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Danny Meeks is four months away from paying off the heavy debts he acquired remodeling an investment property when the financial crisis hit. He expects to move his pregnant wife and step-son out of their trailer and into a house by the time his wife delivers Danny's first child.

But all these dreams are threatened when Danny's long-lost brother, Joey, arrives with a large bag of cash seeking sanctuary after a botched bank robbery. Joey brings information that might lead them to their deceased father's lost fortune--or it might lead them into more trouble than they ever dreamed as law enforcement agents and Joey's criminal confederates close in.

Danny yields to his family heritage of thievery to protect his brother and preserve his dreams against adverse circumstances. Danny knows all such actions come with a price. He's not sure just what the price will be, but he is about to find out.

Chapter 1

The front door of Pittsburgh Federal Bank burst open, and gun shots echoed among the buildings of the downtown business district.

Two masked men—one tall, one short—both wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket—ran out of the bank. Each carried a pistol in one hand and a bag full of cash in the other.

A sudden blast brought them to a halt.

The tall one had red stains all over his white shirt. He looked at his shirt and wondered why he felt no pain. He looked at his partner, who had paused at the blast to check him over, then held up his bag. His bag was ripped open and flooded with the same red stains that covered his shirt.

"It's just the dye pack," he said. "Go!"

The short robber sprinted off down the sidewalk.

Before the tall one could follow, two more gun shots sounded from inside the bank. The slugs slammed him against a car parked on the street. This time it was not red dye that soaked his shirt, but his own blood from the entry wounds in his chest and stomach.

A head-shot finished him off. He slumped to the ground, leaving bloody streaks on the car.

Marcus Killdare, an insurance inspector nearing retirement, smirked at the dead young man and stepped out of the bank holding a pistol.

He took aim at the fleeing short robber and coldly pulled the trigger.

The short robber crashed to the concrete just at the end of the block, his bag of cash disappearing around the corner of the building he had been unable to round.

At that moment, Joey Blunt, a young twenty-three year old who had not yet grown out of his delinquent teens, jumped out of the get-away car parked just around the corner. He approached his wounded partner who reached desperately for the bag of money.

"Get it to Ezekiel," the short robber said to Joey, "He'll take care of the dye packs."

As Joey grabbed the bag, the short robber rolled over and fired his pistol down the block at a target unseen by Joey.

A bullet smashed into short robber's forehead, slamming him to the ground.

Joey raced back to the car and jumped in. He turned on his left blinker and pulled into traffic. Then he disappeared into the first ally on the left.

When Marcus Killdare, holding his bloody left shoulder, appeared at the corner where the short robber lay dead, he was stunned to find the bag of money missing. The exchange between the short robber and Joey had taken place out of view, and Marcus had fully expected to find the bank bag just around the corner from where the dead young man fell.

Marcus looked up and down the street full of mid-morning traffic. The placid scene revealed no clues.

Chapter 2

Danny Meeks, a twenty-seven year old, hard-working family man, pulled his car onto the narrow slip of concrete abutting his double-wide trailer. He turned off the ignition and made a call on his cell phone.

No answer.

"Aunt Connie?" Danny said to the voice mail, "Just wanted to say happy birthday. I'll try again another time."

At the same moment inside the trailer, Danny's step-son, Cole, sat at the dinner table poking at his food with a fork, a disgusted look plastered on his face. In his brief eight years of life, Cole had yet to adapt to his mother's cooking.

Ginger Meeks, four months pregnant, scolded him as only a twenty-four year old mother can.

"Eat, or I'll tell Danny no fishing this weekend."

Cole took a half-hearted bite and grimaced.

The car door slammed.

Ginger looked toward the door, and Cole took advantage of her momentary inattention to spit out his food.

Cole rushed to the door.

"Cole, get back here and eat."

Danny opened the door and entered. His eyes lit up when he saw Cole. He affectionately wrestled and tickled his step-son.

Ginger approached and gave her husband a tepid kiss.

"Nice you could drop in for five minutes."

"Hey, on Thursdays I get a full ten minutes between jobs."

Ginger gave him the cold shoulder and moved away.

Danny leaned down to Cole and whispered, "What's on the menu tonight? Pizza and ice cream?"

"Broccoli casserole."

They both shuddered.

Moments later, Danny also poked at his food with a fork.

"It won't eat itself," Ginger said.

Danny acquiesced, but before he took a bite said, "How was school, Cole?" Then he shoveled a large fork full of casserole in his mouth.

