The plan was for Tony to take the lead, using only his flashlight to illuminate the way. They would head directly to the master bedroom, open the safe, take out every last dollar, scoot down the stairs, punch in the exit code, and close and lock the door. There would be no stopping to look for jewelry or pinching something one of them might want to grab. By the time the robbery was discovered, the crocuses would be forcing their way up through the earth. So far things were going just as planned. It bothered Tony that the lamp he thought was on a timer wasn’t on. The bulb must have burnt out, he reasoned.

They crossed the foyer and started up the steps. The house was old, so the steps creaked, but that didn’t concern them because they knew the house was vacant. In a hushed voice, Danny said, “Remember, we have to turn left at the top of the stairs.” He could hear his heart pounding and the blood rushing through his head; he barely could find the breath to speak. Suddenly he wanted this to be over with. Something was wrong; he knew it, but he dared not say anything to his brother because Tony hated it when Danny had one of his stupid “feelings.”

They gathered at the landing and the beam from Tony’s flashlight hit the chrome of the bathroom faucet, and then lit on the door to the master bedroom, which was closed. They were at the door in a few seconds, and it clicked open when Tony twisted the knob. Kevin stirred in the guest bedroom, mumbled something to Missy about hearing the alarm go off, and then turned over and went back to sleep.

Tony saw the three of them reflected in the blackness of the mirror, and thought how young and frightened they all looked—Danny in particular, with those big eyes poking out of his head. He silently pointed to the closet door. “That’s the one,” he whispered. When they opened the door, it was just as they had imagined.

This was the real deal. The safe stood about two feet high, was gun-metal gray, and was bolted to the floor. There was no way anyone was ever going to carry that baby out of there. Bags was reputed to have nimble fingers, so it was his job to turn the combination lock to the correct numbers. He squatted down, and Tony realized for the first time that he was wearing a backpack.

Danny shined his light on the piece of paper Jack had given them the day after Christmas. Bags’s hand was shaking so badly that Danny had to reach down and hold his wrist. But within a few turns they heard the cylinders click into place. Bags turned the handle and pulled out one of the drawers; it was filled with piles of neatly stacked cash.