Double Take (2 page)

Jack nearly laughed at the irony of Jimmy's statement. If he always did things right then he wouldn't even be contemplating what they were about to do.

Jack turned at the sound of the creaking door. He stood up and walked towards the short, stocky man who now stood at the entrance. The newcomer wore a baseball cap that allowed the tips of his sun-bleached hair to curl out from under it.

Jack extended his hand. “Thanks for coming, Stubbs.” They shook hands and clapped each other on the back.

Jimmy stood up and strode over. “Jesus, Stubbs, how long's it been, man?”

“Too bloody long.” Stubbs and Jimmy shared a quick hug.

“When'd you get back from Emerald?” Lucky for Jack, Stubbs's fly-in fly-out job at the new Gordonstone Mine meant that he was back in Brisbane for the next eight weeks. His timing was perfect.

“Two weeks ago,” Stubbs said. “I head off again beginning of January for another eight months in that hellhole.” Jack always caught up with Stubbs during his annual break. Each time he'd aged just a little bit more. It was like outback Queensland was sucking the life out of him at double the rate.

“Hello Stubbs.” Rachel's voice was silky smooth. “Still playing in the dirt I see.”

Stubbs turned and his eyes widened in recognition. “Rachel, oh my God.” Stubbs leant over and Rachel offered her cheek. “How are you?” He gave her a quick peck and stepped back.

“I'm good, thanks.”

“Wow, I haven't seen you since…” Stubbs's mouth fell open as if he were uncertain how to finish the sentence.

“Since the convenience store, yes.” Rachel nodded and her eyes shifted to Jack. If she hadn't put two and two together before, Jack was now certain she knew he was about to call in her promise.

There was a knock and another man stepped through the doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame. Jack's breath hitched at the sight of him. It didn't matter how many times he saw Pete, he was always shocked by his appearance. Pete was plastered in tattoos from his wrists to his chin. The decorations were an attempt to hide severe burn scars. The scars were still visible though, covering both arms, his chest, neck and one side of his face. When he stiffened, Jack knew he'd spied Jimmy. Pete was another element where his plan just might come unstuck.

“What the fuck're you doing here?” Jimmy forced the words through gritted teeth.

Jack needed to take control and fast. “Calm down, Jimmy. Pete wouldn't be here if I didn't absolutely need him.”

Jimmy took a step towards the threshold, his fists balled and nostrils flaring. He jabbed a grease-stained finger at Pete's broad chest. “I went to jail because of you.”

Pete towered over Jimmy and stood his ground with a wry grin. “You knew what you were getting into.”

“I ought to—” Jimmy lunged at the bigger man, but Jack got between the two and forced them apart with trembling arms. It'd been many years, decades even, since Jack had been face to face with aggression, and it scared the crap out of him. But he was committed now, otherwise he'd already be out that door and running to his car.

“Shut up, Jimmy.” Jack glared into his brother's pale green eyes. “Pete's staying. I need his help. Now sit back down.” Jack was actually holding his breath as he waited for movement. One of his greatest regrets in life was introducing Pete to Jimmy. He had thought their common interest in renovating antique motorbikes would foster their friendship. But then they got involved in selling stolen goods one of Pete's friends had ‘managed to acquire'. The crazy idea ended in a police chase where Jimmy somehow fell out of the passenger door and Pete crashed the car in a fiery explosion. He was lucky to get out alive. These two were poison together, so it was only out of sheer desperation that Jack had called him here today.

Jimmy locked eyes on Pete as he backed away. He then walked to the table and Stubbs clapped him on the shoulder and whispered something Jack couldn't hear.

Pete sniffed and took a step further into the shed. Seconds later a stocky man with a poor attempt at a fake tan and Fonzie-styled jet black hair walked in. Jack had the feeling he was trying a little too hard to impress someone.

“Hi Jack, great to see you again.”

“Thanks for coming, Donny.” They shook hands and Jack sighed with relief. He honestly hadn't thought they'd all turn up. Maybe there was something to be said for ancient promises after all.

“Donny!” Jimmy called out. Donny strode to the table and shook hands with Jimmy and Stubbs. Once again Rachel offered her cheek.

