The Heist

by Theresa Sederholt

I reach my hand across the table, taking his hand in mine and I give it a soft squeeze. “I’m so sorry, Mitch, that you had to go through all of that. You know, sometimes children follow their parents and by the time we realize it, they are already in trouble. Thankfully, Brook didn’t go down the same path. You should be proud that your daughter had the strength to get Becky the help she needed.”

  At the mention of his ex-wife and her troubles, he signals the waitress for the check. “Amelia, it’s getting late, and I have a closing in the morning. Will tomorrow around four work for you?”

  When I glance at my watch, I realize he’s right—we’ve been here for hours. “Yes, that would be great. Emma is coming home this weekend, so I can go over everything with her, including where I should move to.”

  As soon as he pays the bill, we head out. As we are walking to the car, he takes my hand. I’m startled but it feels comfortable. “Amelia, these cobblestones and your heels are a disaster in the making.”

  Well, okay then. So much for my thoughts on the hand holding. It’s not because it feels good; he doesn’t want the klutz to fall and sue him. I guess it’s me and The Beav again tonight.

  Mitch

  We are getting closer to her house and I’m feeling things I shouldn’t feel. In reality, she is just another mark. At least, that’s what Peter always called them, only . . . she is the wife of my dead best friend. I need to push aside whatever attraction I’m feeling for her; I’m sure it’s nostalgia rearing its head. I need to keep my focus on the jewels. After all, that is the ultimate prize. When I pull into her driveway, I quickly get out and open the door for her. I want her to see chivalry is not dead. When I take her hand, I can feel it tremble at my touch. I wonder if I’m having the same effect on her that she is having on me.

  “Thank you again, Amelia, for a wonderful evening. It felt good to unwind and catch up. I’ll see you around four tomorrow.” I lean in and kiss her on the cheek. I don’t want to seem too presumptuous. She heads inside, closing the door behind her. Even if I wanted something to happen, she hightailed it into the house so fast, I can still feel the wind from the door on my face. As I head down the stairs and into my car, I notice the upstairs light goes on. I vaguely remember the layout of the house. I wonder if that’s her bedroom. Is she thinking about me? Her silhouette appears through the curtains. I don’t turn on the car lights; I just watch her. She begins to undress and as I reach to turn on my headlights, I wonder what kind of person it makes me, sitting here watching her like this. Her dress drops to the floor and my cock comes to life. With her back to the window she unhooks her bra, letting the straps slowly slide down. Damn she’s good—really good—at this. It makes me wonder if she’s done this before. Does she know that I’m watching? Is she putting on a show just for me, or am I delusional? Probably the latter. She steps out of view from the window and the light goes off. The party might be over, but my cock has a mind of his own. It’s going to be another lonely night with just my hand for company.

  Amelia

  Oh, for heaven’s sake; what the hell was I thinking? I slammed the door so fast that if he was an inch or two closer, it would have hit him in the face. When he moved in, I thought he was going to kiss me but at the last second, he shifted to the side and gave me a peck on the cheek. What the fuck was that about? Following my gut feeling that he’s still in his car, I turn on the house surveillance and sure enough—he’s just sitting in the driveway. Well, two can play this game! He wants to be a peeper; I’ll give him a show. I race upstairs and within seconds I’m in front of the window with the blinds open. I make sure to slowly remove my clothes. When I get to my bra and panties, I turn around and give him the back view. After that, I hightail it out of the room, making sure The Beav comes with me. I head down the hall to the guest room, however, before I do anything, I’ve got to check in with Chloe before she calls cops. She can be a little crazy at times, but she is the one person I know that will always have my back.

  “Hey, Chloe, I’m home safe.”

  “Okay, now tell me everything and don’t leave anything out, because you know I’ll find out.” Somehow, she will; she always does.

