The Ending of Chapter 6 

Lance ran his fingers across a few of the pieces. "You're right about risking our lives. I know the Costello family wouldn't hesitate a second about whacking both of us if they had any idea about the jewelry." 

"That's for sure. Whatever we decide, we need to do it fast. Has it crossed your mind that someone at the bank might know a little about what was in the box?" 

"There was a teller. I could tell she was dying to know what was in there." 

"If word gets out, the decision might not be yours for the making." Bennie scooped up a handful of loose diamonds. "Can you imagine wearing cuff links made of these babies? Or me sporting this gold ring?" Bennie held up his hand with the ring on it. "Cashing in on a nice nest egg sounds appealing. I'm not saying to keep it all, but in my way of thinking, we're taking all the risks." 

"I get it! But I took an oath to uphold the law, and I'm sure that doesn't mean helping myself to the jewelry."

"I'm just saying you should think about it." Benny refilled their glasses. "A toast to a better future." No closer to a decision, they raised their glasses, imagining a better life."

CHAPTER 7 

"Cuz, Chu're duh best friend I got." Disheveled and drunk, Lance lay sprawled across the sofa. His unbuttoned shirt left the paunch around his waist exposed. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead. 

Bennie was by far the better drinker. He had learned to manage his liquor from the best, so he wasn't as drunk but past his usual limit. Then, pushing himself out of the chair, he staggered toward Lance, almost losing his balance. 

"Dang, Cuz, you tryin' to kill me? Ya left the chair sittin' right where I'm walkin'." Bennie gave the chair an exaggerated shove, causing it to topple backward, crashing to the floor. 

"Bennie, don't chu be wreckin' duh place. It's not uptown, but duh name on duh doh says it's mine." 

"Sure, sure, Lance. Ya got your name on the door, but it ain't payin' no bills." Bennie grabbed Lance's suit jacket and draped it across his cousin's chest. "Like I was sayin', you and me, we could get out of this town, set up shop far away. You could be somebody. Ya know that's not happenin' in this place." Bennie cleared his throat and continued, "The idea's out there." 

The entire day had slipped away. The morning hours had turned into afternoon ones, and now dusk was settling over the town of Trenton. Between the bourbon and a hefty bundle of nerves, Bennie and Lance had traveled through life's memories and back again without leaving the office. Wild possibilities boosted their courage, and they'd voiced thoughts of slipping out of town and disappearing with the jewels; after all, no one knew they had them.

"Dah' sign on duh doh doesn't make me better than chu. Chu got street smarts. Me, I've sorta got book smarts and a piece of paper dah' says imma a lawyer." Uncomfortable, Lance moaned and shifted his body. "Thanks foh being here foh me."

"Always, Cuz." Bennie reached out and patted his shoulder. "Maybe ya should sleep it off, pal. We can talk more later." 

"Chu're probably right, but I've never took nothin' dah' belonged to someone else unless chu count grade school when I stole Sally Johnson away from dah' snot-nosed Henderson kid."

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to think about it. This guy has never even heard of Blackwell. He isn't expecting any inheritance. Nobody knows about the jewels except us, right? Maybe we could share it with him; take a few to get a fresh start."

"Maybe chu're right, but —" Lance's head rolled to the side, followed by obnoxious snoring. 

Bennie sighed and moved back to Lance's desk and the jewelry scattered across it. Under the desk light, the glitter was blinding. He admired the ring on his finger. He turned his head to study his cousin. 

"Lance, my boy, if anyone else had left me alone with these babies, I can almost guarantee the town would be eatin' my dust, for sure." He sighed before reluctantly opening the desk drawer and sweeping the jewelry into it.  

A handful of loose diamonds remained. Bennie scooped them up and rolled them around in the palm of his hand, admiring their beauty. They were brighter than any stars he'd seen in the sky. The sparking jewels hypnotized him. He hesitated, then closed the desk drawer, shoving the remaining gems into his jean pocket. "Nobody's gonna miss 'em."

After a second look toward his sleeping cousin, Bennie closed the door and headed toward the staircase. 

As night fell, the sounds of people hurrying home faded, and only a few cars remained parked along the street. Bennie pushed open the heavy office building's door and stepped onto the dimly lit cement stoop.  

"Pop! Pop! Pop!  

A loud explosion, much like gunfire, echoed down the street. Bennie's knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground, scrambling back toward the door he'd exited seconds ago.  

"Oh, Jesus, save me." He peered into the twilight, wondering who fired the gun and where they were hiding. His pounding heart slammed against his chest.  

A rusty 1946 Chrysler Wagon lumbered past a terrified Bennie. Half of the wood sides were missing, and its muffler scraped the pavement. The remaining car body shook, its sides rattling as it endured the engine's backfire.  

Bennie watched it rumble down the street. Another round of pops and a cloud of smoke surrounded it. 

