Reggie crossed his arms over his chest, his bloody chin only making him more imposing. “I still say Adrian’s a liability. We should remove him.”
Chance shook his head. “No, he’s built roots in the area. We can’t risk the police being called in if he suddenly…disappears. We let him be…for now.” Chance really didn’t want any harm to come to Adrian. He’d only met him a few times, but he genuinely liked the man, and murder…wasn’t Chance’s style. His “partners” however, would be more than happy to permanently silence the thorn in their sides.
Reggie grunted in clear disapproval and Garrett slapped a hand across his chest. “Adrian’s not our current problem…he’s too chicken shit to do anything anyway.” Bringing his attention back to Chance, Garrett said, “Our problem is the girl…it all hinges on her.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Makayla Lewis gonna be a problem for you, Chance?”
Chance glared at Garrett. Ignoring the light, fluttery feeling that just hearing her name gave him, he bit out, “No, she’s no problem at all. I’ll have her wrapped around my finger in no time.” A rosy feeling blossomed in his chest and Chance swallowed, pushing it back. Don’t ever fall for the mark…
Garrett tilted his head, seemingly having noticed Chance’s rough swallow. “The girl’s a mean to an ends, Chance…don’t forget that.”
“I’m not Adrian, Garrett.”
Garret smiled. “Hey, I’m not doubting you…remember.” His smile faded. “I just want to avoid another…delay.” He crossed his arms over his chest, similar to Reggie’s, and strummed his fingers on his arm. “I don’t have the best patience, and we’ve put this job off long enough.”
Chance put his hands on his hips and glanced between the two men. “There won’t be. I’ve got this. Once I get her to trust me…she’ll be putty in my hands.”
Garrett pushed himself away from the counter, frowning. “And that’s the problem I keep thinking about. You started the con by letting her see that you’re a criminal…was that really the best plan?”
Chance smiled and followed Garrett with his eyes. “It’s the perfect plan…and that’s why you don’t see it.” Garrett narrowed his eyes, not liking the insinuation that he was less intelligent than Chance.
Chance ignored his look and walked over to a stack of playing cards on the table. Picking them up, he started to shuffle through them. “Makayla is no ordinary girl…I knew that the minute I tested her. She’s closed herself off from men, hides herself behind the safety of her best friend. Fluffy pickup lines would have gotten me nowhere…not in the timeframe you had in mind. I needed an in…a fast in. I needed her attention, and believe me, I’ve got it.”
Chance’s heart started beating a little faster just talking about Makayla. He pictured her beautiful blue eyes, the constant smirk on her lips. Biting back the burgeoning feelings in his chest, he kept any amount of emotion from his face or his voice. These guys could never know what he was struggling with. It’d be the end of him…and Makayla…Chance was sure. Garrett wasn’t lying about his patience being gone.
Rifling through the cards, Chance picked out the Queen of hearts. “Regular men don’t seem to interest Makayla too much, so I gave her someone she couldn’t help but be fascinated by.” Examining the stiff-lipped woman on the card before him, Chance smiled. “And what woman doesn’t want to try and save a man from his own inner demons?” Chance wondered for a moment if Makayla could save him, if salvation was even possible for him anymore.
Twisting the card in his hands, he looked up at Garrett and Reggie, both of them watching him, transfixed. “I’ve laid the bait for her. All I have to do is sit back and watch her take it.” He crumpled the card in his hand, ignoring the ache in his heart as he did. “Then she’s mine, and we can take what we want. What we deserve.” He tossed the card to the ground, a shard of his heart falling to the ground with it. “Then we’ll leave this godforsaken town…forever.”
Garrett smirked. “You’re a twisted one, Chance.”
Chance tossed the rest of the cards to the table and hardened his face. No emotion…not with these guys. “No…I’m the best. That’s why you called me in when Adrian bailed.” Turning his back on the men, Chance muttered, “Now, don’t ever doubt me again.”
Garrett held up his hands. “Hey, I never did.”
He gave Chance a sly smile, though it was one that clearly indicated that he did have doubts about Chance’s plan. But Garrett knew Chance was good, they’d worked together before. With Chance’s help, Garrett and Reggie had pulled a successful switch on a fifty thousand dollar ruby…the owner still had no idea that hers was now a fake. Chance had romanced the real one right out from under her.
Chance had sworn then that that was the last time he’d work with Garrett, and it would have been if he’d been in a different mindset when Garrett had called. As it was, he’d agreed and now he had to put up with the impetuous man that had no patience for the subtle art of a good con. No, Garrett always grew tired of the ploy and wanted to go in guns blazing. While he was being exceedingly tolerant so far with this job, Chance knew that the man would really just rather walk into the bank with guns and ski masks and demand everything he felt entitled to. Chance was hoping to avoid that situation. People got hurt in holdups…and Chance really did hate guns.
Chance had a better plan to get what they wanted from the bank. A plan that Adrian had initially come up with, a plan that Chance had highly approved of once he’d heard it. An inside job with only one bank employee involved. The less people involved in this heist the better. A lobby full of innocent bystanders was too great a risk for Chance. Besides, those types of robberies all seemed to end the same way—someone getting killed, usually the robber—and Chance had no plans to die yet. Even though, he probably deserved to.
