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That made no sense at all.
“You’re sure there’s no one else? No security guards?”
“Nope.”
They moved to the door, Grant with his gun in the air and Tati trying the door handle.
“It’s unlocked!” she said excitedly.
He nodded, indicating to open it and he’d go in first, guns blazing if need be.
She took a deep breath, likely excited to, for once, be the heroine who swooped in to save the day, and swung the door open.
Only to find Errol standing directly in front of them with a gun pointed at him and Ariana with a gun pointed toward the others.
“How kind of you to join us,” Errol said, aware he had the upper hand.
“I think you missed a few people,” Grant muttered to Tati who was now standing next to him.
“They were standing in a blind spot,” she hissed back.
Grant lowered his one arm slightly, turning toward her, not taking his eyes off Errol. “Which is why I asked if you were sure.”
The edges of Errol’s mouth drew up with a menacing glare. “Drop the guns, Officers, and kick them toward me.”
* * *
Grant raisedhis hands in the air, alongside a seething Tati, as Errol waved them over to stand with the rest of the group.
Errol, wearing a clownish smile, said, “I must say this is convenient. All of you here at the same time and at our mercy. This couldn’t have gone better had we scripted it ourselves. Isn’t that right, darling?”
“A truly cinematic moment, my dear,” Ariana responded, holding her gun steady.
Grant inhaled sharply as he noticed Flynn reach into his pocket. He prayed the man was smart enough to realize the probability of him trying to outgun his brother and mother was not in his favor, more likely to ignite a horrific bloodbath.
To his relief, the man’s hand returned to his side.
“Flynn,” Errol called out, gaining his brother’s attention. “I must say I’m terribly disappointed in your betrayal of the family. Especially after everything we’ve done on your behalf. Although I must admit, I’m not surprised. You being of such low-level intellect. Most assuredly the weakest link in this cast of misfits. Wouldn’t you say, Ariana?”
“Should’ve drowned him in the pool when I had the chance.” Her eyes squinted, her face full of disdain, she added, “When he was a baby.”
Grant took the opportunity, afforded by the disturbing exchange, to scan the periphery. Errol and Ariana were standing with their backs to the front door, eliminating any chance of exiting in that direction. That said, those facing the exit, with a vast living room behind them, full of large pieces of furniture, were in an excellent position to take cover if gunfire erupted.
He had to factor in the Pinkie Posse’s level of agility and overall ability to dive behind a sofa or slide underneath a coffee table once hell broke loose. The odds of them possessing the necessary quick reflexes for something of that nature, unlikely.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.
He caught his brother’s glance to his right and read it as if saying,protect the women first at all costs. Grant side-eyed Tati, who was executing the same impromptu recon.
It would help if they could keep Errol talking. Allowing him, Lucas, and Tati time to determine next steps.
Thankfully, Birdie spoke up. “So, this was the plan all along? To steal people’s life savings along with other money you’ve embezzled?”
Ariana answered for Errol, “I can tell you what it wasn’t, which was to stay in this backward town lacking in culture and refinement.”
“The plan,” Errol interjected. “As you so eloquently put it, was to relocate to an upscale European city. A city where kings and queens reside. One that was elegant and discriminating. More to our liking. And to do so with the resources required to maintain our current standard of living.”
“In Monaco,” Ariana said, with a reverent smile. Her wraparound silk dress asking far too much of the skinny silk tie to keep her rolls and bulges tamed and tethered.
