Four Delinquents

Chapter 15: A Fatal Flaw

    When we had finished eating and Baby Face seemed 100% better we stood all together. I pulled out the last of the cash from my pocket and started counting it.

    “please Miss Molly,” I said as I handed to it her “let us thank you for your trouble.”

    She looked down at the money shocked. She furrowed her brow and glanced between me and the money. After some thought she seemed to decide. She shook her hands and her head.

    “No, no,” she said smiling kindly at us. “you boys are like sons to me. I appreciate any chance to help you boys. Especially in the state you came in.”

    “Please,” I said pushing it toward her more forcefully “so I don’t feel like we took advantage.”

    “you could never take advantage of my hospitality boys,” she said taking the cash from my hand folding it up and sliding it into my pocket. “my door is always open. Your such good customers too. you’ve paid in advance. You boys keep your hard earned money and scoot along before that woman comes looking for you here.”

    She walked us to the door and sent us out with bakery goods in our hands. I smiled and took a big bite out of my doughnut as we walked down the street away from our brief refuge.

    “so whats the plan?” asked Lansky chewing on his own pastry.

    “we set up the glycerol tonight and rob it tomorrow. Then we split. Im thinking Chicago.” I explained.

    “how we gonna set up the glycerol? In the bank?” asked Pretty Boy.

    “yeah.” said Baby Face drawing the keys from his pocket and unwrapping them. “we got the keys.”

    “so explain to me why we don’t just rob it right now.” exclaimed Lansky

    “we don’t have the key to the vault. We couldn’t get to the money.” I replied.

    “who we gonna carry all that out?” continued Lansky

    “bags.” I replied slowly. The kid was getting on my nerves. He clearly wasn’t thinking it totally through. It might be bad to have someone like that on a job like this.

    “we gonna wear masks?” he asked

    “no,” I replied shortly.

    “why not?” he asked shocked

    “that’s what the glycerol is for.” said Baby Face exasperated “its fog, stupid.”

    “im not stupid.” growled Lansky

    “well then your being stupid,” replied Baby Face “just shut up and walk.”

    “fine,” Lansky huffed.

    So we were quite until finally we got to the house. Pretty Boy walked to the side and dragged something out from a wooden box beside the house. He took out a match and lit it. The little flame was transferred to what he had pulled out of the box. It was a lantern that he held high so it spread its light around. He handed it to Baby Face.

    “since you’re the most torn up,” he said patting his shoulder and pushing him into the house “you get to light the way.”

    Baby Face led the way to the room with the tunnel in it. Pretty Boy ripped off the wallpaper and left it on the floor. I pushed Lansky on to the ground and into the tunnel.

    “climb up and unlock the door once you get there.” I said.

    He started climbing and we walked up the stairs. I was right about the house being really creepy at night. With the peeling wallpaper and the creaking floor boards. The fluttering curtains and disturbingly empty rooms. You take paintings and furniture for granted until there are none.