The problem in a con like this was which employee? Adrian had originally scouted Neil as the intended victim. Garrett and Reggie had nearly walked into the bank with semi-automatics after Adrian had walked away, after Adrian had foolishly fallen in love with his mark. But happenstance had led them to Chance, and Chance had decided to have a go at Adrian’s plan—but with Makayla. The girl was tough, the girl was smart, the girl was…beautiful…and the girl was lonely. She was the perfect mark. But, as Chance was soon discovering, the girl had an honest streak a mile wide. It was the reason the lazy bank manager had entrusted her with access to the bank, a huge bonus, but it did complicate the con. He’d have to find a creative way to sway her to his side of things. Good thing he had several options in his repertoire.
Walking over to pick up the cards on the table, Garrett frowned at Chance. “I know you told me this before, but why don’t we just use the bank manager? “ He held up the Joker card and made a gun shape with his finger. “We trail him to his place, put a gun to his head, and make him take us there after closing. Perfect.”
Chance sighed and snatched the card away from him. “Because, that involves kidnapping and hostage taking, two complications that would be best to avoid if at all possible.” Glancing at the Joker card, Chance frowned. “Besides, we need the bank manager to take the fall…” He looked up at Garrett. “It’s the only way we aren’t implicated in the theft. It’s the only way to get an employee to willingly help us.”
There were several things that needed to happen for the trio of thieves to get away like ghosts—completely unnoticed. They needed an employee to get them in, they needed to disable the security—no problem for Chance—and they needed someone to set up. Chance was still learning the ins and outs of Makayla’s psyche, to see which one of his various schemes would work the best on her, but setting up the manager was going to be a part of all of them.
Chance had successfully done this con before, a few times actually, and he had a go-to scheme that hadn’t let him down yet. Chance wasn’t sure if the plan would work for Makayla, since she seemed a little rigid on the morality scale—he couldn’t even get her to dine and dash—and the con required her to be a little…loose… but Garrett and
Reggie needed something to do while he figured her out, so Chance had gotten them started on a plan that he may or may not use, just to keep them out of his hair.
Tossing the card to the table, he put his hands on his hips. “We make Makayla believe that the manager’s dirty…dangerous-dirty…obscene-dirty. Then we get her help in setting him up to take the blame for the theft. We make her believe that putting him behind bars is a fair trade-off for helping us with a robbery.”
Chance shrugged and smiled. “We get Makayla to think she’s doing her civic duty by making the manager the patsy. It’s the perfect plan.” Chance wasn’t actually sure it was the perfect plan in this situation, but it would take the thugs a few days and he could use that free time to his advantage. For their sake, he frowned. “If you can be patient enough.”
Garrett sniffed, offended. “I called you in, didn’t I?”
Chance smirked, but said nothing on his recruitment. Glancing between the two criminals before him, he asked, “And how is your part in all of this going? You have what we need?”
Reggie nodded. “Yeah, we’re almost there with the…uh, evidence.” He sneered, then wiped the blood from his chin. “That manager is one sick puppy…at least, he will be when we’re done with him.”
Chance nodded, his face grim. He didn’t let himself feel guilt or remorse. He couldn’t, not in his line of work. Setting people up was just part of the process, part of the con. And if it helped keep Makayla safe and out of trouble, then Chance would gladly ruin another man’s life.
“Good. I doubt I’ll need much longer to win over Makayla’s trust, and once I’ve got it, I’ll need those photos.”
Reggie nodded and Garrett smirked. “Funny, you’re the last one brought in and yet, you get to bang the girl while I’m stuck with…this.” He jerked his thumb back at Reggie leaning against the counter. Reggie frowned.
Chance’s stomach did a strange sort of tumble at the thought of being with Makayla like that. They’d been close, closer than he’d expected to get so soon, but having her give herself completely over…it lifted his spirit. He frowned. No, he couldn’t let himself think in flowery, romantic terms. Sex was a weapon in his line of work, nothing more. Sex almost always brought trust along with it, and that was what Chance needed from Makayla—trust. Not…anything else.
Shaking his head, he made himself relax. Rolling his eyes at Garrett, he gave him a nonchalant response. “We all posses certain skills, Garrett.” He glanced down at Garrett’s jeans. “Yours just don’t happen to be in the same…area…as mine.”
Chance made himself give Reggie a knowing smile and nod. He hated that he sounded like such a jackass, but it was what these guys expected. Makayla was a piece of tail to them, nothing more. One more reason for Chance to keep them as far from her as possible.
Reggie chuckled at Chance’s innuendo while Garrett frowned. “Yeah, well, you better work your way into her pants soon…I’m ready for my payday.”
Chance gave him a sly smile. “Not a problem.” A sharp pain wrapped around his chest, but Chance ignored it.
Garrett moved to smack him in the stomach. Chance saw the hit coming and grabbed his arm before he made contact. He’d told them he wouldn’t be caught off guard again…he’d meant it. Garrett smirked again. “I’m glad we had this chance to catch up…Chance. We’ll keep in touch.”
