Chapter 34
With Brandi in handcuffs, I stuffed her into the back of Shane’s Thundercat and climbed in with her. She gave Shane directions to the storage unit, and we hurried across town.
Jack followed in the Porsche.
"Are you sure you guys are cops?" she said, growing nervous.
"I'm sure," I replied.
We were in an unmarked car. This wasn’t typical protocol.
"So, if I give you the money back and help you bust T-bone and Rodney, you think I’ll be able to walk without jail time?”
"That's up to the state’s attorney and the judge. But keep cooperating, and that will go a long way.”
Brandi frowned. "I can't go to jail. I'm not cut out for that kind of thing.
I don't belong with those people. I'm not violent.
My whole life is about showing people a good time," she said in a slinky, sultry voice.
She batted her eyelashes at me and breathed, "I can show you a good time.
Maybe we can forget all about this. I'll take you to the money, you can take half. Nobody has to know anything.”
"We're going to take it all," Shane said, glaring at her in the rear view.
Brandi scowled at him. "See, I knew this was bullshit. Y'all are dirty cops. There ain't a clean cop in this city!"
Pineapple Bay had a reputation for being corrupt.
"We’re going to recover stolen merchandise," I said. "Then you're going to jail, where you'll be processed and held until your arraignment.”
Brandi pouted.
"Who else have you told about the money?"
"Nobody. I ain't stupid. I sure as fuck didn’t tell Rodney."
I gave her an incredulous look.
"Well, Tabitha knows. But she is a vault. She's like my sister."
"Does she work for Rodney?”
"I told you, we don't work for Rodney. Rodney works for us. He handles deadbeats and people who get rough.”
"What kind of fee does he take for that?”
"Too much.”
"Anybody else?"
"I called my mother. I told her I was going to buy her a house and a new car.” She frowned. “Man, is she going to be disappointed.”
"What about the jewel?”
Her brow wrinkled. "What jewel?”
I hoped it was with the money. Probably stuffed into one of the bags. Brandi probably didn't have time to go through all the loot.
"It's up there on the right," she said, pointing to the self-storage unit.
Shane pulled into the parking lot, and Jack followed in the Porsche. We found a place to park, hopped out, and escorted Brandi to the main entrance. She told me the code to get into the climate-controlled building.
I punched in the numbers and kept my head on a swivel. Shane grabbed the door when it unlocked. We hurried inside and took the elevator up to the fourth floor, as per Brandi's instructions.
The door slid open, and we stepped out. The corridors all looked the same—orange rollup doors, padlocked shut. Green fluorescents overhead buzzed.
Brandi directed us through the maze of passageways to her storage unit. "I keep this in case I need to bug out. You never know when things are going to go south."
"Where are the keys?" I asked.
"In my purse."
I dug in her black clutch, rummaging through it, and found her keys. She pointed out the one that fit the padlock.
I opened the lock and rolled up the door to reveal a 10-by-10 space that was decked out like a small apartment.
It had a foldout couch, a few boxes, a rack of clothes, and a dresser.
A throw rug at the center of the space added warmth to the vibe.
On top of the throw rug were four black duffel bags.
If need be, you could spend the night in a place like this, though it was against the rules. There was 24-hour access to the building and a bathroom by the elevators. An extension cord from a nearby outlet and you’d have all the conveniences of home—as long as management didn't catch you.
Shane moved to the duffel bags and unzipped them. A grin pulled his lips. I'm sure Brandi had spent a little bit of the money, but most of it was there.
The elevator dinged down the hall, and the door slid open. Footsteps shuffled out.
I drew my pistol and handed Brandi over to Jack. He held onto her arm and kept her from taking off.
I peered down the hall.
A guy rounded the corner with a pissed-off look on his face. He glared at me, marching toward me with a purpose.
Brandi leaned her head out from the storage compartment and peered down the hallway. "Oh shit,” she grumbled to herself, then grew a set. "Fuck off, Rodney!”