“You think his store was really robbed?” somebody asked.

“Let’s hope so,” Merv said, and got a laugh. He slapped Al on the shoulder. “You handled that real well, Al.”

“Lunch is on Sean,” Al said. “Eat up.”

When they had finished, Al threw a hundred on the table for the waiter. “Just put the check on Mr. Finn’s tab,” he said to the owner as they left.

Chapter 47

Al walked into Vinny’s mom’s house and found Gene and Vinny counting and stacking bills on the living room coffee table. “How’d it go?” he asked.

“It went about a hundred and eighty grand in cash,” Ryan said, “and a lot of checks. You want to try to wholesale those to somebody?”

“Nah, too many people get to know things,” Al replied. “Burn them.”

“I say we give Vinny a third,” Ryan said. “The kid has earned it.”

“Okay,” Al said without hesitation. “Full partners. You cut it, I got to make a call.” He went into the dining room, out of earshot, and called Charlie at the number on the postcard.

“Hey, Al,” Charlie said, “it’s gotta be you—nobody else has the number.”

“I’m on a throwaway, too, Charlie, just so’s you know. How’s life treating you?”

“Sweet,” Charlie said. “I’ve got more work than I can handle. Why don’t you come down here for a few days and do some of the lifting. If you’re in touch with Gene Ryan, I can use him, too.”

“I’ve got Gene and one more very reliable guy, name of Vinny.”

“Okay, the three of you. Buy yourself a ticket to Lauderdale, and I’ll get you a nice place.”

“Better be nice. I’m bringing my girl, Gina.”

“Okay by me. We won’t be working all the time. Tell Ryan and Vinny they can bring one, too, or I can find them some company.”

“When?”

“Sunday?”

“Good for me. You want to give me some details I can pass along?”

“Not on the phone. Let’s just say there’ll be a minimum of fifty large for each of you, maybe more, depending.”

“Hang on a second, Charlie.” Al walked back into the living room. “How about this? We fly down to Lauderdale on Sunday, where a friend of mine, good guy, has a job for us. He puts us up, with girls, if you want, and we do a job that brings us fifty gees each, at least. And we have a few days in the sun. Okay?”

“Okay,” Vinny said without hesitation.

“Who’s the friend?” Ryan asked.

“Remember Charlie and Frank? They did special jobs for the old man.”

“Sure. We dealing with both?”

Al put the phone to his ear. “Is Frank in this, Charlie?”

“Nah, Frank is in Vegas, I hear, or maybe L.A. This is just me.”

“Just Charlie, Frank’s out West.”

“I’m in,” Ryan said.