Dying to Live

Chapter 35 - The Grand Rio Plan

Kevin arrives within forty minutes of his phone call.

"Marty's just nipped out to get some beer. I don't know about you but beer always helps us think."

Before he has a chance to answer, Marty arrives with two bags of cans.

"Incoming," he announces, "cold ones coming through."

We crack open some cans, do a tinny cheers and settle in for a bit of planning.

It's fair to say, we're all a bit cagey. We're not sure if we can trust Kevin and he obviously feels much the same way about us but a few shared beers help smooth the path.

I repeat my Bangkok story adding even more detail than last time. Marty explains the sacrifices he made for me. Tears run down my cheeks as I realise again how much I owe my friend. I would be dead without his help... literally.

As Kevin describes his relationship with Hazel, my heart freezes and goose bumps prickle both my arms. The similarity of our two experiences exposes just how much this woman has deceived and betrayed me. The goose bumps remind me how much I had been, and maybe still am, in love with the bitch.

My body shakes. Little electric shocks course across my shoulders and make me shudder. I wasn't expecting this to be so hard; not emotionally hard anyway.

The beers help the ideas flow. My eyes dry and a steely determination replaces the soft emotions. Only thoughts of revenge remain.

"So, let me summarise the plan," I say, turning to Kevin because the early parts of the plan are all about him. "You need to play along as if nothing has happened. There'll be a stage in Rio when you'll be away from your case. You need to spot that moment, maybe by checking the weight of it when you get the chance. Once the drugs have been hidden in your case, that's when you'll need to make a decision; ditch the drugs or hide them in Hazel's case. The second big challenge will be to get hold of her stash of diamonds."

"Just her stash?"

"Yeah. We definitely don't want to steal the MIB ones, we don't want to be on their hit list; they're not the sort of organisation you want to fall foul of."

"I reckon sorting the drugs will be easy enough but I don't think getting hold of the diamonds will be such a walk in the park," says Kevin.

"You're right. After she'd got hold of the diamonds in Bangkok there weren't many opportunities because the handover was done at the airport and then we split up shortly after."

"Well," he says, "there's the challenge then because I need to find a way or else we're not going to make any money."

"Look on the bright side, Kev," says Marty. "At least you're going to get home safe and sound. Anything else is a bonus."

"When you get back, if you have the diamonds, I'll fence them for you." I say. "I know who to go to. We'll split the proceeds three ways."

"How much do you reckon we could get?"

"Well, she was planning to get about a hundred and twenty grand for the extra Bangkok diamonds. She and Richard will have more money to invest this time but the mark-up won't be as high so I'd guess we'd end up with about the same, one hundred grand plus, so thirty to forty grand each."

"Not a bad payday," says Marty.

Enough for us to pay Tommy, that's for sure.

"I want more," says Kevin.

"I'm sorry?"

"I want more money." His tone is firmer this time. "I don't see why Marty should have the same share as us, in fact, I don't see why Marty should have a share at all."