"I got a 'C' on my test, Danny."

"That's not like you."

"I put Mauna Kea as the tallest mountain like you said and Antarctica as the biggest desert."

"Did you explain to the teacher what I said?"

"She said that wasn't what the curriculum said."

Ginger cut in. "Teaching him to be a smart-ass isn't doing him any favors."

"I'm not teaching him to be a smart-ass. I'm teaching him to be accurate. Precise and accurate."

Ginger looked away. "I'm not arguing with you tonight." Then after a pause continued, "I'm having the amniocentesis."

Danny put down his fork. "We agreed it wasn't necessary. We're keeping the baby regardless."

"Mother said with Fragile X it's best to find out as early as possible."

"It's not your mother's decision."

"She know the risks."

"The test itself is a risk," Danny said.

"One I'm willing to take. I won't put a child through what my brother Kenneth went through. The appointment is the day after tomorrow."

"I'll make the time to be there," Danny said.

"For once you make time for your family."

"I promise you," Danny said, taking Ginger's hand and looking into her eyes, "only four more months and this will all be over. We'll be free and clear of everything and in a real house before the baby arrives. You know that's why I've been working so hard."

Danny's phone gave a text alert.

"Carpool's here." Danny rose to leave.

"Take the car," Ginger said. "I'm going out with Cynthia tonight."

Danny stopped short. Then he moved on toward the door.

"Are we fishing Saturday, Danny?" Cole called after him.

"Can't, Cole. Picked up a job this weekend. You understood what I explained about four more months, right?"

"Yeah."

"We'll go fishing every weekend after that."

A car horn blared.

Danny grabbed his jacket and opened the door. He froze, dead in his tracks.

Chapter 3

In the doorway stood Danny's younger brother, Joey Blunt. Joey had a large travel bag slung over his shoulder.

Danny looked him over.

"Joey?"

"Listen, Danny. I know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but—"

Danny flung his arms around Joey in a big bear hug and then dragged him into the trailer.

The car horn blared again.

Danny stuck his head out the door and yelled, "I'll drive myself tonight." He turned his attention back to his brother. "What's this about last person I'd want to see? I've waited ten years to hear from you, let alone see you. Damn, you look like shit."

"Hey," Joey said, "You're the one they always said looked like Dad."

Cole and Ginger made their way from the dining room.

"It's Joey," he said to his family. "This is my wife, Ginger."

Joey stared at Ginger's baby bump.

"The last time I asked a girl if she was pregnant, I got a black eye. She wasn't."

Ginger shook his hand and said, "I'm four months along."

Danny patted Cole on the shoulders. "And this is my son, Cole."

"Your son?" Joey looked at Cole and then at Danny, and then back at Cole. "He looks nothing like you. Your wife fuck the plumber or something?"

Ginger was unfazed. "Black eyes must suit you."

"Step-son, Joey," Danny said. "But the adoption will go through any day."

Cole whispered to Danny, "Does he know?"

"Know what?" Joey asked.

Cole said, "Do you know what's the tallest mountain in the world?"

Joey looked sharply at Danny. "Christ, Danny, Dad got you deep."

"Remember the answer?" Danny asked.

"I only heard it a million times. Mauna...." He corrected himself. "No, Mount Chimborazo in Peru."

"Ecuador," Danny said.

"Hey," Joey said, "they're both in Africa."

Cole laughed. "South America."

"Sounds like Danny's kid after all."

Ginger said, "And Danny's kid needs to get to bed, and Danny needs to get to work."

"A real working man?" Joey asked his brother.

"I'm nothing like the old man, Joey. Stay here as long as you want. I'll see you at breakfast."

With another massive bear hug, Danny headed out the door.

After tucking Cole into bed, Ginger entered the living room. Joey lay on the couch.

"You as much trouble as Danny says?" Ginger asked.

"Danny doesn't know the half of it."

"I don't want you in my house past tomorrow."

"I've always been curious about something, Ginger."

Ginger just nodded.

"How long can a pregnant lady fuck without hurting the baby?"

"Sniffing up the wrong tree, Joey."

"Naw, wasn't asking for it. Just wanted to know for my own education."

A glint of mischief flashed across Ginger's eyes. "Babysitter will be here any minute," she said. "She's just what you're looking for."

"I always did like babysitters."

Joey sipped a beer and pretended to watch TV, but in fact he watched Miranda Beach, the babysitter, as she sat on the loveseat reading a book.

Miranda was in her early twenties, a bit frumpy, and wore glasses.

