THIEVES ━ SHURI UDAKU

▬ nineteen: planning stages

THE FIRST THING that Beth had done, the moment that she him was to throw his arms around his shoulders and embrace him. He'd been so shocked by the brief contact from Beth - whose way of showing love was punching him in the arm and calling him a dimwit - that he'd just stood frozen in his tracks. Beth didn't do feelings or emotions. This small hug might have been the most contact they'd had in all of the years that he'd known her.

Before Caleb could truly react or make it a moment, Beth had pulled away and she placed her hand on his shoulder, peering with concern at him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to him. Caleb felt hot rocks dance in his throat. He forced himself to look her in the eyes.

"Me too," he'd whispered.

Nearly hours later, once they'd managed to get settled in and Beth had made everybody hot chocolate, they sat around the table attempting to discuss a plan. The tension was palpable and Caleb could practically feel just how awkward it was. "We have a chance to finally get the necklace back. I could possibly have a plan," he spoke finally, becoming uncomfortable with the number of eyes on him and the pity that was so obvious in them.

The pity morphed into surprise as Beth stared at him as if he'd randomly sprouted an eye in the centre of his head. She caged her shock and coughed silently. "And that is?"

"We distract him and go into his home and get it," he said, fully aware of how lame that sounded especially as Beth narrowed her eyes at him and Shuri sighed dramatically.

"That simple, huh?" the princess asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Beth rolled her eyes at him before she placed her head on Timothy's shoulder, the interest she'd had fading away. "And how do we know it's in his house anyway?" Beside her, Timothy's eyes were trained on her face, his hair tangled absentmindedly in the braids in her hair. His eyes seemed glazed over and Caleb couldn't help the concern that he felt. Timothy was considerably quieter than he'd ever been on his life. Since she was gone, Timothy had seemed almost muted. His loud brother who didn't have a practical bone in his body spent his time staring into the air and Caleb had no idea what to do to help him.

"I managed to track it there," Shuri answered. "But we'll have to have enough time to get it and switch it for the fake and to make sure that he'll be out." She pulled a small black box out of her pocket and pushed it across the table towards Beth. "This is a tracking chip. It shouldn't be too hard to track him if he's wearing it but it's an issue of how exactly to get it on him."

"I can do it," Caleb called out suddenly and all eyes turned towards him.

Beth lifted her head off Timothy's shoulder. "Are you sure?" she asked and Caleb knew that she was simply concerned for him. But there was something about the way that she watched him, as if she was afraid that he would break. He appreciated that she worried but he didn't like them treating him as if he was fragile.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I have to see him about a promotion anyway."

Beth gasped up, her brows shot up and her features contorted to accommodate her anger and confusion. "What, no! You said you'd never. There's no way."

"That was before. It's not exactly like I have a house now," he answered, staring her down with just as much determination. Around them, eyes followed them and ears tuned into their conversation.

Shuri looked between the two before her gaze stopped on Caleb. "What promotion?" she asked, her mind racing.

Caleb glanced away from Beth. He smiled at Shuri, although she could tell that it was forced. "Nothing. It's no big deal," he answered, placing his hand lightly at the small of her back. Shuri rolled her eyes at him and Caleb could tell that they would have that conversation later but she seemed to relax at the brief contact.