“Pete, let me introduce everyone else. Stubbs, Rachel and Donny.” He pointed to each of them as he said their name. “Guys, this is Pete.” The tattooed giant was still standing at the door as if preparing for an easy getaway. “Let's all take a seat.” Jack tried to look relaxed, but his insides were screaming. What he was about to do may have seemed natural twenty years ago, but right now he was fighting the urge to get the hell out of there and not look back.

Pete sniffed again, then he made short work of the distance from the door to the table and shook hands with Donny and Stubbs. He nodded at Rachel, then chose the chair opposite Jimmy.

Jack waited a beat or two before he joined them at the table. “First of all, thank you for coming. Frankly, I didn't think you'd all—”

“Cut the crap, Jack, and get to your point,” Rachel snapped. “I've got a function to get to and I need to do my nails.” She studied her hands, but from what Jack could see her long red talons were already perfect.

Jack glared into her dark eyes. He didn't want to remind her of how much she owed him, but he damn well would if she kept up with this pushy attitude. This meeting, with them all seated around the table and waiting for him to speak, was another scene he'd played out many times in his head. He didn't need any more surprises so he decided on the direct approach he'd already practised a dozen times. “My wife, Candice, will die if she doesn't get an operation soon. And we can't wait for her turn on the waiting list any longer.” Jack's stomach burned like an acid furnace. He swallowed. “I need money now, and I plan to rob a bank to get it. But I need your help.”

There was a momentary pause, then Jimmy slapped his palm onto the table and everyone but Pete jumped. “I knew you'd figure out a way of saving her.” His grin showed off cigarette-stained teeth.

Jack rolled his eyes at his brother. The silence from the other four was concerning, though. He realised he was holding his breath and discreetly let it out. It was like they were all waiting for each other to speak. The only sound was the wind whistling through the shabby weatherboards.

Donny dabbed his upper lip with a handkerchief he'd tugged from his pants pocket. “So what would you need me to do?” Jack had forgotten he was a sweater. Some things didn't change. Including Donny's ardent loyalty. At least he could be counted on to remember their pact all those years ago. He was surprised Donny had spoken before Rachel, though.

“Thanks, Donny.” Yet the Mexican stand-off continued. “Let me give you a rundown of the situation. My job involves—”

“Oh, for God's sake. Will you just—” Rachel interrupted.

“Shush.” Jack was forceful and although he wasn't going to yell, he felt he had no choice. Her eyes bit into him and for a brief moment he thought she'd get up and leave. But she didn't, and as if a certain bridge had been crossed, she simply nodded a fraction. “My job gives me access to areas in certain banks that the general public cannot enter. Over the years they've grown to trust me and let's just say security has become a little relaxed.” He let that information sink in. “I recently overheard details of a higher than usual delivery of money. That's the money I plan to steal and—”

“How much?” Jimmy interrupted. His eyes bulged with excitement.

“Close to one million. I know it's not much between all of us, but all Candice needs is $74,000 for her defibrillator. But I need all of you to help me steal it.” He sat back, pushed his fingers beneath his thighs and sat on them. “So who's in?” Jack tried to ignore his own thundering heartbeat as he waited out the silence.

“I'm in,” said Jimmy. No surprises there. Jack knew he could count on his brother. Maybe Jimmy thought doing this was some kind of atonement for what he did at that convenience store. Although he'd never admitted it, Jack was certain it was Jimmy who made that situation so much worse.

The others didn't jump in as quickly, though. Jack had done the maths. It wasn't much money when divided amongst the six of them. It certainly wasn't enough compared to the risk, especially as he, Rachel, Donny, and Stubbs had been on the right side of the law ever since the convenience store bungle. As far as he knew, anyway. Jack's only hope was their pact.

Pete sniffed. He then nodded his head at Jack. “I'm in.” That was two down.

Donny didn't seem able to drag his eyes from Rachel. It was like he was willing her to say yes.

Jack raised his eyes to the woman who had once crushed his heart. She softened ever so slightly. “I'm in.”

