“What’s so funny?” He leaned over and kissed her. “That’s a wonderful thing to wake up to, but from the look on your face, I’d say you’re trying very hard not to tell me something. Why is that? I have never hit you. Tempted at times, really, but I’ve refrained. Just tell me.”
“Richardson’s maker decided to turn over the money to Bancroft because he is the kiss leader.” She nodded but didn’t sit up just yet. “Yes, well, after he divided the money up the way he should have— By the way, did Kelly tell you that two of the wives had been sold to Richardson? That’s the most horrid thing I’ve—”
“Stanley Remy, you’re stalling.” He grinned. “You’re making me very nervous. Just tell me what sort of damage I am going to have to do to Bancroft for giving me the amount that is going to piss me off.”
“You’re going to murder him, I think.” He handed her the envelope. “I have one as well. Not nearly as much as there is in that one. Cash is the way we usually dish out money like this. It makes it so we can spend it without having to explain how we got it.”
“You’re babbling again.” She opened the top flap of the envelope and then closed it. “There is a lot of money in here. Even if it were all ones, which I’m assuming it’s not, that’s a great deal of money.”
“It’s all hundreds and fifties. Yes, it’s a great deal of money. As I said, I have one too, as Richardson tried to blame me for making baby vamps and not caring for them.” She dumped the envelope on the bed after sitting up. “I like the way it’s all bundled up. It makes it easier to know just how much is there. Did you count it?”
“There are two hundred bundles of one hundred dollar bills here, Remy. That’s two million dollars. There are—” She counted his hundred bundles. “Remy, there is over three million dollars here. We can’t take that. What about the other families?”
“They were all paid too. A million each. Other than the two families where the husbands sold them, and the family of the woman who only had her father left. He killed himself rather than face the world without her.” She glared harder. “Plus scholarships have been set up to help the victims and others. That makes it easier to explain to someone that a victim’s fund is where the money came from.”
“I don’t want this.” He pulled the other three envelopes out from under his pillow. “If that’s more money, I’m not going to be happy. I mean, I love having money, but not at the expense of someone being killed for it.”
“It’s not cash, no. However, I am to point out to you that you ended a reign of terror that might well have gone on for a lot longer. You killing Richardson saved a great many lives.” She told him he was full of shit. “No, listen. He was a vampire, the same as us. He could have, and more than likely would have, kept doing what he was doing for who knows how long. There wasn’t much that could have gotten around him. To kill him, I mean. His maker, Robert, said that you saved him face. Also made a name for yourself in the world of vampires. I’m not sure what that means—I forgot to ask—but people will know better than to fuck with me because I have you in my corner.”
“Very funny.” He didn’t tell her he was serious. Letting her think that he was pulling her leg might save him from being hurt too. “What the hell am I supposed to do with this much money, Remy?”
He pushed the other three gifts closer to her. When she opened the first one, he watched her face as she read the letter that had been handwritten by Robert. He’d had one as well. A long thank you for doing a job that he should have figured out a while back.
“Robert says here that he has taken care of the other victims, the ones that had been killed before I helped him. There were thirty more murders on this guy’s list.” Remy saw a small tear roll down her cheek. “He also says that he’s indebted to me, and will be so long as he lives. That having a small kiss, as he does, doesn’t excuse him from not paying attention to what was going on inside of it.” She looked at him. “What would him being indebted to me mean?”
“Usually, it means that you can count on him to be at your side, with his kiss, should you need an army. Also, if you need a favor. Most people don’t bother with asking a vampire for a favor, as you can well understand.” She nodded and folded the letter up before putting it back in the envelope. The second one was filled with deeds. “I got one deed to a place out west. It’s about seven hundred acres, I guess—more land than I have any idea what to do with at the moment. I used to be a cowhand. I have no idea why I thought that would be a good job. It’s hot and smelly. Anyway, I have that.”
“These are homes, all of them—homes all over the world.” She looked at him with such a sad expression. “I do hope that no one that owned these homes before him was killed so he could own them.”
“They weren’t. I had a feeling something like that would bother you. It would me as well. But no. He purchased the houses with money and has had them updated every ten years or so. One of them is on the list of historical buildings. He’s owned them that long.” She was laying them out, telling him the places they could visit to decide on what to do with them. “What a wonderful idea. This will make a great honeymoon getaway as well.”
The third envelope was open, and in it was a key. He had no idea what it was about, but the card that was with it said it would open a safety deposit box at a local bank. Lizzy asked him if he knew what was inside it.
“No. I didn’t know there was a key to anything. The keys to the homes we own are in separate envelopes with the addresses on them. Also, a list of taxes that are paid yearly by Robert. I tried to talk him out of it, but he’d not have it.” He looked at the handwriting on the card. “I don’t know this writing. I’d say it’s not Robert’s. It doesn’t look like his.”
“I can check on that for you.” Hal sat down on his knee as Remy picked up the deeds. “It would be easy for me to slip in and see what’s in the box if you would like. To be honest with you, my lady, I’m getting in trouble at home from the other faeries for not having much to do.”
