Sex, Lies & Serious Money

45

Curly put together his gym clothes in a bag.

“Going somewhere?” Sofia/Maria asked, looking up from the Times crossword.

“To the Y,” Curly replied.

“What for?”

“Work out, do some weights, have a swim.”

“You do that a lot?”

“A couple times a week — more, if I’m bored.”

“You bored?”

He laughed. “Around you? Never!”

“Good answer. Is there some other reason you go to the Y? Besides working out?”

“Sometimes I see some of the guys from the joint.”

“You got somebody in mind?”

“Maybe.”

“Whozzat?”

“I’ll tell you later, maybe.”

“Getting all secret on me, huh?”

“You don’t need to know everything.”

“That’s where you’re wrong — everything is exactly what I need to know.”

“Well, you’re just going to have to sit on it, aren’t you? Get your nails done or something.”

She examined her nails. “That’s not the worst idea you’ve ever had. There’s a nail salon down the block.”

“I’ll be back late this afternoon.” He let himself out.

At the Y, Curly rented a locker, changed, and went to the weight room. He had been there half an hour when the guy came in. They exchanged a glance but didn’t speak at first. Finally, when they were both satisfied they could talk without being overheard, they sat on a bench together.

“How’s it going, Irv?” Curly asked.

“Could be worse,” Irv replied.

“Could you use a gig?”

Irv shook his head. “I don’t want to go back to prison,” he said.

“All I need is for you to give a place the once-over, tell me how to deal with the security. You don’t have to go in.”

Irv shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“There’s ten grand in it for you.”

“Yeah? Up front?”

“I have to collect from the fence before I can pay you. I can give you a grand up front, though, if that’ll help.”

“That’ll help. Tell me about the place.”

“There’s two systems — a regular alarm system, then a later, camera installation. I need to make them both go out for half an hour, and maybe you can tell me how to do that.”

“And I don’t have to go inside?”

“Up to you. I just need enough peace and quiet to get some goods out of the place. It’s a town house in Turtle Bay.”

“That the place with the common garden out back?”

“Right.”

“I did two places there, couple years ago, before I went inside.”

“You got caught?”

“Not for Turtle Bay. A bitch snitched me out for another job. I got three to five, but then that early-release thing came along. When do you need this?”

“Soon, next day or two.”

“Can I do it at night? I like working when the people are out.”

“Suit yourself.” Curly handed him a piece of paper with the address and his cell number. “Don’t get caught with this on you — memorize it.”

Irv looked at the paper for a little while, then handed it back. “Got it. I’ll need the grand.”

Curly produced the wad of bills from a pocket. “Don’t be too long.”

“Maybe I’ll take a look tonight.”

“Call me.” Curly went back to his lifts.

They had just come home from a neighborhood restaurant when Curly’s cell rang.

“Who’s that?” Maria asked.

“Friend of mine. Be real quiet.” He picked up the phone. “Yeah?”

“It’s me. I had a look.”

“And?”

“There’s the two systems, like you said. They’ve also got the Israeli door locks.”

“The hell they do — I went in there twice, and I can’t pick an Israeli lock.”

“I can. Did, in fact. I can get you in and shut down the systems, but here’s my thing — I want twenty-five grand, and I get the hell out of there as soon as you’re in.”

“How long am I good for?”

“Maybe half an hour, more like twenty minutes, to be safe. The system’s monitored by radio. When it goes down they’ll try to fix it first, then they’ll call the cops. I reckon you’ll have twenty minutes before you’re rumbled. Do you know exactly what you want and where it is?”

“Pretty much.”

“Then it shouldn’t be a problem, should it? Oh, and I want fifteen grand up front, the rest when your fence pays. Forty-eight hours to wrap it up?”

“That can be done. Let me talk to my partner.”

“I’ll call you back in half an hour. I’ll need an answer then.” Irv hung up.

Maria was staring at him. “Israeli locks? What’s that about?”

“Let me tell you about Irv,” Curly said, and he brought her up to date, pretty much.

“And he’s going to want fifteen grand up front?”

“That’s right. Have you got it?”

“Maybe.”

“Don’t fuck around with me, Maria. Are you in or out?”

“I get half of the take, after paying Irv, and I don’t go anywhere near the house.”

“That works for me.”

“When do you want to do it?”

“Maybe tomorrow.”

“I’ll have to visit a bank for the money.”

“Whatever you say.”

“You get everything set up — Irv, the fence, everything. There’s no reason this shouldn’t go smoothly. One thing — how are you going to get the paintings out?”

“I’ll put them in bags I’ve already got and bring them out on a folding hand truck to Second Avenue, where you’ll be waiting in a rented van.”

“Me?”

“Unless you want to bring in another partner. The more people, the less money, and the riskier.”

“Oh, hell, all right. Where we going to take the goods?”

“Here, then we return the van. The fence will come here with the money.”

“I want all twelve pictures,” she said.

“Well, me too, but we’re not exactly sure where the other four are.”

“I like your theory about the bedroom.”

“I’ll try it, but I can’t promise.”

“Christ, they’ve got to be somewhere in that house.”

“I’ll only have twenty minutes.”

“Then you’d better move your ass, hadn’t you?”