’s not like the others. He watched us. He knew. I think he’s—”
“He’s what?”
“Dangerous.”
Bako’s black eyes narrowed as he lifted his shirt, revealing the butt of a gun. “So am I. If he puts up any fight, we’ll kill them all. Very simple. Now go.”
The boy ran out the door and Bako’s attention returned to Nasha.
Pulse pounding in her ears, she cowered in the corner. He grabbed the hammer from the table, his gaze boring into her for several seconds. “You remember what happened to the last boy who stole from me?”
She nodded, tucking both hands beneath her arms. Chuk stood in the doorway, looking sick to his stomach. Not as sick as she felt. He was the only one who knew where she hid the money.
Heavy footsteps in the hallway drew Bako’s attention. He turned to see both of his brothers and Len shuffling into the room past Chuk.
The oldest, Kambili, leaned against the doorframe. “What’s so important we had to come running?”
“Remember that truck we robbed a few days ago?” Bako said. “From the girls’ school? They’re back.”
“No. We don’t hit the same people. Too dangerous. They’ll know to expect us.”