A chuckle quickly turned into hysterical laughter. He realized how ridiculous he looked, crouching against the brick building. He brushed his hand across his crotch. "Well, at least I didn't pee my pants." The sudden surge of fear washed away his alcohol buzz. He scrambled to his feet, satisfied no one was shooting at him. "Lance, you got me thinking the bad guys are already after us." He shook his head and looked at the windows above him. "Good night, Sleeping Beauty. I need a drink." 

With that thought, Bennie adjusted his hat and headed to The Watering Hole, where his father and his Irish cronies gathered nightly.  

******************************************************** 

The neighborhood bar was in a rough part of Trenton known as Shanty Town. Empty houses with boarded-up windows and partially caved-in roofs lined the streets. People gathered in the shadows of the dilapidated buildings, passing their marijuana cigarettes to the next person after taking a toke or two. In the rear of the houses, a young couple or a prostitute with her john often sought their moment of pleasure in an otherwise dismal life. Occasionally, a few cronies sat on the crumbling front steps, sharing a mason jar of white lightning or a half-empty whiskey bottle they'd scrounged. The police didn't take notice if it stayed in Shanty Town.  

The Watering Hole, an Irish bar, was a converted grocery store. The bricks, the color of ruby red grapefruit, were crumbling in spots, but the small structure remained standing. Its patrons were the locals, but more than not, brave souls ventured out of their comfort zone in the better parts of town to experience a rowdy night of Irish cheer. 

A working phone booth stood near the door because most bar patrons couldn't afford cell phones. Deep within the dimly lit bar sat a mechanical pony, a remaining relic of the old store. On Saturday nights, when people were feeling frisky, a guy would drop a few quarters in the slot and entice his current female partner to saddle up and ride. A few had eagerly stripped off their shirts and bras as the horse bucked away.  

Familiar faces welcomed him as he entered the establishment. As his eyes adjusted to the lighting, he saw his father perched on a stool at the end of the bar, his usual spot. He preferred his back against the wall and claimed it was easier to see anyone coming his way. 

"There's my boy. Time to break out the whiskey." Rudy waved at his son. "Sandy, set up a round of the good stuff for Bennie and me." The bartender smiled, nodded, and hurried to find a fresh bottle of Irish whiskey. She knew the pair would finish it before the end of the night. 

"What ya been up to all day?" Rudy emptied his beer mug, wiping a few drops off his mouth. "Didn't expect to find you gone so early this morning."

"Got a call from Lance. He needed me to come over to his office."

"Lance, you say. Did he need ya to help him with a case or somethin'?"

"Not exactly, Pop." Bennie accepted the whiskey glass from Sandy. "Thanks, Sandy. It looks like it's a busy night for you."

"Yeah. We've got a few rowdy ones in here tonight. I got my baseball bat behind the bar just in case they get out of hand."

"Now, don't go splittin' heads, Sandy." Rudy chuckled. "They're just friends lettin' off a little steam."

"That's fine. I tolerate a lot, but if they smash up my bar, I'm fighting back, friends or not." Someone called her name from the other end of the bar, and she hurried away. 

"You mentioned you were with Lance. You can't put any coin in your pocket that way. I can smell the highfalutin bourbon Lance drinks all over you. How will you make a living sitting around drinking with him?"

Bennie waved to Sandy. "We'll take another round, Sandy. Make it a double." She quickly poured the whiskey, took a twenty from his hand, and gasped, "Wow! That's some ring."

Bennie had forgotten he was wearing the ring; he gulped as his eyes focused on it. His mind was spinning. He struggled to recover. "Oh, this?" He twisted the ring around his finger. "It's not real. I was in a poker game, and some guy tossed it into the pot. I won and liked its looks, so I put it on." Bennie prayed Sandy bought his explanation. 

"Hmmm. You could have fooled me, but I've never seen the real thing." Sandy took a second look at the ring. "Nice!"

Bennie laughed, "Me neither, but the guy didn't even have enough money to play, so I doubt he owned any of the real stuff."

"Yeah, nobody around this place would ever have anything like that. Not real, anyway." Sandy smiled. "But it looks nice."

One of her rowdy customers pounded his empty beer mug on the bar. "Let's get some service down here."

Sandy shrugged. "Guess I better get back to work."

Rudy swirled his whiskey around the glass for a moment before he spoke. "Buying doubles and wearing fancy rings. One that looks mighty real to me." Rudy shook his head. "Are you planning to come into a job soon or just spending your inheritance ahead of time?" Rudy looked at his son and scowled. "You don't seem yourself tonight. Is something on your mind? If it's troubling you, son, you can always share it with your pop."

Bennie peered over the top of his whiskey glass. "It's been quite a day." He could feel the diamonds in his pocket. "Never could get anything past you." He leaned closer to his father and lowered his voice. "I've got a lead on something, Pop."