The Thief Redeemer (11 page)

“Maggie, I’m done. For good. Go find someone else.” I push
her completely off my lap and run my hand down my face. This feels good; I’m
actually proud of myself. Maggie storms out, slamming the door so hard that one
of Sally’s pictures falls off the wall.

Marcus leans over and holds his hand out to give me a high
five. I give him a slight smile because I won a small victory tonight. Marcus
knows how much I loathed this circle of debauchery Maggie and I had going on,
even though I’d never once mentioned it to him. By the faces of the other guys,
I’m pretty sure the entire room knows about my triumph.

Well, everyone except a small, blonde angel, which is ironic
because she’s the one who gave me the strength to say no.

THE WEEK PASSES quickly. I never
want it to end. Claire and I travel daily to the pond where we’ve made
ourselves our own little spot. Here I am real. Here I have no walls and no one
to impress. With Claire, I’m not required to impress. With Claire, I have
rediscovered my true self, and this knowledge lifts additional weight from my
chest.

With no work at night, we often find ourselves in bed
watching a movie by nine. After the movie, we sit and talk for hours, and I
find myself hoping to escape sleep. I often wake, a smile on my face,
discovering my hand intertwined with hers. I long for the nights and for our
days at the pond where I can be myself and where my anger and temper subside
into the background. Maybe Claire has turned me into a pansy, but the crazy
part is that, I don’t mind. I would do anything for this girl.

I feel us growing closer, and I hate myself for allowing
this connection, but I love the feeling too much to stop. The last night before
work is set to resume, we lie in bed, talking as I watch the moonlight send
slivers of light down her body. I eye her legs, her hands, her fingers. I have
to tear my eyes away, knowing I’m slowly losing self-control. Once I allow
myself to go there, I will lose all control. The feeling is both scary and
calming.

“Have you ever had a girlfriend?” Her question comes from
left field, and I wonder if she’s been thinking the same thoughts I have. I
give a nervous laugh and run my hand down my face. This isn’t the conversation
you want to have with the girl you’re trying to impress, even when you know you
can’t have her.

“Not really,” I start, and when she doesn’t say anything
else, I feel the need to elaborate. “I was in too much trouble in high school
and once I was out of school, I started this business with Marcus. I really
haven’t had much time to date, much less get involved with anybody serious.” I
hope this answers her question. I really don’t do anything with commitment.

“But you’ve been with women?” She’s nervous about asking me
this question, and I give a small laugh.

“Yes, Claire. Just nothing serious and nothing meaningful.”
I mean this. All I’ve had are one-night stands and a few friends with benefits;
mostly girls from the streets, girls used to this type of lifestyle. In high
school, it was girls who were rough around the edges like me. I have never been
this close to a girl like Claire. Never.

“Who was that girl who came in here the other night? The one
in the tight black dress and the long black hair?”

“Um…that was Maggie.” I really don’t want to have this
discussion about Maggie with Claire.

“And she’s…what to you?”

Why is Claire even asking? Do I detect jealously in her
voice? Surely not. Why would she be jealous?

“She’s just an easy lay.” I stare at the ceiling because I’m
not sure if that’s the answer she wants, but it’s the only answer I have. “And
every time it’s over, I feel guilty as hell. So I ended it.”

“So…you and she are over?”

I laugh at her question. “We were never anything, but yes,
what shallow, meaningless thing we had is officially over. I finally found the
strength to tell her no. And you? How many boyfriends have you had?” I need to
turn this discussion back on her because I don’t want her asking me where I
found the strength. I would never confess to her that she is the reason. I
might have become a pansy, but I’m not admitting this to her.

“I have a boyfriend now. I had a serious boyfriend in high
school, but that’s obviously over. So, to answer your question, I’ve had two.”

WHAT? She’s never mentioned a boyfriend. I’m suddenly
jealous. I know I have no reason to be, but I seriously want to go and pound
this guy’s head in.

“Who?”

“His name is Jonathan. I met him in law school.”

I have two thoughts running through my head. One is to find
Jonathan and beat his ass, and the other is to wonder what chance I would ever
have had with a girl like Claire, anyway. Even if we could be together, I’m up
against a guy who will one day be a lawyer. If she was given the opportunity to
pick, I don’t think the choice would be too difficult. I mean, a lawyer verses
Atlanta’s most wanted criminal. That’s almost not even a choice at all. If she
picked me there would be something seriously wrong with her.

“I didn’t know. You haven’t mentioned him.”

“You didn’t ask.”

True. I didn’t ask because what we have is temporary,
anyway.

