Crimes in Caster

Escapade: The Hunt For Cassidy, Part 2

    Barry paced back and forth. ‘Tap, tap, tap,’ went his feet as he retread the same path over and over again. Tevin and Teddy exchanged their own lost glances. Were they supposed to speak up or just watch? Barry eventually stopped to take his phone out of his pocket and steal a glance at the time; 10:47. “I still have about two hours before I have other things I need to be attending, why not take another crack at this heist?”

    Teddy leaned against the alley wall. Her long-held gaze towards Tevin now directed Barry’s way. “uh, isn’t Tevin just gonna get busted again?”

    “Don’t worry,” Barry smirked and cracked his knuckles, the leather squeaking under the pressure of the opposite fist. “I have my ways around that.” Barry’s arrogance was hardly ever misplaced, Tevin could confess to that. But that smug smile was always a surefire way to get under Tevin’s skin.

    Tevin wasn’t all thrilled by Barry’s offer, either. He folded his arms tightly to his chest and maintained furrowed brows. Once again, he looked like an angry squirrel. “And what about Clyde, huh?” Tevin finally spat; he’d been holding onto that for a while. “How do I know you’re not just going to tattle to him?”

    Barry hesitated at the mention of Clyde’s name. His eyes drifted past Tevin and he clenched and unclenched his fists. Silence pounded in Tevin’s ears until Barry finally spoke. “Clyde…” he shook his head, “don’t worry about him, he won’t be a problem.”

    Tevin’s brows unfurled to show temporary concern. They lifted ever so slightly to reveal the entirety of his jade green eyes. “You guys are leaving me out of the loop,” interrupted an irritated Teddy, “Who’s Clyde?”

    Her outburst was cause for relief within Tevin. The tension built in his chest lifted to give way to light-hearted banter. “My stupid older brother,” he answered back in pointed remark.

    Teddy giggled. Her devious little giggle turning into a show once she added a clap. “Ooo, family issues.” She leaned forward and cupped her ear with her hand, rubbing elbows with Tevin. “Tell me more.” Tevin flashed her an expression of bemusement. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it wasn’t that. Teddy read his expression perfectly, giggling as she lamely smiled at him.

    Barry himself appeared tired of the antics, an irritated twinge in his brow. He white-knuckled the tight grip he had around his arms. “Back to the heist,” he asserted in a fatherly tone, “Teddy, don’t worry about stealing anything, I’ll just need you to eavesdrop. And Tevin, you just follow me.” Like disciplined children, the two gave Barry crisp nods and seasoned salutes. That brought a content smile to Barry’s face. “Glad we’re all on the same page, let’s roll out!”

    The three reentered the building, albeit Tevin was more nervous than before. That familiar sweat gathered under his palms, much to his chagrin. He patted his hands against his sides, an inner cringe coming through. ‘You’ll get the tuxedo dry-cleaned; you’ll get the tuxedo dry-cleaned.’ Teddy skipped past Tevin and Barry, ripping Tevin out of his bothersome thoughts. Her trench coat whisked and brushed against her legs as she skipped to the staircase. Tevin found his eyes trailing after her longer than he’d like to admit.

    “Well, well, well, look who decided to come back.” Like nails against a chalkboard, a voice strung itself through the air. The obnoxiously large security guard from before positioned himself squarely at the front desk. Tevin tensed and hid behind Barry. Who, despite the overbearing presence of the guard, retained his collected expression.

    “Sorry about the confusion, officer. Me and Mr. Bart here were investors, Mr. Bart had just miscommunicated that earlier.” Like the investor thing would work, Tevin already tried that earlier and it flopped. And Mr. Bart? Did Barry really have to whip out Tevin’s middle name for this? He hated his middle name.