Once they were in Anthony’s Cadillac, he spoke. “What’s going on with Adele, Mo?”
“Nothing. I made it up to get us out of there,” Morris admitted. “The last thing you and I need is to be around federal agents. They’re worse than the cops.” Morris was a drug dealer. He made no bones about it, but he wasn’t arrogant enough to wave it in the face of authority. Plus, he knew Anthony specialized in fake IDs and paperwork. He thought Margo was legit, but she had been known to buy a little weed every now and again from Morris. Margo and Bobbi liked to spark one up from time to time.
Anthony dropped Morris off at a less than stellar club located in the other part of the city. Anthony had told him that he was going to drop Margo off at home and then attend to some business. Morris nodded and didn’t ask any questions.
Once they had left the slums, Anthony and Margo chatted about the heist.
“It might be beneficial to the crew if you cozied up to the big FBI guy that has a hard-on for you,” Anthony said.
“Why?” she asked with disgust.
“We are about to pull the biggest robbery of . . . hell, maybe of all time. It wouldn’t hurt to find out what the government knows.”
“I doubt he knows anything useful to us. Even if he did know something, he probably won’t be able to tell me. I would think it would be classified.”
“Just think about it. Don’t be so quick to dismiss a good opportunity.”
Margo snorted.
Chapter 6
Margo had made a list of things to do and get in order before and after BAAM hit the Federal Reserve Bank. She also had to work on creating the virus. Then she would have to put the virus through several trials to make sure it worked.
BAAM sat inside an office in an old factory located in the industrial district of Tampa. It used to be a sewing factory until the crash in 2008. The recession after the crash doomed the factory for good. No one had been in it since. According to Aaron, the owner of the building was a motivated seller, and he got the place dirt cheap. He had used a dummy corporation to get a loan from the bank and put down fifty grand as a deposit.
“Well, this is it. What do y’all think?” Aaron asked.
“It’s big and dusty,” Bobbi answered with her noise turned up.
“I’ll be sure to hire a cleaning service,” he said sarcastically.
“We haven’t had a chance to really look around,” Anthony stated.
“As long as it has power, internet, water, and a place where I can work in peace, I like it,” Margo said.
“It has all of that. Now, let’s get down to business,” Aaron said. “You guys bring your money?”
Margo and Bobbi handed Aaron cashier’s checks. Anthony handed Aaron a cashier’s check and dropped a small black duffle bag on the desk.
“What the hell is this?” Aaron asked with confusion. “You said you had the cash. This is only for a hundred thousand.”
“The rest is in cash in the bag.”
“Seriously?” Aaron asked with annoyance.
“Look, I don’t trust banks like y’all do. Hell, we have robbed them of millions ourselves, you know,” Anthony said.
Bobbi laughed.
Margo had to chuckle herself.
Aaron grinned. “I see your point. It’s probably for the best if I made some of the deposits in the dummy escrow in cash, anyway. Now that we got that out of the way, Bobbi, do you have an announcement to make?”
Bobbi grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I do. I got the executive assistant job at the Dallas reserve.”
“Cool,” Anthony said.
“Yeah, all I had to do was fuck the potential boss, who is now technically my boss,” Bobbi said. “He’s pretty old, but it wasn’t that bad. I’m impressed that he could get it up at his age.”
“Ew!” Margo cried with a frown.
“Damn, girl,” Anthony said as he shook his head. “Well, we appreciate you taking one for the team.”
“I’m glad you do. I’m sure it won’t be the last time,” Bobbi said nonchalantly.
“When do you start?” Margo asked.
“Next Monday.”
“That only gives you a week to get settled,” Anthony said.
“I’ve already started submitting applications for an apartment under my Federal Reserve alias,” Bobbi said. “Until then, I’ll have to stay in a motel.”
“I’ll allocate money to you today for the temporary move,” Aaron said. “After I get this place dust-free, you guys can move in what you need to work on IDs, the virus, and everything else.”
“Do you think this place can be used as a temporary living space?” Margo asked. “Considering that we have to leave Florida afterwards, I’m going to have to sell my house. Just in case it sells before the heist, I’ll need a place to live.”
“You can stay with me if that happens,” Bobbi said.
“Bobbi, you’re going to have to sell your place too,” Aaron chimed in. “Sooner is better than later.”
“Yeah, you girls should get your money out of the real estate as soon as possible,” Anthony said.
“What about you?” Bobbi asked.
“The house is in my mom’s name for tax purposes. She can rent it out for extra cash after I’m gone. The only thing in my name is the restaurant. Morris has wanted to partner with me there for a while. The only reason I hadn’t let him is because I know he’ll use it as a front to sell more of his . . . merchandise. I didn’t want to jeopardize what I had going on there by letting him conduct business in my restaurant. But since I’ll be leaving, I’ll just let him buy the place from me out right. He should have the cash for that.”
“There is a loft upstairs and some rooms in the basement,” Aaron said. “Matter of fact, I think I might set up a little sleeping spot for myself here, so just in case I’m here late at night, I don’t have to drive back to the boat.”
“So how long will I have to work for the reserve?” Bobbi asked.