“How long have you two been together?” Why am I torturing
myself by asking her these questions?

“Over a year.”

We don’t speak for a while after this because I don’t want
to know any additional information about
Jonathan
. I already hate the
guy. I hate him because he’s touched her and I haven’t, and I hate him because
he’s good enough for her and I’m not.

“Brandon, can I tell you something?”

I pause for a moment because if this is about Jonathan, I
really don’t want to hear any more. “Sure.”

“You promise not to be mad at me?”

Why would I be mad at her? Is she about to tell me about
Jonathan and her amazing sex life? Okay, I might be mad if that is what she
mentions. “Sure.”

She gives a long pause, and I allow myself to glance again
at the moonlight on her figure. She takes a deep breath. Suddenly, I’m nervous.
What if she really is about to tell me about Jonathan? What if he’s hurt her?
What if he’s a bad guy after all? I’ll go and take care of him for her. Maybe
she wants to get away from him.

“I know how you can get those sealed files.”

Did I hear her correctly? Did she just do a 180? I thought
we were talking about Jonathan and our dating history. “What?” I sit up in bed
and look at her in the moonlight. “What did you say?” I feel a sudden urge
ripping through me like never before. It’s not anger. It’s…hope. Something I
completely and utterly lost so many years ago.

“The files. I know how I can get my hands on them.”

“How?” I have gripped her entire body and pulled her in
front of me. She places her hands on my forearms and looks me seriously in the
face.

“It’s all on my computer. I have the passwords stored there,
and I can take a backdoor website posing as my dad. I’ve done it before, with
his permission of course, and I can find where they are.”

I think I have quit breathing. I am allowing hope to seep
its way back into my soul. If I lose this time, it really might destroy me.
“Please tell me this isn’t a joke, Claire, because if it is, you will kill me.”
I take one hand off her body and run it down my face.

“This isn’t a joke. I can do this. Yes, it’s illegal, and I
will forever lose my chance at a law degree if I get caught, but yes, I can
find this for you. Fairly easily, in fact.”

I look up into her eyes and I see truth and honesty there,
two traits that are hard to find in this business. “You would sacrifice
yourself to find my brothers…for me?” I almost whisper the words because surely
this is a dream.

“Well, the sacrifice exists only if I get caught…and I don’t
plan on getting caught.” She gives me a small smile in the moonlight.

“I’ll make sure you’re not caught, and if you are, I’ll take
the full blame.” The atmosphere has become very serious. The desire to see my
brothers is building and building by the second.

“They’ll know it’s me if we’re discovered,” she says as she
takes a deep breath. “There won’t be any passing the blame.”

I think for a second and then devise a plan. “I’ll tell them
I held a gun to your head and made you find these files. You can blame it all
on me. I would never let you lose the ability to obtain your law degree.”

She stares at me in complete silence for seconds and then
minutes. Finally, she nods in agreement. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Why did you think I would be mad at you?”

She pauses before responding, looking down at the sheets.
“Because I’ve known this information from the moment you first mentioned the
sealed files, but I didn’t say anything.” She looks guilty when she glances
back to my eyes.

“You were scared of losing your right to practice; you were
scared of getting kicked out of school,” I say. It’s not a question, but a
statement.

“Yeah. I guess I was being selfish.”

I laugh, a huge laugh that echoes across the room. “Claire
you are the last person, of all the people in this situation, who could
possibly be selfish!”

I see a small smile slowly spread across her face and I grab
her into a huge embrace. I pull her away from me and she’s shocked and all
smiles.

“Where do we start? Where do we begin?” I’m so excited, like
a schoolboy at Christmas.

“Well, we have to get my laptop,” she says and she’s
suddenly serious again. “That where all the passwords are stored. I don’t have
any of the passwords memorized.”

“That’s no problem. I’m sure we can break into anywhere to
find your laptop. Where is it?”

She looks at the sheets again, and runs her fingers along
the seam.

“It’s not that easy. Last I saw, it was at my father’s
office.”

WE HAVE TO get our hands on that
computer. The thought has taken over my mind. The feeling is so occupying I’ve
almost forgotten about Claire.

The week off is over, and we are back running cars during
the night. Claire still sits downstairs on the coach, reading her usual John
Grisham books while I work. I like her down here. She’s calming, and I can keep
an eye on her. She’s also devising a plan. Marcus and Tommy are in. Carlos is
out.

“Get your mind back in the game!” Carlos shouts, and I give
him an evil look.