  I tell her about why his marriage failed, how he’s trying to climb out of the debt from that. “It’s sad. You know, you work your whole life trying to make an honest living and all it takes is one person to wipe you out. He talked about his daughter. He apologized for not being around more. He is coming over tomorrow to look at the house. He said he’ll bring comps and let me know what updates I need to make it sell.” I finish my report.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” she inquires. I look at The Beav on the bed and my stomach does a flip. What the hell was I thinking and what do I tell her? “Come on, girl, spill the beans! Did you do the nasty with him?”

  “Geez, okay, I seriously thought about it! Odd thing is, when we were at the front door, he moved in for the goodnight kiss. I thought for sure he was going to try and take it to the next level. Instead, he kissed me on the cheek.” Hopefully, I don’t have to tell her the rest of it.

  “So, he just left?”

  “Damn it all to hell; how do you always get it out of me? I saw that he was in the driveway and he wasn’t leaving so I put on a little show for him. There, that’s it. I’m left alone frustrated and with you-know-who,” I confess. Her laughter is contagious.

  “Well, at least you have enough batteries to wipe that man right out of your thoughts!”

  “Do you think the day will ever come when I can retire The Beav?”

  “No! Never. I’m taking Mr. Fuzz Buzzer to the grave with me. You better be prepared to do the same. Okay, what time is he coming by?”

  “Four. What time are you coming by?”

  “Yeah, you know I won’t leave you to your own devices. I’ll be there at five-thirty. That will give you enough time to show him the house and a little extra in case he wants to do the nasty.”

  “Do you think he wants to?”

  “Hell yeah! The bigger question is: what’s stopping him? Look, I don’t have to tell you that you were an easy mark tonight. Widow, horny, a few drinks—damn, I would have done you and I don’t even bat for that team!”

  “Maybe the fact that I was married to his best friend. Or maybe he just wasn’t attracted to me.”

  “Girl, if he wasn’t attracted to you then he’s a fool. You’ve got killer curves in all the right places and we won’t even talk about your Kardashian booty. Get some sleep. I’ll try and get off of work early and come by. I’ll let you know what I think when I see him in action.”

  “Alright, have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.” We hang up and now the thought of a workout with The Beav is doing nothing for me. I opt for curling up with Rusty and binging on Jack Ryan.

  Mitch

  I thought with some sleep things would look clearer in the morning. Boy was I wrong. If anything, it only made things worse. I can’t stop thinking about her. Not her house, not the jewels, not even Peter. Her and that body. Lord above, she’s in her forties but has the body of a twenty-year old. I don’t even know how that’s possible. I know if Peter were alive today, he would be bragging like crazy. I need to get my mind off of her body and back on her house.

  I pulled all the comps. Now it depends on what kind of updates are needed. I’m hoping enough to keep her away for a few days so I can tear the place apart. I think the jewels are still in the house. I know Doug doesn’t think so but, if not, then where the hell could they be? I take my coffee and head out front. Every morning, weather permitting, I read my paper and have my coffee on the front porch. Doug usually walks over from his house and joins me. I head outside to find him already waiting.

  “You actually beat me out here today,” I mention as I study him. He looks like he’s got a three-day old beard and bloodshot eyes.

  “Yeah, I want to know what happened last night. Otherwise, you would be out here alone. Spill your guts, Mitch.”

  “I convinced her to let me look
at the house and give her all the information on selling. Thing is, she’s not one-hundred percent sure that she wants to sell it. You know, all the memories and shit. She gave me some shit that you and I weren’t around for her and Emma over the years. She was right to call us out. I mean, after all, Peter was our best friend.” I lightly smack the table with my paper before taking my seat. He rolls his eyes and sips his coffee.

  “What if she decides she’s not going to sell? Do you have a plan B?” he asks.

  “No, do you?”

  “You’re single; you could fuck her into submission. Don’t even try to tell me that you don’t find her attractive. Any fool can see when you talk about her you get all fucked up in the head.”

  I nearly choke on my coffee. “What exactly does fucked up in the head look like?”

  “Come on, man, it’s a good plan B. Besides, when was the last time you got your rocks off without the use of your hand?”

