Serendipity

Chapter 16. We Can Be Heroes

Chapter Sixteen ~ We Can Be Heroes

          I scanned the contents of my new ID card. I shook my head in disbelief as I let the card slip through my slender fingers. “Jesse Wayne,” I recited.

            Dad’s grin was wider than usual. “Sounds good, right?”

         I sipped my coffee nervously as I picked up the ID once more. “Nineteen,” I said. “Will there ever by a time where I’ll be my actual age?”

            Dad scoffed and rummaged through his black messenger bag. I never knew what he kept in there. Dad always said it was important stuff, but that was the most he would tell me.

            He pulled out a receipt from the bag and tossed it into the pile of the other receipts and paperwork. “Only you would complain about being young,” he joked.

            Out of curiosity, I snatched the receipt and looked it over. “Six hundred and nineteen dollars?” I read aloud. “Dad, you sold the silver?”

            His lips twitched into a half-smile. “Sure did. The cops stopped me this morning and I didn’t want to have the silver there just in case it happened again. It’s just a precaution.”

            I stayed silent. There was no point in protesting because Dad won every argument.

            “Was Mrs. Samuels here?” I asked, instead.

            “Oh, yes.” He raised his brows and rubbed his palms together. “They are leaving on Friday so that gives us two days to get prepared.”

            I didn’t respond. I didn’t even know how to respond. As conflicted as I was, we were going to do this. It didn’t matter what I said. Dad certainly never had a change of heart.

            “Levi invited me to go with them.”

            Dad’s gaze dropped to the scattered papers, losing interest. “Okay,” he said, “and?”

            “And I said yes.”

            His pale gray eyes shot to mine in an instant, fire blazing through them. “Are you out of your mind?!”

            “I wasn’t thinking!” I fired back. “I’ll find a way to get out of it. I just thought it’d be a good idea if you did the dirty work and I went with them. You know, as a diversion.”

            Dad only stared at me. I knew he was thinking it over. The plan would work. They would never suspect us if I was with The Samuels the whole time.

            It was a good plan and Dad knew it too.

            “I don’t know the house like you do.”

            “Easy.” I stood to my feet and walked to his side. “I’ll draw you a map of everything you need to know. I’ll tell you where the cameras are and how much space they cover.”

            Dad quirked a skeptical brow. “And you’re sure this will work?”

            I nodded.

            Dad thought long and hard. He rubbed his chin as he pondered the idea. After plenty deliberation, he grinned. “I knew I raised you right.” He patted my back and continued to rummage through his bag.

            I chewed on my bottom lip thoughtfully. “And Dad?”

            “Yes?”