Halfway There // Liam O'donovan

20

_MONEY_
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EVIE'S POV
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I was in the garden playing football with Liam, Toby and Frank when our little game came to an abrupt stop as Liam kicked the ball into the trees and we heard a police car go by. "What was that?" he asked and we all went running into the trees to see what was going on. "Toby, get the ball."

"Okay." Toby called as he jogged over to pick it up.

Liam, Frank and I went to the edge of the garden and looked out on the road. The police car drove by and we followed it with our eyes, "It's here for you, Liam." I joked.

"No, no it's here for Frank." Liam said and Frank laughed, raising his hands in surrender. The whole of the dumping ground had found out about Liam and I's relationship, it was no surprise to the really. We went back into the trees to find Toby and when I placed a hand on his shoulder he yelped.

"What's wrong? What's going on? What are you doing?" I asked, confused.

"Where'd he go?" Toby said.

"Who?" Liam asked, holding the ball.

"The man who threw that!" Toby said, he pointed down at a black duffel back which sat in the grass. We slowly walked forwards and crouched down beside the bag. Liam unzipped it and inside was money. Loads of money.

"I haven't seen this much cash since I did county lines." I said, Liam and Toby began to dig through it. I picked up a wad of cash and examined it. "It's definitely dirty."

"How can you tell?" Liam asked.

"I just know." I shrugged, "Used to deal with it a lot, it's been laundered or stolen or something."

"What are we going to do with it?" Toby asked, a little panic in his voice.

"Keep it, he can't ask for it back, can he?" Liam said.

"That's stealing!" Toby said.

Frank picked some up and shuffled it in his hands, "Finders keepers, losers weepers, That's the law." He said, I laughed.

"You don't actually think that's the law?" Toby asked.

"The point is, the guy's a crook and we deserve it more than him, right?" Liam said.

"But what if he comes back?" Toby asked.

"Good point." Liam said, "Lets get this stuff inside, come on."

We gathered up the duffel back and put all the cash inside, zipping it up so none would fall out. Liam put it on his back and we jogged across the garden. We stopped in our tracks as we saw Tracy taking out the rubbish.

"Distract her, and get to the front door as soon as you can." I told Toby, he nodded and ran up the steps. We heard him fake fall over and then once we heard Tracy go over to help him, we legged it up the steps and around to the front door, unnoticed. Toby opened the doors.

"Too busy, go round the back and wait!" He told us, we nodded and ran around to the back garden. We snuck around to where Frank's bedroom window was and Toby lowered down a rope made of bedsheets. Liam grabbed it and securely tied the bag onto it. Frank checked the windows.

"Clear." He told us. Then, Toby pulled the duffel bag up to Frank's bedroom.

"What you doing?" Carmen asked, none of us had even noticed her come over. We turned around and tried to conjure up a lie.

"Nothing?" Frank said. Carmen slowly nodded and backed away, she smiled before running into the house. We were quick to chase after her, through the house and up the stairs to Frank's bedroom where Toby had the duffel bag open on the bed.