Eve opened the door a crack. “Can I help you?”
“We’re with the gas company,” Manny said. “You have a leak.”
She guessed that Manny was in his mid-to late twenties, just like her. Moe appeared to be about the same age. Manny was blocking her from getting a good view of Jack’s face.
“You must have the wrong house,” Eve said. “We didn’t call you.”
“It’s showing up on our readouts at the office.” Manny held up his clipboard, displaying a piece of paper with a graph on it. “We need to come in, make sure there’s no gas buildup or the house could explode. There’ll be nothing left but a smoking crater.”
Duncan hobbled up on his walker behind Eve. “We don’t smell any gas.”
“Maybe you have a stuffy nose,” Manny said.
“I don’t.”
“We have to check anyway,” Manny said, irritation creeping into his voice. “It’s for your own safety.”
Eve reached into her pocket and squeezed the button on her key fob, alerting the deputy at Lost Hills that the invasion was going down. “Come in, but take off your shoes. We don’t want you scuffing up the travertine.”
She stepped aside, and opened the door wide, to let them in.
As Manny entered, he smacked Eve’s face with the clipboard, taking her by surprise. When she looked back at him, her cheeks stinging and her eyes tearing up, he was holding a gun in her face. “Fuck your travertine, bitch.”
The other two men spilled in behind Manny, both pulling out guns before Duncan had a chance to go for his, which was hidden under his big untucked camouflage shirt.
Moe pressed the barrel of his weapon against Duncan’s forehead and said, “Empty your pockets and take off your watch.”
“You can have whatever you want. Please don’t hurt us.” Duncan took out his wad of cash, which Jack grabbed from his hand and stuffed into his own pocket, and then Duncan slipped the fake Rolex off his wrist, which Jack took, too.
Manny kicked the front door shut behind him, then yanked off Eve’s gold Tiffany necklace from her neck. “Give me your ring.”
She pulled off the wedding ring, with its huge fake diamond, and dropped it into his open hand.
He stuffed the jewelry into his shirt pocket. “Where’s the safe?”
“We don’t have one,” Duncan said.
Moe pistol-whipped him across the face. “Bullshit.”
Duncan staggered back but held his balance. The gun’s front sight had slashed his cheek like a knife. Blood streaked down his face and dripped onto his camouflage shirt. Eve stole a glance up at the security camera lens, as if it were the faceless, distant deputy’s own eyes.
Are you seeing this?
“I won’t ask nicely next time,” Manny said.
“It’s upstairs, in the master bedroom,” Eve said, making eye contact with Duncan, who gave her a slight nod, letting her know he was okay. They only had to keep things under control for another minute or two before backup arrived. The station was only five miles away but there had to be a patrol car nearby that could immediately respond.
Manny smiled at her. “Do you know the combination?”
“Yes.”
“Lead the way.” Manny followed her up the stairs, his gun pressed into her back. He looked down at Moe and Jack. “Get to it. Shoot the old man if he gives you any trouble.”
Moe grabbed Duncan by the arm, dragged him to an easy chair in the great room, and pushed him into it. Jack started looking around the house for valuables.
Eve reached the second-floor landing and headed for the master bedroom, which had a four-poster bed, a vaulted ceiling, a fireplace, and a balcony that overlooked the pool. The sliding glass door to the balcony was open for the fresh air and as an invitation to burglars.
“Where’s the safe?” Manny asked.
“In the closet.”
His-and-hers walk-in closets were on either side of a short hallway that led to the master bathroom. Eve started to go into one of the closets, but Manny grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the door.
“Not so fast.” He pushed her toward the bathroom and turned to give the closet a quick glance, perhaps in case she had a weapon stashed there.
The closet was empty. There weren’t any clothes hanging inside. Just as he was registering that puzzling fact, Eve whipped out her Glock and aimed it at him.
“Drop the gun,” she said.
Manny’s eyes went wide. “What the fuck? Where did you get that?”