  “Some days I fucking hate you. I’ll let you know what happens later.” I gather my stuff and head inside. I hate it when he’s right.

  I must have rehearsed what I want to tell her all day. I have no idea why I’m so nervous. I’ve been doing this for over twenty years. I know the house like the back of my hand. I mean, I did all the renovations on it, so I know it’s not that. It’s her. She’s stuck in my head. On top of that, the guilt is creeping in. If Peter was alive and our places were reversed, he would be doing the same thing, or at least I’d like to think so.

  I pull up to her house and see she’s outside in the garden, on her hands and knees, pulling weeds. My eyes instantly look at my cock, knowing he’s going to spring into action. I keep willing him to stand down, only to realize I’m yelling out loud in my car. She sees me, gets up, grabs her water bottle and takes a swig. Watching her lips wrap around the bottle sends my mind in a tailspin. I’ve got to fuck this woman soon before I lose my ever-loving mind!

  “Hey, Mitch, you’re early,” she says as I get out of my car.

  I look at my watch and realize I am, by thirty minutes. “Yeah, my last appointment finished up early, and I thought I would just shoot over here. That gives me more time to look around. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No. I’ll jump in the shower while you look .”

  I follow her inside and as she heads up the steps, I find myself wanting to follow her upstairs and into the shower. She stops, turns around and smiles. “Why don’t you start downstairs while I head into the shower.”

  I quickly snap out of it as her eyes glance down to my crotch. Right about now I’m in deep prayer, hoping my cock doesn’t give me away. If I follow her eyes, I know I’m screwed. I feel a flush coming up my neck. Thankfully, she turns around and races up the steps. I head into the living room, which is like stepping back in time; everything is as it was the last time I was here when Peter was alive. I can hear the shower start, so I take the time to look for any hiding places that Peter might have had. I helped him with every aspect of this house. I try to think of anything that would be a clue as to where he could have hidden the jewels in the house. I can’t think of anything. No loose floorboards. I lightly tap on the walls—solid . When I turn into the kitchen, I stop dead in my tracks. Coming through the doggie door is a beast of an animal. He’s looking at me like I’m his next meal. I think he might be a Pitt Bull. He’s covered in scars and patches of his hair is gone. What little hair he does have left is standing straight up like a bad mohawk. He’s got a growl that is deep and scary. I think moving right now would be a bad decision, especially since his upper lip is beginning to curl up. I think I just might shit in my pants. That’s when I hear her behind me.

  “Rusty, no! Mitch, he’s just showing you who is boss.”

  “I would say, at this moment in time, he is.” She puts a dog biscuit in my hand.

  “He can be bribed with biscuits. Show it to him.” She nudges. I put it out in front of me and he slowly makes his way toward me. When his teeth are inches from the biscuit, he stops growling and gently takes it from me.

  “I don’t think I have ever held my breath that long in my life!”

  “Once he gets to know you, he will be a big baby. I just wouldn’t make any sudden moves until then.”

  “What happened to him?”

  “He was a bait dog; I rescued him. Usually, if a dog is the runt of the litter and not a good fighter, they use them for bait. He looks a little ruff but he’s my boy.”

  I slowly walk over to the kitchen table and pull out my paperwork. I want this to be somewhat legit. I make sure to keep one eye on Rusty at all times. “Why don’t you give me a tour of the upstairs and then the basement?” She agrees and takes me around. I’m still amazed over how nothing has changed. When we get to the basement apartment, I’m in awe at some of the stuff she has restored. “You do amazing work, Amelia.”

  “Thank you. I’ve been selling a lot on eBay and now I have a store on Etsy. It started out of necessity, but I built it into a small business I love. The good thing is I can do it from anywhere.”

  “Have you thought any more as to where you would move to?”

  “I was thinking North Carolina. I’m thinking that Emma and I can do a road trip on her next break.”