Reggie rubbed his nose, remembering the gift that Chance had given him today. Frowning, he pointed at Chance. “I’ll get you next time.”
Chance only grinned as he watched the big man open his back door. No…he wouldn’t. Chance was not going to let anymore distractions cloud his judgment or his job. And as pleasant as Makayla’s company was, as warm and inviting as her body was, as playful and sarcastic as her personality was, as much as the thought of sleeping with her excited him, and…as much as he wished they could have a future together…she was nothing but a job. And Chance was very good at his job.
After the two left, Chance slumped against his counter and sighed. Reggie had actually scared the crap out of him when he’d grabbed him earlier, but showing weakness around nefarious people was never an option. He had to be tough, hard, it was the only way. His dad had taught him that, too. But it took its toll on Chance. He’d never thought about quitting before, but after certain…events…he’d begun to seriously consider it. But the months he’d tried living a normal, regular life hadn’t been easy. A part of Chance had craved the life of deception. The thefts, the mental stimulation, even the acting…it called to him, sucked him in, made him answer Garrett’s phone call when he could have just let it ring.
Chance had been mostly honest with Makayla when he’d told her that he couldn’t always control himself. The thrill, the rush…it was hard to pass up. Sighing again, Chance ran a hand down his face. He’d tried to live a decent, honest life, but it hadn’t given him the satisfaction he’d thought it would. Sadly, Chance wasn’t sure if he could quit, even though he sort of wanted to. But a small part of him still wanted to try finding happiness the hard-working, old-fashioned way.
Chance hadn’t asked to be this man he was now, and he certainly hadn’t been given the choice about who he was, what he was. But that was neither here nor there. Chance was involved now, and so he’d spout half-truths wrapped in lies, conform them around his body like an impenetrable armor, and pray that Makayla wouldn’t find a chink in it…
Gathering himself, Chance prepared for his excitement for the day…his job. Trudging upstairs, Chance changed into his uniform. Adjusting the crisp, dark fabric, Chance took a long, hard look at himself. With an easygoing smile and warm, brown eyes, the kind of eyes that nearly compelled others to believe him and trust in him, Chance looked like he’d be right at home living a modest, proper lifestyle in Small Town, U.S.A. That was intentional. His carefree smile and “trust me” eyes were carefully constructed decoys. Even his clothes, his car, his haircut…everything about him was designed to put people at ease. Because, when people were at ease, they were easier to manipulate.
Grabbing his belt, Chance made the final adjustments on his outfit. Frowning, he thought he looked like a rent-a-cop that you saw walking the malls. Although, those security guards had guns. Chance had a tazer strapped to his belt. But that worked for him. Messing around with guns only got you killed, especially in his line of work. His real work anyway.
Putting his jacket on, Chance double-checked all the points of entry in his home before leaving it. It was another old habit he’d clung to, but one that had served him well. Retaliation was an unfortunate part of his lifestyle. Sometimes the people he conned had irritable family members. Chance had gotten lucky with a few nick-of-time escapes in his life. He tried to avoid doing cons in the same place, just to avoid those near-miss incidents, but sometimes it couldn’t be helped. Caution was always prudent.
Twenty minutes later he was pulling into his place of employment, a building harboring multiple office suites, directly across from Makayla’s bank. It was why he’d chosen this career for this go-round. Keeping a watchful eye on the people entering and exiting his building gave Chance a watchful eye on the people entering and exiting the bank. He’d quickly noticed patterns, influxes in traffic. He was getting a good feel for when the bank was busiest, when the bank was almost completely empty, who left early, who stayed late, and who locked up at night. These things helped the plan…any information helped the plan.
It also gave Chance an opportunity to watch Makayla. Not that he could see her inside the bank, but he’d watch her leave, he’d watch her come back. He knew the days that she hightailed it out of there when she had somewhere to be, most likely the gym, since she was trying to work off the curves he found so appealing. He also knew the days when she lounged around afterward, sometimes chatting with coworkers in the doorway, where he could just make her out. Yes, in all honesty, being as close to Makayla as he was, was one of the only perks of Chance’s pseudo-job.
Checking himself into work, Chance threw on his pra
cticed smile and greeted the people who would be near him for the next several hours. “Afternoon, Thomas…Joseph.”
Thomas, the older, graying man who’d been doing this job for an impossibly long time—something that blew Chance’s mind since he never stayed much longer than a year or two in any given “career”—waved at Chance as he sat down at the security desk in the lobby. Joseph, the younger, eager-to-please guard, was doing a perimeter sweep around the room…even though it was empty. Since Thomas was off work in a couple of hours, Chance’s evening would be spent with Joseph. That complicated things a little, since the man was fastidious with his job, but it made some things easy. Distracting the youth with “errands” on the floors above was a simple enough deterrent. The young man questioned nothing his superior’s told him.
Leaning back in the seat beside Thomas, Chance kept one eye on the bank’s door outside, and one eye on the youthful security guard strutting back and forth across the commercial grade carpet. Thomas yawned and looked over at him. “Slow day today…your evening should be just as uneventful. You might get through a book…or two.”
Second Rate Chances Page 12