West groaned. “Really, Cain?”
Pandora shook her head. “His wife doesn’t even know about it.”
Phoenix smirked. “But he told you about it. . .his buddy?”
Ignoring the comment, Pandora continued, “I happened to be with him one night when he placed a briefcase of diamonds in the storage unit. I got a good peak of the whole unit. It’s stacked with art, gold statues, briefcases full of—”
“Do you know where the key is?” West leaned forward.
“Either in the shop or at his house.” Pandora smiled. “I know the storage location. I just need the key. And since you are thieves. I figured you all can check the shop—”
“Why didn’t you check the shop?” Phoenix asked.
“Did you miss the part about someone being dead in there?” Pandora scowled. “Back to this key, it’s made of titanium. Super heavy for a regular key. That’s how you know you have the right one. Johnny had the key dangling from this long gold ribbon.”
Griff scratched his head. “Why the ribbon?”
“Johnny said something about how his wife used to wear the ribbon on her hair long ago when he met her. He’d started creating the stash for her then.” Pandora waved it all away. “Then, his wife got old and fat.”
Phoenix sucked her teeth again.
“A briefcase full of diamonds.” Griff rubbed his hands together. “How much do you think is in the storage?”
I raised my voice. “We don’t steal from widows.”
“That widow will be fine. She’ll get twenty-five million for his life insurance policy and the Syndicate will look after her and the kids for the rest of their lives.” Pandora touched her chest. “Meanwhile, I’m the one left out in the cold.”
“Poor buddy.” Phoenix sat down with a new slice of pizza.
West re-lit his blunt. “Cain, I get that you want to respect your beliefs and what not, but can we at least discuss how much is in there?”
“That’s all I’m saying.” Griff turned to Pandora. “What’s your guess?”
“From the little I saw it had to be thirty million worth of stuff—diamonds, gold bars, suitcases of money, priceless art.”
Griff whistled. “We should think about it.”
“Guys.” I glared at my brothers. “Are we forgetting the struggle we had with Dad’s insurance policy? As well as the government snatching away almost half of it all.”
“Look. You need to say yes or no now because I have another group of guys that Johnny used to work with on the side.” Pandora fixed her hair and rose. “I’m visiting them next with my ideas. I just wanted to give you priority—”
“You’re not going anywhere.” I frowned. “You’re staying with us.”
Pandora quirked her brows. “What do you mean?”
“You know a lot about us and the job, and you don’t mind telling anyone.”
Pandora looked around at everyone as if to see if I was joking. “Wait. Umm. I know how to keep a secret, guys.”
“If the Syndicate killed Johnny over the job—”
“They didn’t.”
“But if they did,” I held one finger up. “Then, they’re looking for us, and you know where we are and who we are.”
“I-I don’t know everything.”
We watched her in silence.
“I mean. . .I don’t. . .” She took the towel off her hair. “Look. We should talk later. I’m in so much shock with Johnny’s death. I don’t really know what I’m honestly saying.”
“I believe you.” I nodded. “That’s why Griff should take you to his room to get some rest.”
Pandora dropped the towel and inched back. “Hold on. I’m not staying here.”
West put out his blunt and set it on the table.
Griff stuffed the rest of his pizza in his mouth and then got up.
Pandora glanced at them. “You all can trust me. I’m loyal.”
“I agree with Phoenix.” I stood. “You didn’t show loyalty to Johnny. I don’t see how you would be loyal to us. I think the first time someone from the Syndicate comes up and scares you, you’ll spill everything—our names, the job, our locations.”
West took out his gun from the back of his jeans’ waistband and pointed it at her. “Let me give you the grand tour of the house.”
Pandora raised her hands in the air. “Hold on! What are you going to do?”
“Pandora, we’ll just be partying for a little longer.” Griff pulled his gun from the holster. “Relax.”
I checked for Phoenix. Sometime between these new events, she’d added more slices to her plate, sat back down, and was steadily munching.
I returned my view to Pandora. Griff and West flanked her with their guns out.
I nodded at them.
They took her off.
I walked over to the blunt West had put out, grabbed his lighter, and lit it.
Watching me, Phoenix finished her last slice.
The blues song shifted to a new one. This one floated and soared over us.
I took a hit of the blunt and blew smoke. “Thoughts?”
Phoenix licked her fingers. “She didn’t come up with the idea for that job. Something like that takes brains, and she’s showed that she doesn’t have them, due to rushing over here.”