To Have and to Heist(33)

Chloe made the sign of the cross. It had been years since she’d prayed.

Ten

Sitting on a dock waiting for the pontoon boat that would take us to the house of a dirty real estate mogul so we could figure out how to break into his mansion to steal a $25 million necklace wasn’t how I usually spent my Sunday mornings, but Chef Pierre had aced his blueberry muffin homework assignment, and his basket of goodies soothed the pain of our early start.

The sky was blue and clear with no hint of the rain that had been forecast for the day. Not that I minded the odd shower. Chicagoans make up for long, harsh winters by embracing the outdoors from the moment the first snowflake melts. After surviving frost quakes, polar vortices, arctic blasts, thermal whiplash, and the almighty bone-chilling Hawk blowing off Lake Michigan every winter, we can handle a summer sprinkle.

“Are you planning to share those?” Jack reached for the basket beside me. Rose had dropped off the muffins at my parents’ house on her way into the city for an audition. Chef Pierre had a sauce assignment to complete for class the next day, so she’d left him at home with the stove and a bottle of brandy.

“I’m waiting until we board the boat so we can enjoy them during the ride.” I breathed in the scents of pine and fish and fresh lake air. It had been ages since I’d been out on the water, and I was looking forward to our day of sunshine and surveillance.

“Tell Emma to go easy on the throttle,” Anil warned. “My drone doesn’t like to be rattled.” He’d gone extra with the day-on-the-lake theme in colorful Bermuda shorts, rattan flip-flops, a pink shirt printed with pictures of toucans, and a big straw hat.

“That’s what I said when Cristian showed up in his bright blue Speedo and nothing else.” Emma joined us at the dock. “Paperwork is all done, and I’ve got the keys. Let’s get going.”

“You laugh, but who goes on a boat ride without swimwear?” Cristian posed for another Speedo selfie at the edge of the dock.

“Is that what it is?” Gage said. “I thought it was a hammock for mini bananas.”

“Look over there.” Jack pointed to something in the distance. I looked. He stole a muffin from the basket. I couldn’t believe I’d fallen for a trick so lame.

“Would anyone else like a muffin?” I snatched the basket away, glaring at Jack.

“I’ll pass.” Anil held up his hands in a warding gesture. “I don’t eat carbs. I have to keep my body fat down so I can compete in the featherweight division once we get our money and I start my new MMA career. One muffin and I’ll get bumped up to welterweight. You should see those guys. Steamrollers. All of them. I have to stick to apples.”

“You and Cristian have a lot in common. He doesn’t eat carbs, either.”

“I’m gluten, dairy, and animal free,” Cristian said. “Also, no nightshades, brown rice, or cruciferous vegetables. I’m still working out my IBS triggers.”

“So you’re vegan?” I asked as we followed Emma down the dock.

“I eat fish.”

“Pescetarian?”

“I don’t eat farmed fish. They need to be free swimming. I also can’t give up bacon.”

“I hope to hell the pigs aren’t free swimming, too,” Gage muttered under his breath. “Must make for one hell of a dinner date.”

“Here we are.” Emma stopped in front of a sleek and stylish sport boat with a spaceship-like roof over an expansive cockpit. “What do you think? It’s a 2018 Luxury Sea Ray 31SLX with a top speed of 53 miles per hour. It’s so stable, you can walk around comfortably while cruising at high speeds. Usually, you need to pay for a captain, but I know the guy who runs this place, and I’ve got my boating license, so . . .”

“It’s supposed to be a pontoon boat,” I said. “Our cover is a bunch of a crazy kids taking it easy and kicking it back on the lake. A pontoon boat is perfect because it’s the kind of thing you park for the day so no one would give it a second glance. This boat is all about speed and attention.”

“And fun,” Emma said. “You gotta live a little. I took one look at the pontoon boat and threw up my breakfast. I couldn’t be seen in something like that. I have a rep to protect.”

“I agree.” Gage climbed aboard and stretched out on the white leather seating in the cockpit.

“It is pretty cool.” Anil gave an apologetic shrug before clambering into the boat. Cristian stretched out on an aft-facing lounger to take another selfie.

“I suppose you think it’s awesome, too.” I turned to Jack when we were all aboard, only to see him waving from the dock.

“Why aren’t you coming?” I shouted when he turned away. “We’re supposed to be a team.” We’d already lost Chloe to Olivia’s dance recital, and Rose and Chef Pierre weren’t really part of the crew.

“Not much of a team player, sweetheart.” Jack gave me a backward wave. “I’ll see you later.”

“Leave him,” Gage said when I grabbed the railing, fully intending to vault over it and chase Jack down. “He works best on his own.”

I spun around to face him, redirecting my anger against the impenetrable shield that was his expressionless face. “He’s the one who said I needed a crew.”