“Hopefully no later than December twenty-first,” Aaron said and looked at Margo.
“Yes, hopefully,” Margo confirmed.
“You can do it, Margo, baby,” Anthony said with confidence.
“If anyone can, it’s you,” Aaron added.
“Just in case I can’t, is there any way we can put this off until next year?” Margo asked.
“Not worth the effort, and it could be even harder to crack their system next year. Every year the Federal Reserve upgrades the firewalls and scanning capabilities,” Aaron explained. “It’s best we do it this New Year’s since I’ve already collected all the need-to-know information. It’s still current. Next year, it won’t be.”
“All right,” Margo said.
“So, Bobbi, you know what to do once you start the job, right?” Aaron asked.
“Yeah, like I always do. Learn the computer system as best and as quick as I can. Note any security cameras. Become friends with anyone associated with physical and cyber security.”
“And to find a computer that you can download the virus on,” Aaron added. “Or see if we can get into the mainframe room.”
“Yeah, that’s new, but I haven’t forgotten,” she said.
“Margo is working on creating the bug. Anthony and I will be creating false identities and creating a trail of history for them so no one will notice that millionaires have popped out of nowhere,” Aaron said and started digging into his pockets. He pulled out keys. “These are keys to the front and back door of the factory. You guys should be able to move your equipment in by the end of the week.” He passed the keys out to them.
****
Margo pulled onto Sunset Boulevard with the drop top down on her red Mustang. She waved at her neighbors as she drove by. When she got to her house, she had nearly slammed on the brakes. Bruce Style’s black SUV was parked on the street, and he was sitting on her porch steps with a bouquet of white roses.
She pulled into her driveway. He approached her as she got out of the car. Margo didn’t ha
ve time for this. She was in the middle of the biggest score of her criminal career. The last thing she needed was an FBI agent with a crush popping up unexpectedly.
“Hi,” he greeted with a smile.
“Hi,” she said wearily. “Bruce, what are you doing here?”
“Waiting on you. Here, these are for you,” he said and offered her the flowers.
“What are these for?”
“This is to show you that I am sincere about making up for the stiffed tab at the country club last year.” His eyes were almost as vulnerable as a little boy’s.
She softened and took the flowers. “Thank you. They are beautiful.”
“Will you let me take you out to dinner tonight?” he asked seriously.
“Bruce, the flowers are enough. White roses are my favorite. You’re forgiven, okay?”
“I appreciate your graciousness, but I still feel like I owe you a meal. I know a place that cooks a mean steak. You like steak?”
She did, but she couldn’t go out with him. Then a thought entered her head. Bruce lost interest in a woman when he believed he had conquered her. That’s what happened with him and Bobbi. Once Bobbi was suckered in by his charm and she had slept with him, Bruce had disappeared quicker than a mouse who had gotten the cheese without tripping the trap. With that fact in mind, she decided to accept his invitation. “I love steak. You’ve convinced me.”
“Great,” he said with excitement. “You won’t regret it. I’ll pick you up at six.”
“Hold on,” she said. “I drive myself on first dates. And make it seven.”
“I can agree to that.”
“Where do you want me to meet you?”
“Jimbo’s Steakhouse,” he said proudly. “And don’t dress up all fancy. It’s just a good ole joint were people are just people.”
Oh God, it sounds like a place where sawdust is on the floor.
Chapter 7
Bruce and Margo met in the parking lot of Jimbo’s Steakhouse. The place looked like a huge log cabin on the outside. The parking lot was full of cars, trucks, and SUVs.
As Bruce bragged about the food at Jimbo’s, Margo was thinking that she would have to wash her car tomorrow because the parking lot was more dirt than gravel. She was thankful that she took Bruce’s advice and dressed down for the occasion. This place wouldn’t appreciate Blahniks, diamond earrings, and a designer dress. She wore blue jeans and tennis shoes. Her white blouse was open and tied in a knot at the bottom. Her light blue tank top hugged her double- D breasts.
They walked through the door. She refrained from frowning at the loud country music that blasted from the ceiling speakers. Not only was there sawdust on the floor but nut shells as well.
Well, I’ll be damned, she thought with wide eyes.
Barmaids with tight, white T-shirts walked around with trays full of empty and full beer mugs.
“Hey, everybody!” Bruce yelled.
“What the hell?” she said with surprise.
Half the room turned around and greeted him by name.
“Hey, Joanie, how about a table?” Bruce yelled to a woman who was walking toward them.
“Hey, Bruce, pick your own seat. You’re not new here,” she said back with a smirk.
A few folks laughed.
Bruce looked at Margo. “I got the respect of every agent at the bureau, but not here,” he joked. “Come on, let’s see if we can get a booth.” He placed his hand on her shoulder and walked her into the vast country-western space.
They sat down in a small oval-shaped booth. It was rather cozy. A waitress with a jiggling bosom approached them with water glasses on a tray. “Hey, Bruce,” she cooed sweetly. “Who’s your friend?” She set down the water glasses.
“This is Margo. Margo, this is Rhonda.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said.
“And you,” Margo said.
“Do you two know what you want to drink?”
“Gin on the rocks,” Bruce said.
