Page 29 of The Thief
“They’re not looking,” I assured her.
“You want me to put my hand in your pocket?” She frowned. “Isn’t that risky?”
“It’ll be fine,” I shot back as she grimaced, not liking the idea at all. “I have something in there.” And under my breath, I muttered, “It was just an idea. Something to help pass the time. Make things a little more bearable.” My eyes went to Ava, to let Jess know I was trying anything I could to take that little girl’s mind off where she was right now.
Jess took a deep breath.
“Okay,” she replied, albeit reluctantly.
She glanced over my shoulder to check the gunmen weren’t looking. Then, she turned her body, leaning into me like she was giving me a hug as she slid her hand through the space between the buttons of the boiler suit. Her fingers grazed across my stomach, causing my muscles to tense, and then into the pocket of my jeans. Then her eyes met mine as she found what I wanted her to find in there, and she frowned again, looking puzzled as she slowly pulled her hand back out.
“Wow!” Ava marvelled as Jess sat back and opened up her hand to show her what was hidden inside. “That is magic.”
In the palm of Jess’s hand was a silver, ornate skeleton key. One we used for an old safe that we had in the asylum chapel. We kept our takings and anything of real value in the safe in our living quarters on the top floor of the club. But Devon loved howold and rustic the safe in his chapel was, so we’d kept that too.
I don’t know why I still had the key in my pocket. I’d gone to the chapel before leaving this morning to check that safe and see if there was anything in there. I’d thought perhaps Colton and Will had taken more off the men from last night. Stripped them of any hidden money or assets. But it’d been empty. And now, I was glad I’d kept that key on me. This idea might not work, but it was worth a try.
“You see that key,” I told Ava, nodding to the key in her mum’s hand. “It has special powers. It’s the anywhere key, because it can take you anywhere you want to go.”
“Away from here?” Ava asked, her face lighting up.
“Yes. Anywhere.”
“But what about Mummy?” Ava’s little forehead wrinkled as she peered up at her mum. “I don’t want to go anywhere without Mummy.”
“You can go together,” I replied, and her face softened with relief.
“All you have to do is hold that key, both of you, at the same time. Tell it where you want to go, then close your eyes really tightly and it’ll take you there.”
“Can we try it, Mummy?” Ava asked, and Jess smiled back at her.
“Of course we can.” The look of appreciation she gave me as she softly stroked her cheek over the top of Ava’s head made it all worthwhile. Then Ava frowned, wrinkling her nose as she thought.
“I want to go to two places, but I can’t choose,” she told her mum.
“What two places do you want to go to, baby?” Jess asked.
Ava gave a little sigh, still weighing up her options in her head. “I want to go to Grandma’s, but I want to go to the teddy bear’s picnic at nursery, too.”
This girl was too precious. I was expecting Disneyland or some other over-priced theme park, but she had other ideas.
“You saw Grandma yesterday,” Jess reminded her. Then looking my way, she added, “There’s a teddy bear’s picnic at her nursery next week, and she’s beyond excited.” Then glancing back down at her daughter, she said, “We’ve even made a new outfit for her princess bear. She’ll be the best dressed bear at the picnic.”
Ava smiled and nodded, then it dawned on her, “But I don’t have princess bear with me. She’ll miss it.”
“No, she won’t,” I told her. “She’ll be right there.” I gestured to her head with mine, if I could’ve pointed I would’ve.
“Shall we try it?” Jess whispered, faking her excitement.
I watched as they both held the key and closed their eyes, Ava screwing hers shut so tightly it looked uncomfortable.
“Where are you?” I asked, and Ava gasped.
“It’s the field at nursery. I can see my friends, Jaden and Amelia.”
“Do they have their teddies too?” I asked.
“Yes. They’re on the blanket eating cake.”