“Me too,” Donny said as he ran a red comb through his slicked-back hair. He then flashed his ridiculously white teeth at Rachel and Jack wondered if he'd whitened them himself somehow.

“Guess we owe you.” Stubbs brought up the promise that tied them all together.

“Why do they owe you?” This was Pete. He was the only one who was clueless to the pact they'd made twenty years ago. Jack was about to fob Pete off when Stubbs spoke.

“The five of us robbed a convenience store…years back. Jack saved us, by not ratting us out when he got caught. He could have. He did time because of it. I always wondered if you'd come calling on that debt, Jack.” Jack met Stubbs's eyes. He didn't seem angry. He'd said it more as a matter of fact.

Jack had been just sixteen when he'd sat on the floor of that convenience store office and waited for the police to find him. The whole time the ear-splitting sirens blasted outside the building his mind was on his four mates who'd abandoned him there. Rachel, Donny, Stubbs and Jimmy had all begged him not to expose them, and one by one they'd made a promise.

He could remember every little detail of that stupid robbery. As they'd crawled into the manager's office via the manhole in the roof, they'd giggled like the bunch of silly teenagers they were. It wasn't until they'd opened the safe and stuffed the money down their shirts that they'd realised they were trapped; the doors were locked. Jack helped each of them climb back up through the manhole, but he couldn't climb up himself. He had to be left behind. So he wouldn't be accused of stealing, they'd returned the cash to the safe. It was almost laughable that they'd put themselves in that situation.

The last thing Rachel had said to him that night was, “Don't worry Jack, my daddy will get you the best lawyer.” She never thought he'd do time. Nor did the others. But he did. Eighteen months in juvenile detention. It wasn't until the trial that he'd learnt that something
was
taken from the safe that night. But between the four of his so-called friends, not one of them admitted taking it. Jack was certain it was his brother, though. Jimmy was notorious for pinching things and he rarely admitted fault.

Rachel was the only one who saw him on the day he was released. She said that she, Jimmy, Donny and Stubbs would be forever indebted to him. She told him that if ever he needed anything, all he had to do was call. And a couple of days ago, he had. But the truth was, Jack would never have called them all together again if it wasn't for his sick wife.

“This money is for Candice,” he reiterated. “Without it she will die.”

Stubbs placed his hands on the table and looked squarely into Jack's eyes. “I'm in. Whatever it takes,” he said. To his left Jack saw Pete cock his head.

“How'd you lose your fingers?”

Everyone else at the table froze. It was funny, Jack no longer noticed the two missing appendages on Stubbs's hand, but now he couldn't help but glance down at them, jutting out just below the first knuckle. He and the others had known each other since they were kids and it seemed that every time they'd asked him what happened, Stubbs told a different story. Amazingly, Jack still didn't know the answer, or Stubbs's real name for that matter. He'd just always been called Stubbs.

The tension in the room became palpable and Pete, obviously sensing he'd crossed a boundary, just sniffed, leant back and glared at Stubbs as he waited for a response.

“Lost them in a big pot of stewed beef at the Pie Factory,” Stubbs casually replied, clearly aware that all eyes were on him.

“Yeah, bullshit,” Pete responded with a laugh.

That was a new one,
thought Jack, but he laughed too.

Rachel put her elbows on the table and slowly rubbed her long elegant fingers together. When Jack had phoned Rachel the other day, the first thing she said after he introduced himself was, “If you're after money, forget it.” Apparently Walter watched where every cent went.

“We're all in, Jack,” she said. “We'll help you rob the bank.” It seemed that Rachel spoke for the group because they all nodded. Including Pete.

Jack released an audible sigh. “Thanks, guys. Okay. Although I've planned almost everything, there is one thing I don't know. Does anyone have any experience with guns?”

“I do.” Rachel was quick to respond.

Jack snapped his eyes to her. “Really?”

She shrugged. “Walter owns a few weapons. We go shooting from time to time.”

Out of all of them she was the last one he expected to have any involvement with guns. “All right, that's good. Do you think you can get some quality fake guns?”

“Whoa, what do you mean fake? No ammo?” Jimmy slammed his palm onto the table.