They circled the building to see the surrounding residential streets, and finished their tour in the food store’s parking lot. Pike noted the proximity to entrance and exit ramps for both the San Diego and Ventura Freeways. The location had been chosen so customers could be given easy directions. The prostitutes who worked here saw customers who came to them, and were known as in-call girls. Safer for the girls, and with a lower overhead for Darko. Out-call girls needed drivers and bodyguards.

Pike said, “How many stops does he make before here?”

“Three. Darko has buildings in Glendale, Valley Village, and this one. This was always the last stop.”

“So he should be carrying the full day’s take.”

“Should be. If this is still the last stop.”

Pike was going to steal the money. That was the plan. He was going to steal Darko’s money, and leave the pickup man so scared he would run straight to his bosses. Then Pike would take whatever his bosses had, too.

Pike said, “I’ve seen enough. Let’s go.”

They would need Rina to identify the bag man, so Pike picked her up a little while later. He had brought them to an empty guesthouse a few blocks south of the Sunset Strip the night before. It was small, but nice, with a lovely courtyard and neighbors who wouldn’t pry. Pike had used it before.

Rina was waiting on the street when he arrived. Yanni’s truck was parked at the curb.

She said, “Yanni want to come.”

Pike looked past her, and saw Yanni in the courtyard.

“No Yanni. Forget it.”

She barked something in Serbian, and Yanni gave Pike the finger.

Pike brought her to Cole’s, where they reviewed the plans and maps of the location with Jon Stone. When Stone first arrived, Rina squinted at him, and tugged at Pike’s arm.

“Who is this?”

“A friend. He was a friend of Frank’s, too.”

“I don’t trust these people I don’t know. I would rather have Yanni.”

“Not for this, you wouldn’t.”

At one-thirty that afternoon, they climbed into their cars and returned to Sherman Oaks, Pike and Rina in his Jeep, Cole in his Corvette, and Stone in his Rover. They looked like a caravan winding their way along the spine of the mountains.

When they reached the market, Pike and Cole turned into the parking lot, but Stone continued past, moving to set up on one of the nearby residential streets. Pike found a parking spot in one of the middle rows facing the apartment building’s entry, and Cole parked three spaces away.

Pike said, “You need to use the bathroom?”

“No, I am fine.”

“The guy who’s coming to pick up the money, does he know you?”

“I don’t know. Probably he would know me, yes.”