Total pages in book: 227
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
“You’re loaded,” James goes on, motioning to the Mercedes. “He’ll sniff them out.”
Leaving me an unarmed, sitting duck, so Danny, James, and the others better be on their A game if I resort to the signal.
I catch the keys James tosses and go to the car, stalling at the door when Pearl’s cell rings. I pull it out, see the screen. Turn it to face the others, showing them who’s calling. Unknown number. Every man before me looks as stiff as I feel, wondering . . . what now? I answer, walking closer to the others so they can hear.
“I’ve changed my mind,” King says. “Bring your friends. It’s probably best I have them in plain sight.” The line goes dead, the cell held out in my limp hand.
“Fuck,” Ringo breathes, saying that one word we’re all thinking. “What now?”
I tamp down the red-hot blood climbing to my head before it explodes out of me. “Now why would King outnumber himself like that?” I muse, seeing the rage rising in Danny and James too. “Move the cash to Leon’s jeep,” I order, and they all fly into action. “Let’s go.” I help Pearl out of the Mercedes and move her to James’s Range Rover.
“What is it?” she asks, her fear escalating. “What’s happened?”
“Slight change of plan.”
The American, The Brit, and The Enigma, all in a row.
All of us unarmed, all sitting ducks.
Only one man would be behind that.
Sandy.
The drive is quiet and tense, as you’d expect. I can’t look at Pearl. Every time I do, that little bit more crazy seeps into me. I hold her hand though. On the seat between us. Tightly.
As we pull off the main road onto the stone track that leads to Byron’s Reach, memories invade my mind. Danny, Rose, and Winstable Boatyard. His face when I showed up with Rose. How he must have felt. My stomach turns.
I get it.
“They’re everywhere,” James says, eyes on the track as we progress slowly.
“I’m seeing it,” Danny confirms as I cast my eyes across the dense overgrowth, clocking men evenly spaced, all bases covered. We were right.
“He’s got support,” I muse quietly, feeling Pearl’s hand in mine shift as my phone dings. I look down at the message. Smile.
“Who’s that?” Danny asks, finding me in the rear-view mirror. I don’t answer. And he doesn’t push. Trust me.
As we reach the end of the track and the boatyard comes into view, I take in every man gathered around the cabin—all armed.
And King, Sandy, and Luis.
Chatting like friends.
Fuckers.
It’s not the best start to what I hoped would be a straightforward exchange.
This is our little secret, my American friend.
King, the cunt. But did I trust him? No. It sets the standard going forward.
There’s a boat on the shoreline. A jet ski. Getaway options?
“Cozy,” I mutter, releasing Pearl’s hand and lifting my ass from the seat. I pull my Glock, check the magazine, the safety, all under Pearl’s watchful eye.
James pulls to a stop and turns off the engine, hands on the wheel where they can be seen. Danny follows his lead and holds his up. I can feel the anger radiating from them both as Sandy slowly lifts his machine gun and jerks his head in indication for his men to move in.
“So they have some guns,” Danny mutters as his door is opened. He turns a smile onto the bald tower of a man. “Evening.”
I turn to Pearl. “Remember?”
She nods jerkily as her door is opened by another goon. She turns in her seat, giving me her back, and I lean over, pulling her hoodie over her vest. “Don’t touch her,” I warn the Russian, who wisely moves back. I shift across the back seat and get out the same side, raising my hands, keeping close to Pearl. More men move in on Leon’s Jeep behind us, ushering them all out of the car, and more go to the Mercedes up back. Goldie steps out, hands up, Ringo, then Otto.
“Move away from the vehicles,” King yells, and just the sound of his voice causes Pearl’s shoulders to rise. He has a wicked sneer on his face, his mouth heavier on the left, making it look like he’s trying to smile. His bald head is riddled with scars. His suit is cheap. I laugh on the inside at his attempt to look important. Distinguished. A big player. Fucking joke.
I flick a look to Danny as he closes the gap between him and Pearl. Endless men move in and clear our cars of all arms, carrying them to an X5. I peek down at Pearl, seeing her head dipped, eyes on her tennis shoes. “Good girl,” I whisper.
“The money,” King yells.
Pearl’s face lifts a little when she jerks.
“Face down,” I say quietly.
She drops her head.
Danny, James, me, and the others are patted down. They find nothing on us, and a dozen men lift their weapons and aim at Leon, Jerry, and Mason, prompting them to start transferring the cash onto the boat. Every bag is checked. Not counted. Just checked.