  “I’ve never been but I’ve heard nice things about it. As far as this house is concerned, some stuff needs to be modernized. There are also a few things that might have to be brought up to code. I want to call in a home inspector. Have him do a thorough inspection. After that, we can work off his list. Once I know what we need to do, I can put the costs into the sale price. How does that sound?” Before she can answer, Rusty runs past us, almost knocking me over as he races up the stairs.

  “My friend Chloe must be here. Rusty has a thing for her.” She smiles. We follow Rusty. I have to say; I’m dreading this. I met her two times and both of them were not good. She has a way of making me feel like she has my balls in a vice grip. When we get upstairs, Chloe is on the floor giving Rusty a belly rub. No wonder he has a thing for her. She gets up and her eyes instantly lock on mine. For some reason, it’s like she can see deep into my soul. Maybe it’s just a guilty man talking.

  “Hello, Mitch, have you figured out what you can get for the house?”

  Something tells me she’s going to be a problem. “Not yet, but I’ll let Amelia explain it all to you. So, Chloe, how have you been? Are you still working as a 911 operator?” I try to take the spotlight off of me.

  “If you would have been around more you would know that I’m an EMT in Williamsburg. You know, just sayin’.”

  “Ouch. What can I say other than I’m sorry? I’m here now and willing to do whatever I can.” This is me kissing ass, and I hate it.

  “You say that now but let’s see if you stick to it. I just came by to check on my friend and make sure she’s not getting screwed again. On that note, I’ve got to get back to work; I’m pulling a double tonight. Amelia, walk me to my car, please.” She smiles and follows Chloe out. I wanted to tell her that subtlety is not her forte, but I just shut up. No doubt I’m the topic of conversation. I head into the kitchen and gather my papers. I decide I want to wait before I do my sales pitch. Looking around, I venture to say a lot of work needs to be done. The bones of this house are good, which is why it held up so long.

  Rusty leaps off the couch and runs to the door as Amelia comes back in. “Sorry about that. She can be very protective of me. So, what have you decided?”

  “Let’s wait for the inspection report and we can decide after we see what needs to be done. It’ll take about four hours. You don’t need to be here, I will be. I will need a key, and you’ll need to take Rusty out of the house while the inspector is here.”

  “Nothing against you, but I don’t like anyone to have a key to my house. Can I let you in and then you can call me when you’re done?” She’s cautious and doesn’t just jump right in. Her trust will have to be built.

  “That will work. But when we list, I will need a key. You said Emma w
as coming home on Friday. I can get an inspector in here tomorrow. It will take twenty-four hours for him to email the report, which will work out great because then you can show it to Emma. Does that work for you?”

  “Yeah, but how are you able to get someone in here so quickly?”

  “I’ve been in this business over twenty years; I’ve got connections and if need be, I can call in a favor or two. Now I need to get going. I want to get started on this.”

  “Okay, I’ll walk you out.”

  I get in my car and head home. Hopefully Doug is still somewhat sober and can help me get an inspector on short notice.

  Amelia

  Well that was nothing like I was expecting. He never talked money. He didn’t show me any comps and to top that off, Rusty didn’t like him. Maybe I should just forget the whole thing. Damn it, Peter, even after all these years, you’re still fucking with me. I have an uneasy feeling about having anyone in the house when I’m not here. I think I wouldn’t mind if I could leave Rusty here, but I understand that I can’t. I didn’t tell Mitch that I have a surveillance system and if he saw it, he never questioned me about it. Since Peter has been declared legally dead, I’m second-guessing every decision and I have no idea why.

  Me: Hey I know you’re working, but tomorrow the home inspector has to come. They need Rusty out of the house. And Mitch said he could handle the inspection for me, so I don’t need to be here, either. I didn’t say anything about the surveillance system. Should I?

  Chloe: What happened to your smarts? Of course, you don’t say anything. If they find it and ask you about it, just play dumb. Look, I told you there is more to him sniffing around you, now that Peter is dead, then meets the eye. Get your head out of your ass and pay attention!

  Me: Okay, calm down. I was just double checking. Have a good shift and be safe. I’ll let you know what happens.