“I’m sorry about that, Hal. I’ll have lots for you to do soon. You tell the others that for me.” He said he would and thanked Lizzy. “I know what I’m going to do with some of the money. With your help, Hal, I’d like to have a forever garden planted. I’ve seen them before, and I can’t think of anything better to give you than all the flowers you want. You saved me too, you know. Had you not come to me when you did, there is no telling where I’d be now.”
“You’d have been all right, my lady. All right, indeed.” Lizzy told him that he would be welcome to come with them to the bank. “I’d like that. I can spot trouble with the box if there is something in it. Not that I think there will be. Lord Robert, he’s a good man. I’ve seen him taking care of his people well. I don’t know how that bad one slipped by him. He must have been having a bad day.”
It had happened over a decade for Richardson. It would have been a bad time for a lot of people all the way around, Remy thought. But he didn’t say anything to Hal. Remy liked Robert. He didn’t know him well, but he was a nice enough person.
After getting dressed in warmer clothing, the three of them set off for the bank that was on the card. He and Lizzy were trying to think about what might be inside the box. However, after a few minutes, they were starting to be silly. Laughing as he entered the bank, he knew immediately that something was wrong.
“Hal, go tell Bancroft there is a robbery at the bank.” Hal flew away just as the two men wearing masks told them to come in and shut up. “This is a bad idea, guys. You know you’re not going to live long enough to spend what little you get out of here.”
“Oh, and what do you know about this?” Remy sat where he was told, but Lizzy didn’t want to sit on the floor. The man he’d spoken to first lifted his gun back as if he was going to hit her.
“I have had a really good morning so far, and you’re not going to fuck it up for me. You even move that gun in my direction, an
d you’ll never see me killing you.” The man laughed, turning to his partner to see if he thought it was funny too. “You won’t think it’s so funny if I remove your head, and you have to stare at your body until it falls to the ground.”
“Honey, it doesn’t work that way. People think it does, but in my experience with removing heads, both parts are just dead.” The man with the gun watched he and Lizzy as they talked about whether or not a person could see his body after losing his head. “Of course, I’ve never had a firsthand experience at having my head removed, and they’re in no shape to answer that age-old question, so it might well happen.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you two? Can’t you see that we’re robbing this place, and we have guns?” Lizzy told him to not be rude and interrupt someone when they were talking. “Excuse me? I’m in charge here.”
“Because you have a gun?” The robber looked at the gun as if he was making sure that he really had one, then nodded at Lizzy. “That only makes you armed, not in charge. If you were even remotely in charge, I’d be doing just what you told me to do. Do I look like I’m afraid of not sitting when you told me to? No, I’m not. Now hush while I talk to my husband.”
“What’s wrong with her?” The man looked at Remy, then back at Lizzy as he continued. “Doesn’t she know I’m going to kill her if she doesn’t cooperate?”
“I’d say that should you even try to make her cooperate with this travesty you’re doing, then you’re much dumber than I first thought.” He asked him if his wife always wore the pants in their family. “We take turns. It’s her turn to knock a bad guy on his ass. Tomorrow is mine. You’re just lucky it’s her turn today. I would have killed you right off the bat.”
“You two are nuts. Has anyone ever told you that before?” Lizzy told him they were the smart ones, as they weren’t trying to rob a bank. “I am robbing this bank. I’m going to get into the safe too. The two of you are going to get us out of here by being our shields.”
The man thought that was funny too. Turning to the other man, he told him to pick up his gun. When he shook his head, his partner asked him what the hell was wrong with him.
“You might not have noticed it, but us getting out of here in one piece has flown out the window. Look outside, Bret. There are about fifty cops out there, and they don’t look none too pleased that we’re in here.” He told him not to say his name. The man looked at Lizzy as he continued. “I think it’s a little late for that to be a secret. My name is Jefferson Aims. That there is my brother, Bret Aims. I’m giving up my gun. I don’t want to die. I have a wife and two little babies at home, and even if I go to prison, there’s a chance I can see them grow up.”
“Smart man.” Lizzy turned to Bret. “You have a chance of getting out of here with only prison time too. Put your gun down, and I’ll make sure to let the police know you were cooperating with us.”
“Do I look like I was born yesterday, lady? If you think that’s all it’s going to take for me to get out of here now, then you’re stupider than my brother is. We’re robbing this bank, and then I’m going to murder you.” Lizzy just stared at Bret. Remy didn’t know what her expression was, but whatever it was, Bret backed away from her. “You’re not going to get close enough to hurt me, lady. I’ll shoot you before you do.”
“Are you sure about that?” She took a step toward Bret, and Remy stood. He pointed to the front door that was currently out of view of Bret and helped the other hostages escape. He heard from Bancroft as soon as the last person exited the building.
You seem to have this under control. How many are in there? Remy told Bancroft what was going on. Your mate is nuts. Why is she playing with this man if he is so sure he’s going to rob the bank?
