An amateur's guide to conning a conman

Chapter 3

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Jack usually left the house by five in the morning to prep for the early morning rush which left me in charge to make sure Harley was ready for school, Gila ready for work and now making sure Lin didn't go to work.

I was a gentle girl, and in so wanted a gentle way to wake up the siblings. Which in my case was to threaten to hose them down if they weren't up by seven. It worked a majority of the time, but I would be lying if I said I never hosed at all of them at least once.

Harley as usual had her nose in a book and was eating her breakfast quietly. Gilda and Lin were fighting over the shower like normal.

I finally solved the issue but letting Gila go first. I had to remind Lin he had to call in sick for the next few days while his fingers heal.

By eight, everyone was either on the bus or sulking in his room.

" I'm heading out, make sure to clean your burns every few hours," I called.

Lin called back a response that sounded more like a weird monster growl than a teenage boy.

My first stop of the day was to visit the produce truckers. They usually were parked in a sketchy alley, but they had the freshest goods that is if you had the money for it.

" Sia." Penny greeted me as I rounded the corner and I smiled.

" Penny." I nodded.

Penny was what I considered a work friend. If Jack hadn't offered to take me in, I would have probably moved in with her. Penny and I weren't exceptionally close but we respected each other and she was the only female produce trucker in the alley. So we girls needed to stuck together.

I watched as she jumped to her feet and open the back of her truck. It was cold inside and I could only see a few crates of leafy greens.

" I got some fresh gooseberries, picked them myself about two hours ago."

" What would I do without you?"

" Probably run a failing business." She remarked cheekily.

I laughed, agreeing with her as I dropped a small pouch of coins into her hands.

The morning went well, no one tried to steal from me so that was a plus. It was midday when Jack came to visit and handed me two oat pastries.

" Two hundred and thirteen."

I thanked him as I bit into the soft oat crumble, bits of oat heaven falling at my feet, the smell of cinnamon was addicting and I smiled, content.

" Damn, I need to find me someone that looks at me the same way you look at oat pastries." Jack whistled.

" Still waiting on those two hundred and thirteen pastries." I hummed as I finished off the last one.

" Grateful as usual." He quipped.

The rest of the day went by without a hitch and by the time I packed up. Jack was nowhere to be seen.

I found him back at the bakery, for some odd reason, the stall seemed to be having a late afternoon rush. The line was so long.

He caught my eye and quickly jogged over.

" It's the queen's birthday today. Everyone wants to buy queen rolls. Can you go home without me?" He quickly glanced back at the crowds, growing more impatient by the moment.

" Yeah, of course. Come home soon." I said.

He was off before I finished my words. I began my walk home. Which was worse without Jack, at least with him. When we were together, most people left us alone. But now as I walked through the street.  I got called at on all sides, asking me if I wanted to make some extra cash, asking for direction, offering to help me take my things home.

Obviously, little tactics to con me but still terrifying as I ducked into a smaller alley. It was a shortcut, a dangerous one but I was careful.

The alley was very small, I could probably stand with my back on one wall and reach out to touch the other side, that was how cramped I felt. And the smell, it smelled like a strange mixture of urine and something else. I didn't want to dwell on it for long.

The sounds of fast footsteps caused me to glance up. It was a man, he was running towards me. A dark cloak fluttered behind him and a red scarf was pulled up to his nose, a bag slung over his shoulder.

Only one thought crossed my mind. I was about to get robbed. I bolted but he was too fast. I felt him grab onto the back of my shirt and pulled hard.

The air was choked out of me and I struggled to fight back. My elbow hit flesh and the man grunted but his grip never wavered.

He threw me aside, my back hitting the wall. I cried out as pain shot up my entire body. Two shiny boots stepped forward.

" Sorry kid, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

There were more footsteps, and judging from the sound, there was a lot of people coming my way.

Oddly enough the man shrugged off his cloak and threw it over me, then he placed his bag next to me before taking off.

I struggled into sitting position, and grabbed his bag, I could see money. Pines were stacked upon each other so much, the bag was almost bursting at its seams.

" Hands up now!"

In a matter of seconds, ten guards had surrounded both sides of the alley.

I immediately asked what was happening but they pointed their weapons at me and one of them barked at me to shut up.

He was a tall, skinny man. With jade eyes and dark hair. I deduced that he had to be the leader of the group as he was the one barking at me.

He reached forward to grab the bag, his lips set in a frown as he stuck his hand in, trying to find something.

" Okay kid, the jig is up. Where's the necklace?"

" What? No, I was attacked a moment ago. The man you're looking is getting away."

He set his lips in a thin line, " Kid, there's no use in lying. You're caught, just tell us where the necklace is and maybe I'll put in a good word to the courts."

Was he not listening to me?

" I told you, the man you're looking for ran that way and the longer you question me, the more time he has to get away." I was growing frustrated.

How could they be so foolish? I looked nothing like the man in terms of size, looks, gender.

" Policks and Bert. Take the girl to holding, maybe she and her partner will confess after a long night."

Partner?