Chapter 48
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
For the first time this weekend, Pete was actually worried about getting into trouble. As they followed the group into the house, he exchanged a concerned look with his brother, but he didn’t say a word. They always knew what the other one was thinking.
Both of them were wondering if it had been too good to be true.
Of all their crazy, mind-blowing genius schemes, this one had been a sure thing. The surest of sure things. Guaranteed to have a large payout. The best part of the whole plan was the way it had just dropped into their laps, like a gift from the heavens.
It had started out like any other day. They’d been working for the landscaper at the Broderick estate. The day the guy approached them, it was just the two of them. The statues had already been installed, and they were finishing up with the planting beds. Per usual, they took the opportunity to screw around since the boss wasn’t around. They didn’t feel bad about goofing off. Not in the least. He’d been nonstop on their cases since day one, so screw him. He didn’t own their time.
When the man from the big house came outside and called them over, they’d thought he was going to tell them off. Instead, he had a proposition. “You guys ever do side work for cash?” he’d asked.
The word cash got their attention. “Yes, sir,” Hunter said.
“As long as it’s legal, right?” The man grinned.
And Pete, always quick-witted, said, “Even if it’s not legal, as long as we don’t get caught.”
His remark was met with laughter. The man had clapped Pete on the back and said, “I think you’re going to like this one.” Turned out he was Ian Broderick, the snobby author’s brother. He led them into his office and showed them a drawer filled with money. A hundred thousand dollars’ worth. “This will all be yours, for a weekend’s work.”
That sure got their attention. He explained that his sister was writing a book about a kidnapping and wanted to experience it herself. For research. “We just need someone to carry it out. Are you gentlemen interested?”
They were.
Mr. Broderick gave them detailed instructions. He told them she’d be in the back of the bookstore about eleven a.m. on an upcoming Saturday morning. “Wait until you see her assistant leave the front of the store, then move quickly.” He showed them photos of her car and a picture of her assistant, Courtney. He also gave them a flask filled with water. “Put a few drops of this on a cloth and gently cover her mouth with it for just a few seconds before you lay her in the back seat of the car. She’ll play along like she’s been knocked out.”
“She’s okay with this?” Pete clarified.
“It’s her idea.” Mr. Broderick shrugged. “Crazy, right? This is how writers operate. She wants the full-on experience and doesn’t want to break character, so you’ll need to keep up the charade on your end.” He explained that he owned a motel already set up with everything they’d need and gave them key cards to both rooms. One was command central for them; the other was for Dana.
Pete liked the idea of having a control room, but he wanted to make sure it was on the up and up. “Aren’t even fake kidnappings against the law? We could get arrested, right?”
“No chance of that,” Mr. Broderick had smoothly replied. “Do people acting in movies get in trouble? No. This is exactly like that. Playacting.”
“Are you sure we can’t get nailed for this?” Pete said, nudging his brother with his toe.
“I promise you that this is going to be simple, easy, and one hundred percent legal. Just follow the directions and you’ll get the money.” He closed the drawer and locked it up. “Authors do this kind of thing all the time, but regular people never hear about it. It’s fairly standard in the industry.”
After Hunter and Pete had a short conversation between themselves, they agreed to do it and shook hands with Mr. Broderick, who gave them a printout with specific instructions. The deal was sealed—$100,000 for two days’ work. Sweet. Another thing that was sweet? Watching Nolan freak out. At one point, Pete thought he might pass out from fear.
For such a tall man, he was such a little girl.
They did make a change or two along the way. Putting her in the back seat was a bad idea because anyone driving by would see her lying there, and how would that look? The trunk seemed like a better option. Besides, wasn’t that how they did it in the movies? The twins also didn’t like the dude’s idea for the money drop-off. Meeting someone in a park to trade Dana for the cash lacked imagination. Their drone idea was much better. Plus, they just got this drone and were dying to use it for some kind of secret mission. This perfectly fit the bill. They’d added some accessories too. Ski masks and a burlap sack to cover her head. Gloves for them to make it authentic on their end. As it turned out, they’d tired of that one, but at least they gave it a good try.
Now, as they trudged to the house, it was clear from the appearance of the cops that this was not going as planned. Maybe they should have put her in the back seat after all, and would it have killed them to do the exchange in the park?
Regardless, they couldn’t go back and do it over. Dana had survived and was now safe and at home. She’d asked for the kidnapping experience, and they’d delivered. If anyone doubted their version of events, they could always pull out the instructions they’d gotten from Mr. Broderick.
And maybe, Pete mused, the cops were fake as well. Wouldn’t that be something? He grinned. Nolan wasn’t going to know what hit him.