I leaned my head to the side. “So, you thought it would be a clever idea to rob it?”
“I told Johnny one night when we were there that this could be the job to retire him.”
Griff raised his eyebrows. “Was his wife around?”
“No.” Pandora rolled her eyes at him. “She was busy doing wife things.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Johnny and you always talk jobs?”
“All the time. His wife doesn’t like that part of his life, so he confides in me.”
West stepped out, carrying four boxes of pizza and a stack of plates.
Pandora continued, “So, I came up with the idea months ago, but we could never think of who could do it. Then, I would see you show up, Cain. And I knew that you were perfect. Later, Johnny told me about you all robbing strip clubs.”
West placed the pizza on the table near us. He opened up one and grabbed a slice. Next, he walked over to me and he took the blunt from me. “Did I miss a lot?”
“Sure did.” Griff rose and headed over to the pizza. “I’ll catch you up later.”
Pandora continued, “I read the articles on the strip club robberies from Glory’s newspapers. No one had any idea who was doing it. And you all weren’t even wearing masks.”
“Strip clubs won’t let you inside with a mask.” West munched on pizza. “It’s best to come inside like regular customers and then bang bang.”
Griff had a sad expression as he held a slice. “I just thought about something. Does Johnny have kids?”
Pandora nodded. “Two with his wife and one with another woman.”
“That sucks for them.” Griff bit into his pizza.
Phoenix crossed her legs. “I have a question.”
I nodded. “Go ahead.”
Phoenix looked at Pandora. “Did anyone else besides Johnny know about this job on Lush and that he was considering Cain and his brothers to do it?”
Pandora frowned. “And who are you again?”
Griff cleared his throat. “Phoenix is a close associate.”
“Yep.” West chimed in, “She’s a major friend of the family.”
I sneered. “And she’s mine.”
Pandora looked at me. “Yours?”
Phoenix sighed. “Did anyone else know about Cain and his brothers possibly being involved?”
Pandora shook her head. “I doubt it. Dimitri Ivanov owns Lush which means the Syndicate controls it. The job would be a major move against them. Johnny would have had to be tightlipped about the whole thing.”
“Yet, Johnny told you?” Phoenix wore a skeptical expression.
“Because he told me everything,” Pandora countered.
“More than he told his wife.” Phoenix quirked her brows. “Were you two having sex?”
Pandora frowned. “If I was a man would you ask the same thing?”
“Of course. Men fuck men.” Phoenix nodded. “You’re a bigger confidante to him than his spouse and you both are hanging out at nightclubs/brothels in the evening talking about secret shit. It sounds shady.”
“That doesn’t mean we were having sex.” Pandora rolled her eyes.
I looked at her. “But were you fucking?”
Pandora blinked. “I don’t see how that has anything to do with this.”
I pointed at the diamond cupcake dangling from her neck. “Where did you get that from? This is the first time I’m seeing it.”
She touched it. “Johnny gave it to me for my birthday. He doesn’t want me to wear it in the shop just in case someone comes in and tries to rob it.”
Phoenix sucked her teeth. “That’s a nice present for your birthday.”
“He was nice like that.”
Phoenix chuckled. “Or you two were having sex.”
“That may be your life, but in mine, men are simply nice.” Pandora rolled her eyes at Phoenix. “Johnny was more of a father figure.”
I doubted that.
Phoenix muttered, “They were definitely fucking.”
“Either way, let’s get on with the more important parts.” Griff carried over two plates with pizza on them. He handed one to Pandora and then the other to Phoenix. “Here you go, ladies.”
“Thank you.” Phoenix took hers.
“I just lost my appetite.” Pandora waved hers away.
Griff gave me her plate.
I took it. “Pandora, why did you run over here?”
“I wanted to tell you what happened. I thought it was important.”
Phoenix took a bite and then mumbled. “Did you go to the police or call one of his friends?”
Pandora rolled her eyes again. “No. I’m sure his wife will find Johnny’s body tomorrow morning. If he’s gone for too long, she will sometimes show up at the shop.”
“So, you don’t think anyone even knows that he’s dead?” I asked.
Pandora shrugged. “I doubt it.”
Phoenix gave me an odd look. I wished I could read her mind.
Pandora spoke, “So, back to the job.”
We all turned to her.
“I know that when Johnny’s body is found by the Syndicate, things are going to get super busy.” Pandora placed her hands on her lap. “Dimitri Ivanov will be asked to look into the whole matter, and he’ll be focused on the killer.”
“Because he’s the head of the Syndicate?” I asked.