Ginger had finished preparing for her night out. She stood at the front door and said, "Behave yourselves, you two."

"I can take care of myself, Ginger," Miranda said.

Ginger was well aware of it, and she smirked as she shut the door behind her.

"Miranda is a pretty name," Joey said.

"Ginger tells me everything that Danny tells her about you."

"So you're the queen of misinformation."

"Mind if I watch TV?"

Joey tossed her the remote, and she flipped through the channels.

Joey went to the kitchen.

"You want a beer?"

"I don't drink alcohol."

Joey returned with his beer and sat on the loveseat next to Miranda.

Miranda slid away from Joey as far as she could.

"Come on, Miranda. You don't have to play hard-to-get. Ginger said you were all for it."

Miranda smiled. "What did you do to make her want to punish you?"

"Come on, just a kiss."

"I'm saving myself for someone special."

"Wasting yourself if you ask me."

Joey slid closer, pinning Miranda against the side of the loveseat. Miranda resisted. Joey pressed closer, so Miranda got up and moved toward the couch.

Joey lunged at her and tackled her onto the couch.

Miranda squealed.

Suddenly, a hand clasped Joey by the back of the neck and pulled him up.

The hand was Mona's, a stout woman in her mid-forties.

"Who are you, and what you doing to my girl?"

Miranda answered, "Mom, it's Danny's brother, Joey."

Mona looked him over. "You're about what I pictured. I'm Mona. I run this trailer park. Nothin' happens here I don't know about, and I keep an eye on my girl."

Her fierce eyes suddenly relaxed, and she winked at Joey.

"But no one keeps an eye on me. You come stay with me tonight."

Mona dragged Joey out the door. Joey resisted just enough to grab his bag on the way out.

Miranda settled back in the loveseat with her book as a classic movie played on TV.

Danny worked in the Placer Electronics clean-room. He wore the standard, white clean-suit and was surrounded by plastic curtains all through his shift.

Danny carried a box full of print heads for ink jet printers across the room and set it next to an X-ray machine. He sat at the computer and entered a few commands. The X-ray machine lit up.

Danny placed a print head in the machine, and an X-ray image of the print head appeared on the monitor.

Outside the clean-room, Danny's boss, Jim Placer, a short, tough, sixty-two year old, stood waving to get Danny's attention. He didn't get it.

Jim went to an intercom system on the wall and pushed a button.

"Danny, I need you in my office."

Danny reacted to the voice from the speaker overhead and nodded.

Jim Placer's office was a mess. Papers and spare electronic parts were scattered everywhere. Out of place, though, was an abstract painting hanging on the wall behind Jim's desk.

Danny entered the office and immediately noticed the painting.

"New painting?"

Jim looked up from his desk at Danny, and then he looked over his shoulder at the painting.

"My daughter's handiwork," he said. And he turned back to Danny. "She sold a painting last week for ten thousand. Maybe her time at that fruity liberal arts college will pay off after all."

"Have you insured it?" Danny asked.

"I see no need in that. Now, for why I called you in here."

"Look, I'm sorry I was late tonight, Mr. Placer. My brother—"

"Sit down, Danny."

Danny sat.

Jim said, "You're one of my best workers, and I've always given you leeway on the time. Not many folks these days would work like you do to take care of your obligations."

"Thanks for understanding, Mr. Placer."

"That's why it kills me to have to let you go."

Danny stared at his boss.

"Not for anything you've done," Jim said. "At least not here."

Danny was confused.

"I'm closing your department for eight weeks and putting in a fab for aerospace-defense electronics."

"Can't you move me to another department?" Danny asked. "You know I'm four months away—"

"I've already moved those I'll be bringing back for the new fab."

"I failed the security clearance?"

"Aerospace-defense requires low-level security clearances for everyone. Yours was the only one rejected. They didn't say why." Jim shrugged his shoulders and then smiled. "I'll give you the best possible reference, Danny."

An hour later, Danny sat in his car outside the Pittsburgh FBI field office. The streets were deserted. He put a pen box in the glove compartment, and then drove away.

A little later, outside Brookshine Jewelers, Danny worked the lock on the front door. The familiar click announced he had beaten the lock.

The security panel lit up, and Danny approached it quickly. He would have to work fast.

Before dawn, Danny was back in his trailer. He opened his bedroom door to find Miranda lying in his bed. Ginger was still out.

He checked Cole's room and found Cole sleeping soundly.

Danny flopped on the couch and fell asleep.