“Stay off my back,
Juan
,” I say. He absolutely
detests being called by his first name, and I do this to piss him off.

“What do you need so badly from that computer anyway?”

“None of your business. You said you wouldn’t help us, so
now it’s really none of your business.” Marcus knows the entire truth, and
Tommy thinks we want the computer for business reasons. Carlos knows nothing.

Marcus joins into the conversation. “When do you want to do
this?”

I think for a minute. “We need someone to start watching the
office to see when the last person leaves. We need to know where all the
security cameras are located. Claire can probably help us with that one. We
probably need to pick Saturday or Sunday night to go in.”

“It’s going to have to be me and Tommy that do the job. It’s
too dangerous for you to go out in public,” Marcus states, and Carlos rolls his
eyes.

“This is such a bad idea. I can’t believe her computer is
that important. He probably doesn’t even need it for work. She probably just
wants it, and lover boy here is so whipped, he’ll risk his life to go get it.”
Carlos storms off. I watch him go, clenching my fists.

“Ignore him. I’ll start watching the building. Tommy and I
will work this one.”

“Claire and I will ride with you in the car the night of the
job. It’s the least we can do. She can tell you the general vicinity of the
building where the computer should be located.”

He nods and picks up a tool. “Let’s do this thing next
weekend. I don’t like sitting around on plans too long.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks Marcus. This means…a lot.”

He nods and walks away. He was never one for words or
emotions. As I watch him go, that feeling of hope starts to swell again inside
of me. It pours itself throughout my body, and a genuine smile crosses my face.
Between the four of us, we can find a way to get Claire’s computer. Of this,
I’m confident.

IT’S SATURDAY MORNING and dawn beams
through the windows. I am paying out my employees and reminding them there’s no
work again until Monday night. I hear groans, but I ignore the men. I have
other thoughts occupying my mind. I’ve got an extensive break-in planned in
less than twenty-four hours.

I glance at Claire. She’s passed out on the sofa,
The
Pelican Brief
open on her lap. Claire is averaging one book every two days.
I guess she does have time on her hands to read. She has been here an entire
month now.

I feel guilty that she’s still here. I’ve probably shot her
chances of graduating with her law class by removing her from her summer
internship, and I know she must really miss her family.
And Jonathan
. I
take in a deep breath at the thought of that man. She hasn’t mentioned him
since our conversation, and I don’t bring him up. I can’t bear to think of
another man touching her.

I don’t know how much longer this entire kidnapping plan is
going to last. What do I do? Hold her hostage for the next year? Maybe Carlos,
in a round-about way, is correct.

But where do we go from here? I should have thought all this
out more when Richard mentioned the kidnapping idea.

I pick up her book and earmark her spot. Putting the book
under my arm, I pull her up towards me and, per our usual routine, we ascend
the stairs with Marcus trailing behind. Once back into the apartment, I start
to my room. Tommy is in the kitchen making himself a pot of coffee.

“You two ready for tonight?”

They both nod in unison, but nobody speaks. Tommy is not a
morning person and Marcus, like myself, is ready for bed. “Let’s be ready to go
at nightfall.”

“Sure, boss.” Tommy mumbles, and I know we will need our
rest. We have a busy night ahead of us.

In less than twenty-four hours, I will know the location of
my brothers.

WE ARE BACK in the Beamer. The tint
of the windows is so dark that the setting sun does little to illuminate the
car. Marcus has been busy watching the building since last weekend and has
assured us it is empty on Saturday nights. Claire has told us where all the
security cameras are located and where she thinks her laptop might be.

We arrive and park in the back, our lights off and the car
hidden. We have backed into the spot for an easy escape, and we sit for almost
thirty minutes, watching the sun set. The outside lights flicker on, signaling
it’s almost time.

I’m nervous. It doesn’t help that Marcus is raking his cross
pendant across its chain over and over again. A thick air has filled the car,
and I’m not sure whether the vibe is coming from me or from Marcus. We’ve
mastered the art of stealing vehicles, and we usually have no fear, but this is
different. We’re breaking into a building, not a car.

“Ready, boys?” I ask, and the air grows heavier. I wonder if
Tommy is feeling it.

“Yeah. Let’s do this,” Tommy says, grabbing his crowbar and
book bag. They slowly make their way to the back door. Within seconds, Tommy
and Marcus are inside the building.

Claire and I sit in the backseat. She’s fidgeting. I grab
her hand and bring it to my lips. “Everything’s going to be fine,” I lie.

She gives me a weak smile. “I know. It’s just that being
this close to my dad’s building makes me a little…nostalgic.”

