The Everything Box Read Free Page A

dare.”
    Phil broke into a full-throated chorus of “Sweet Caroline.”
    Pushing himself off with his arms, Coop landed flat on the beast’s tongue and slid forward, scattering piles of gold and diamonds, until he was knee deep in the dragon’s mouth. Before he’d even stopped sliding, Coop thrust the claw forward and grabbed the folder, which he crammed into a Velcro pouch on the front of his suit.
    â€œAre we dead yet?” said Phil.
    â€œWe’re doing great.”
    Phil went back to his song.
    â€œExcept for the singing.”
    Moving backward out of the dragon’s mouth was a lot harder than going in. He couldn’t get a grip on the slippery tongue, so he had to worm his way back slowly, past the Bellicoses’ other loot. He was almost out when he caught his leg on one of the dragon’s front fangs and ripped through the suit, leaving a deep gash. The dragon growled sleepily as it tasted blood.
    â€œAh. I see what you meant. Now we’re dead,” said Phil.
    Coop gave one massive push and shot out of the dragon’s mouth hard enough that he almost missed the wire, grabbing it just before he touched the floor.
    Slick as a human Skittle covered in dragon spit, cut, and exhausted, Coop inched his way back across the wire to the dining room door. He wasn’t going to sleep tonight. Not for a couple of nights, probably, not with the image of the dragon’s gullet so fresh in his mind. He considered using the rest of the sleep potion to knock himself out tonight, but nixed that in favor of a drink. Many, many drinks.
    â€œI thought we weren’t drinking anymore,” said Phil. “Not after, you know. Which brings me back to your intimacy issues.”
    â€œI didn’t drink until after. And you’re my intimacy issue right now.”
    â€œCareful. I know some Sondheim, too, and I know how you love musicals.”
    â€œHow’s this? Give me sixty seconds to feel good over a job well done, okay?”
    â€œOkay. But can I say one thing?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYou forgot your jack,” said Phil.
    Coop looked back at the dragon’s mouth, where the jack glistened.
    â€œDamn.” He glanced back toward the door and the way out. “Forget it. With this payout, I’ll buy another. I’ll get a dozen.”
    â€œDamn. We are feeling good. Okay, it’s waffles all around then.”
    Coop made it back to the door, dropped onto the hall floor, and packed up his gear.
    Not bad, he thought. A tough job, but he got it done. He felt better than he had in months.
    â€œYou know,” said Phil. “It’s still a few hours until dawn.”
    Coop looked up at the walls. The Bellicoses were out of town at their summer place in whatever milder country the rich had decided to strip-mine this season. He and Phil had the place to themselves. Old masters hung in gilt frames on the walls. Antique Persian carpets covered the floors. Even the bowl holding a pile of wax fruit on a nearby table was gold. He shook his head.
    â€œI was thinking the same thing, but no. The job went all right and now we’re leaving.”
    â€œBuck, buck, buck,” said Phil, doing a fairly convincing impression of a Rhode Island Red.
    â€œPipe down, Phil. I still have some professional pride left.”
    â€œYou still think this one job is going to get your rep back?”
    â€œWhy not? No one has ever made it in and out of Bellicose Manor alive. Except for a couple of hiccups, things went just like I planned.”
    â€œUh. No, they didn’t.” Phil cleared his throat.
    Coop finished packing and looked up from the floor.
    Damn.
    â€œMy snitch said this place would be empty for the whole week.”
    He felt Phil twirl around in his skull like he was looking for an ejection seat.
    â€œWell, I’m gone,” Phil said. “Good luck.”
    â€œDon’t you dare.”
    Down the hall, a little blond girl in