“Maurice has a plan, but we need you to come with a laptop.”

“Maurice has a plan?” Janae repeated. “Well, sit down, because this gets worse.”

“How?”

“Granny and Mom called in a panic. They know the money’s gone.”

“Oh no.” Liza’s heart drummed in her throat. “We have to find them. I’m gonna kill him, then turn around and kill her.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Can you meet us at Teterboro Airport in Jersey?”

“Liza, that’s a private hangar. How am I supposed to get in? Wait, how are you there?”

“We . . . may have taken a private jet,” Liza hedged.

“I am so confused right now.”

“Just get here, Janae, and I’ll fill you in.”

Half an hour later, Janae stepped into the jet. She snatched off her sunglasses and looked around the luxurious appointments.

“Liza, holy shit, how did you score this ride to New Jersey?” Either New York had already started affecting her or Janae came dressed for a caper in a black fitted jumpsuit.

“Dorsey F. and his sister bending over backward for her,” Maurice said. He rolled grapes like dice in his hands and popped them into his mouth.

Janae surveyed her sister. Liza knew what she was looking for—all the little things that women, and especially sisters, see. She watched her sister piece it together. Her mascara was ruined. Her weave ponytail was askew. She was in a man’s shirt and fine linen pants Janae had never seen. But Janae gracefully kept silent.

“What’s the plan, little brother?” Janae asked, getting down to business.

“Okay, Liza’s going to find out where they are. Then I’ll go meet up with Isaiah and finagle myself into the room and tell him I heard Deya’s going to double her money and I want in. They usually have these types of things separated by gender, so I’m probably the only one who could get in and get close to WIC.” Maurice paused to swig red wine from the bottle, then continued. “Janae, I need you to fabricate a wire transfer. Hold some money there in his account for no more than fifteen minutes, then snatch Mom and Granny’s money while you’re in there.”

“Ah, a Trojan horse scam. That’s pretty sophisticated, but I think I can pull it off. Make sure he gives you all of his financial info. Tell him you can only wire it securely with all of his information.”

“What if he doesn’t fall for this? How would Maurice get that kind of money to wire to him?” Liza asked, trying not to panic.