To Have and to Heist(80)

“Safes are usually hidden behind paintings, mirrors, air vents, and in floors—places easily accessible to owners, but also hidden from view,” Anil said. “You can also build a secret room in your house behind a bookshelf. I saw a YouTube video about it. When I get my money, I’m going to buy a house and install a secret room like that.”

“What are you going to put in it?” I tugged on the air vent and peered inside. “I can’t imagine owning anything so expensive that I’d need to keep it in a safe or secret room.”

“My most valuable possession is a USB stick containing my first Minecraft skin,” he said. “Then the sky’s the limit. I’ve got my eye on an ultra-rare Black Lotus Magic: The Gathering card that gives more mana, allowing for more summons and spells.”

“Dude, you gotta up your game if you want a wife.” Gage walked into the bedroom, all cool and casual like he had nothing better to do. “How about some jewels, bonds, and suitcases full of cash?”

“I take it your unwelcome presence means your first task is completed,” I said. “You are now supposed to be keeping watch outside.”

“Chloe has access to the external cameras. She’ll let us know if anyone approaches the house. I thought I’d be more help inside, and I was right. Anil has no idea about what people keep in a safe.”

“Maybe not, but I know how to find one.” Anil lifted a painting of a seaside town from the wall to reveal a small, gray wall safe. “Just like on YouTube. It’s disappointing they didn’t put in more effort.”

I sent Gage to find Jack, and as soon as they were both upstairs, Chloe unjammed the system and texted Rose to let her know she could return the phones. Then it was one full hour of watching Jack turn the dial back and forth while Anil gave us a running commentary.

“He’s using the stethoscope to listen for the sound the drive cam notch makes when it slides under the lever arm,” Anil whispered. “I’ve watched lots of lock-picking and safecracking YouTube videos, but it’s fascinating to see it in real life. I can’t believe I get to watch a master at work.”

“Don’t say things like that,” I warned. “His ego is already so big I have to step around it.”

“Three.” Jack wrote something on the notepad he’d placed on the side table in front of him.

“That’s a good thing,” Anil said. “A three-digit combination will only require a maximum of 162 attempts. If there were four numbers, we’d be looking at a maximum of 1,944. Jack will have to map the dial in increments of three. Once he has the numbers, he can try different combinations.”

“Good thing Emma’s not here or your math genius skills would freak her out.” Gage walked around the room, opening drawers and cupboards.

“What are you doing?” I closed all the drawers he’d left open.

“Seeing how the other half lives.”

I grabbed Gage’s hand when he reached for the nightstand drawer. “How about we don’t invade their privacy more than we have to?”

“I’m bored.”

“Why don’t you shoot the safe so we can get out of here faster?”

“He can’t shoot it,” Anil said. “It’s a Gardall 3018-2 with a four-and-a-quarter-inch anti-pry door and two-and-a-half-inch safe walls, furnace-tested up to 1850 degrees.”

“You got all that from looking at the door?”

“The name is on the front. I looked up the rest on my phone. And I have an eidetic memory. Line two of the marriage résumé. Didn’t you read it?”

“No. You were sprung on me as a surprise,” I said. “But for future reference, I’d move that . . . um . . . selling feature further down the list. No one wants to get into an argument with a partner who can repeat back what they said word for word.”

“I hope you’re not referring to me.” Jack made a mark on the graph he’d drawn in his notebook. “I didn’t make any promises.”

“Of course not,” I snapped. “You didn’t have time for promises. You were too busy running out the door with your ass hanging out of your pants.”

I checked in with Rose. She’d returned the phones after the game, and no one appeared to have received any alarming notifications. I hoped that meant they’d bought the idea that there had been a system glitch.

“I’ve got the numbers.” Jack nodded at Anil. “Start giving me possible combinations.”

Forty-five painful minutes went by with Anil giving numbers and Jack twisting the dial. I jumped up and down, fiddled with the zipper on my jacket, tied and untied my shoes, counted the number of flowers on the heavy brocade curtains, and pulled out pieces of my hair to inspect for split ends.

“You gotta chill.” Gage sprawled on an armchair, feet up on the footstool, arms folded behind his head.

“I am chilled,” I snapped. “This is me chilled. I am so chilled, I could be ice. No one is as chilled as me.”

“Take a break, Frosty. Go for a walk. We’ll call you if something happens.”

“I’m the boss. Don’t tell me what to do.” I looked at the open door. A walk was just what I needed. “I’ve decided to go for a walk,” I announced. “Call me the second something happens.”