I think she’s trying to convince him to give himself up. I’m sending out his brother next. Don’t let him be killed, Bancroft. He has a wife and two children that he wants to see grow up. He gave up his gun, which I have when he realized this wasn’t going to work. Bancroft said he’d still see jail time. I’m aware of that, and so is he. He will still get to see them, he said, and wouldn’t if he was dead. Smart man there.
Lizzy had backed Bret against the wall, and he wasn’t happy about it. Bret was still threatening her, but he no longer held his weapon up like he was going to kill her. Not that he could, but he didn’t know that.
“Your brother is safe.” Bret looked around and realized there wasn’t anyone in the bank but the three of them. “Put the gun down, and we’ll walk out of here without a shot being fired.”
“They’re going to send me back.” Lizzy told him that was what happened to idiots. “I’m not an idiot. I’m a man that needs money. I wouldn’t be robbing this place at all if I had a job and some way to feed my family. You look rich. I bet you’ve never gone hungry because you thought feeding your kids was more important than you eating.”
“You’d be wrong.” He snorted at her. “I tell you what, Bret. You give up your gun and go out peacefully, and I’ll personally see that your family is taken care of until you get out. Then I’ll hire the two of you to work at one of my businesses.”
“Why should I believe you?” Lizzy told him he really had no choice in the matter. “You’re saying that even though I threatened to kill you and that husband of yours, you’ll give me a job? Lady, I’m a man who has had few choices in this world. If you’re fucking with me, I’m going to haunt you for the rest of your life.”
“Put the gun down, Bret.” He did, laying it on the floor then kicking it toward him. Remy picked the gun up and laid it with the one that Jefferson left behind. Lizzy put out her hand. “We’ll shake on the job and that I’ll take care of your families. You have my word that I will do just what I’m telling you I’ll do.”
Remy hoped the man would take her hand. When he finally did, he burst into tears as he dropped to his knees. Remy had never been without funds. Never been in a situation that would make him choose death to keep his family safe.
When the police came in, they took care to make sure that Bret wasn’t harmed. He supposed that had a great deal to do with Lizzy ordering them around. When he was cuffed and read his rights, Lizzy asked him for his address.
“Please. Please help them.”
Lizzy promised she would as the man was taken away. Whatever she wanted to do for the family, Remy would be right there with her, making sure the family was more than happy with their new arrangements.
~*~
Shifting through the paperwork concerning the money she’d been given, Lizzy kept coming back to the Aims families. While they’d been at the house Bret’s family was living in, she saw things that rammed home the reason the man had gone to great lengths to make sure his family was taken care of. It broke her heart to see that his children were suffering as much as their parents had been.
She had to make sure there wasn’t another incident like this one, where a person’s only choice was to rob a bank or to do something equally dangerous to make sure there was enough money for food to put on the table. Getting up, she made her way to the kitchen to get a drink, and for the first time since she’d been changed, she reached out to a person. Kelly would help her. She hoped so, at least.
I was just thinking about you. Grandma Dalton is here with me. Want to have an early lunch with us? Lizzy told her she’d love to join the two of them. She also mentioned that she had a project she wanted to talk to her about. Sure. We’ve been working all morning on some projects Grandma Dalton has going now. This will fit right in with what we’re doing now.
Driving to the restaurant they’d agreed on, she was happy to have someone to talk to. Not only that, but it was easier to get things finished when they were all willing to help. Lizzy didn’t know how the other two women were going to like her idea, but she thought if anyone would tell her it was a bad one, it would be these two.
They pulled up just as Lizzy was getting out of the car. They
didn’t talk about business at first, which didn’t upset her as much as she thought it should have. Lizzy was a person who got down to business and then moved on to something else. However, she knew that rushing these people would get her nowhere, so she sort of went with the flow. It wasn’t until dessert was declined that they pulled out notebooks and began working. They let her tell them what she was thinking about.
“For the most part, people that go into prison leave behind a family. Not all, I know, but the ones thinking that robbing a bank is the only way to get food on the table. I think we need to figure out a way to make them productive parts of society, so that isn’t a last resort for them. I don’t mean every one of them, but a few.” Gwyneth asked if she meant the Aims boys. “Yes. I guess they would be the ones I’d like to start with. I visited their families after they were taken to jail, and it was worse than I could have imagined. It’s no wonder they thought that was all they could do. Their landlord had raised their rent again, and there was barely enough money for rent and food. Bret is an ex-con, so he couldn’t get a job at all. I want to do something so, I guess, these people don’t resort to violence when they think all hope is gone.”
“The food pantry could help them some.” Lizzy explained to Kelly that in order to get the food, they had to have a car. “Oh, I guess I never thought of how they got there. That’s a great point. So do you have any ideas to make it easier for them? I’m all in for helping anyone that is willing to help themselves.”
“My point exactly. I have an idea that we can put them to work on some projects around town that will generate an income for whoever can work. Getting to and from work would be the first thing we’d have to insure them. That is where we’ll need to begin.” She told them she was going to see the judge for the Aims boys. “I think I can sponsor them in some way that they can work off their jail time while providing for their family at the same time.”
Stanley: Dalton’s Kiss Book 2 (Dalton's Kiss) Page 8