expect not,” she said. “I feel bad. This is a lot of money.”
The man pushed his hands into his pockets. “Maybe it’s our lucky day.”
“It’s our lucky day!” Sam shouted, and hugged himself.
“My name is Louise.” Marlene offered the stranger her hand. “This is my brother, Teddy, and my little girl, Tina. We’re not even from here. We’re in town visiting my oldest brother.”
“Orin.” The man shook her hand. “I’m not from here either. Atlanta. Just here on business.”
Marlene’s eyes lit up as if she’d just stumbled on royalty. “An Atlanta businessman probably knows just what to do! I swear to God, as soon as I see cash, I get confused.”
That’s actually sort of true about her. When you work a hustle, it’s good if you can incorporate your real self a bit. Within limits.
Orin started to shift around; he couldn’t take his eyes off that envelope. “If you want my advice …”
“I would be grateful,” Marlene said in that light smooth voice she used to be so good at. “Actually, you know what? My brother, Brian, is a lawyer. I should just call him. Maybe you could talk to him?” She started toward a phone booth. “He’s right in town here.”
Orin followed. “When you’re dealing with cash—”
“It’s my money!” Sam’s tone see-sawed.
Marlene looked back. “If the people don’t come back for their money then we’ll split it. How does that sound? One thousand five hundred dollars just for you.”
Sam clapped his hands.
My paper bag rattled a little and I flinched.
Waiting for my mother to put her call through, Orin smiled at me. “What you got in that bag, sweetie? I bet you’ve got some palmetto bugs.”
“They’re my pets,” I said quietly. That was what Sam had told me when he gave me the bag.
On the phone, Marlene explained the situation. It was actually Fat Freddy at the other end, feeding her all the lines, my mother preparing him to talk to the pigeon should the pigeon insist.
“Brian,” she said into the receiver, “we’re leaving town, I don’t have time for all that … Well, what’s a bond? I don’t understand what that means.” She sighed as if she was exasperated. “Brian, why don’t you explain it to Orin, the fellow who … all right! I’ll try to do that … goodbye!”
She hung up the phone and turned to Orin. “He gets so impatient. He had a meeting to get to. Brian says to make it legal, we have to put up a bond for an equal amount and that we have to run an ad in the paper. If no one claims the money in thirty days, it’s ours. Brian says he’ll take care of the ad and he’ll draw up the paperwork but we have to put the money in his safe if he handles it. What’s a bond?”
Orin smiled patiently. “A bond is a kind of promissory agreement. When a bond is issued, there must be a deposit made and that insures both parties.”
“Oh, honey, you’re speaking Greek. I don’t suppose you would be willing to take the money to my brother’s office, would you? I promised my little one that I’d take her to Disney World and now everything’s so complicated. I could give you whatever portion I owe for the bond and then if you could take care of the legal arrangements …”
“Sure!” Orin said. “Why don’t we just nip into the bank here?”
She followed Orin into the bank, saying, “Will they cash my traveller’s cheques?”
I looked up at Sam. “When are we going to Disney World?”
“She’s gonna get me my money,” he said, his face contorting.
I wished he’d just talk normal for a second.
In a few minutes, my mother and the man came back out to the sidewalk and each of them had fifteen hundred dollars cash. Marlene slid hers into the envelope with the found money.
“What an ordeal!” she said as Orin handed her his. “Brian said we have to seal it, each of us signs it and then we put it in his safe. Here’s his address.” She handed Orin a business card.
This is the other important thing about these kinds of hustles: official-looking credentials. Fake business cards are good, brochures, fake personalized cheques—whatever it takes.
Marlene licked the bulging envelope and sealed it shut. “I’ll just sign the flap. Um, where can I …?” She giggled. “Can I use your back?”
Orin smiled. His face reddened and a trickle of sweat came down his temple. “When’s your flight leave?” he asked as he