“Michelob,” Margo answered.
“Okay.” Rhonda pulled two menus from under her arm and placed them on the table. “I’ll be back in a sec.”
“The fried gator meat here is really good,” Bruce commented.
Margo smirked and shook her head. She figured she may as well enjoy this. She hadn’t had alligator since she first moved to Florida. She opened her menu. “What else do you recommend?”
“The steak, obviously,” he said with cheer. “The eight ounce is great. You’ll like that, but leave room for dessert. They have the best brownies here.”
The waitress came back with their drinks and took their food order.
Bruce sipped his gin. “Are you originally from Florida?”
“No.”
He cleared his throat. “Just no. Are you going to tell me where you’re from then?”
She shrugged. What could be the harm? She wasn’t going to see him again after tonight with the exception of occasionally passing when he visited Alec and Lana. “I was born in Seattle, but we moved to San Francisco when I was three. When I was seven, my mom and I moved to LA. What about you? I mean, I know some stories about when you were in college thanks to that one night you and Alec were at my house with Bobbi.”
“What else do you want to know?”
“Let’s start with . . . are you from Florida originally?”
“No, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I’m the fourth child out of five. And . . .” He trailed off as he glanced at the ceiling. “And I love good food, parties, and my job.”
“Nice bio,” she said.
“Uh huh, you think it’s rehearsed.”
“No, not at all. What you see is what you get with you . . . tonight anyway,” she teased.
“I thought you forgave me for the country club thing.”
“I did. I’m sorry. I was just . . .”
“Giving me a hard time,” he said with a crooked grin. “I get it. You still have your guard up.”
She tilted her head as she looked upon his handsome features. “Do you blame me?” she asked.
He smirked. “Not at all,” he replied and winked at her.
They continued chatting. Through it all, Bruce wasn’t that bad of a guy. He was a womanizer, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. God just gave him too much charisma and good looks for his own good.
The waitress brought their food. Bruce had ordered a T-Bone, a baked potato, and green beans. Margo ordered a mixed platter with fried alligator meat, broiled shrimp, and kale. The food was tasty, but she knew she would have to double up on her work out tomorrow from the fried food and beer she was drinking.
As they ate, Bruce talked more about his family.
“It’s nice that you had a family to grow up with. I was an only child. My father abandoned us in San Francisco when I was six. He left a note saying that he wasn’t coming back, and he didn’t. When we moved to LA, my mother had gotten a job on a movie set. She said that she would become a rich and successful actress so we wouldn’t have to struggle anymore.” She paused for a minute. “But she learned pretty quickly that the entertainment industry was harsh and . . . sick. And she learned the hard way. She got a couple of bit parts in big movies, but when she wouldn’t sleep with the head of the studio, everything stopped. She couldn’t even get hired for ‘the girl who dies in the opening credits’ roll. Then she had gotten depressed and turned to drugs . . . heroin. So much so we got put out of the apartment because Mom couldn’t pay the rent. Then she lost custody of me for about a year because there was some sort of Good Samaritan who reported that there was a woman with a child and she couldn’t take care of it,” she said with bitterness.
“But she did get you back, right?”
“Oh yes, she cleaned up enough and secured herself a job as a waitress to convince social services to give me back. She was clean until I turned fifteen, but then the diner she worked in closed. She fell back into a depression and got back on the needle. A year later, she was so sick I had to ta
ke her to the free clinic. That’s when we discovered she had contracted HIV.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, she hung on for a while after she was diagnosed. She died when I was twenty-three. We were both grateful that she lived long enough to see me graduate from college. She said that I was the first to go to college in the family. Luckily, I got a scholarship, but I still had to work part-time to pay my personal bills.”
“I’m sorry, Margo,” he said sincerely and seriously.
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I mean, I guess I’ve relived the story in my head so many times that it doesn’t . . . bother me like it used to. Those early years taught me a lot. It taught me strength, independence, and that in the end, I can only depend on myself — to not only survive, but thrive.”
Bruce was quiet for a moment as he stared at her. “Did you ever try to find your dad?”
She snickered with half scoff, half amusement. “I hired a PI three years ago to track him down. It took him six months, but he finally found him – in Alaska. He had become a bush pilot, gotten remarried, and had two other children. The PI said that he liked going to this old hole-in-the-wall restaurant every morning alone. One morning, I was there waiting on him. He was a little grayer around the temples, but other than that, he hadn’t changed much. I said hello to him and asked if he recognized me. He didn’t. Then I said I guess not since he hadn’t seen me since I was six.” She chuckled. “I’ve never seen a man go so pale. I told him that I wasn’t going to disrupt his new wonderful life. That mom was worse off without him, but him leaving me behind had been the best thing for me because it taught me how to live on my own. I turned and left the restaurant. I looked in my rearview mirror as I drove off. He was standing in front of the restaurant, watching me drive away. I never saw him again.”
“If you didn’t want him back in your life, then why did you . . . look for him?”
“To satisfy my curiosity. This food is good. I haven’t been in a place like this since I was twenty-five.” She threw that in there to change the subject. She didn’t want to drag the night down.
Love, Money, and Lies Page 3