Her statement floors me. I have to turn my eyes away. I knew
she was missing her family, and this is confirmation. I won’t get to keep her
much longer. But I can’t send her back, either.

The plan for Richard to make them disappear is null and void
in my mind. There’s no way I could follow through with that, so I’m stuck
between a rock and a hard place.
What do I do with Claire?
I don’t have
an answer, and I keep hoping one will mysteriously appear.

We watch the building as I continuously glance at my watch.
Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes. “How hard is it to find your
computer?” I mumble under my breath.

They’ve been in there much longer than anticipated, and I’m
becoming worried. Claire doesn’t answer my question. She’s starting to shift in
her seat. I loudly exhale and drag my hand over my face. When I reopen my eyes,
I see the lights, flashing blue and red off the sides of the building.

“Shit! The cops are here!” My body automatically switches
into survival mode. There’s no telling what will happen to me if I’m caught. I
climb from the back seat to the front and turn on the ignition.

“Claire! Buckle your seat belt.” I’ve never spoken so firm
and harsh, but I’m sure as hell not going to let anything happen to her. This
could turn ugly and fast. I buckle my own seat belt and I have the car in
drive.

“Where are they?” I ask under my breath. I haven’t turned on
the lights, but I know we have seconds ticking before this entire plan blows up
in our faces. I know I should just leave, but I can’t leave my men. I can’t
leave Tommy and Marcus.

The cop walks slowly to the doorway. Evidently Tommy or
Marcus has set off an alarm, and the cop is here to check out the building.
He’s taking his time walking to the door. I cringe when I see him open it.

“Shit.” I drag my hand down my face and wait. About ten
seconds later, Marcus and Tommy are out the back door and running for the car.
Tommy sprints, but Marcus is much slower, his heavy size not designed for
outrunning the police. As soon as Tommy reaches the car I turn on the lights
and drive up to Marcus.

He barely has his door open when the cop opens up the back
door and starts firing shots. Marcus clumsily falls into the car, and I take
off. I hear myself screeching out of the parking lot and can’t even think
straight until I’m heading towards the interstate.

I ease on to I-85 before I see the blue lights behind us.
Nobody has spoken a word since they got in the car, and I watch as all three
heads turn around.

“He’s following us.” I state the obvious as my brain thinks
of all the different ways we can lose him. One thing I’ve learned from my years
on the street: never, never think you can out drive a cop. I learned that from
OJ Simpson. It never works.

I take the next exit when I see the lights gaining on us.
“Start looking for alleyways,” I tell Tommy, who is in the passenger seat.

“He’s already called for backup. It won’t be long before
there are several of them.” Tommy says, again stating the obvious as I make a
sharp turn off the exit. As soon as I’m off, I am stopped by a red light. I
bang my hand on the steering wheel and ease the car all the way to the right. I
feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead and realize my hands are
sticking to the steering wheel. I take a right turn on red and keep driving.
The cop is now on the exit ramp, and I’m not sure how much longer we have.

“There’s an alley,” Tommy points, and I take a quick turn as
soon as we’re beside its darkness. I throw the car in neutral, turning off my
lights, and coast in behind another car that’s parked. We slightly tap the car
in front of us and wait in silence. I see the police car pass, its red and blue
lights lighting up the alley for a second. Thirty seconds later, we see three
more cop cars drive by, their lights flashing as well.

“Marcus, we need to switch cars. Help me jump this car off
in front of us.” Marcus grunts and both of us climb out of the Beamer. I walk
to this other car and realize it’s a piece of shit Honda Civic. I can’t believe
we are going to leave our Beamer for this. Marcus opens the car. There’s no car
alarm, which doesn’t surprise me. This car has to be from the early nineties.

Marcus has the car running in fifteen seconds flat, and we
transfer everything over to the Honda. We lock the Beamer and Tommy says he
will come back for it later. I sit in the back with Claire who is shaking. I
pull her into my lap and wrap her in my arms. She buries her face into my neck.
She smells like vanilla, and I have never before realized how much I love that
smell.

We hear sirens in the distance as we ease out of the alley,
heading in the opposite direction. Claire’s shaking has calmed as I rub her
back and kiss the top of her head.

We don’t speak for a while as Claire starts to relax, and
I’m finally beginning to believe we will all make it home in one piece. The POS
Honda chugs along, and my only fear is that this car might give out on us
before we reach the warehouse.

“What took you so long in there?” I ask, breaking the
silence which has become uncomfortable. The guys up front are fidgeting. I
wonder why.