Read Online Double Take by Kendall Talbot - Free Book Online Page A

they listened to the tape uninterrupted. Gemma was surprised at how clear it was. It sounded as if the boys were actually in the room with them.
    It lasted nearly an hour and Gemma reheated and dished up last night’s leftover lasagne to eat while they listened. At one point in the tape she felt like she was in a scene from Cagney and Lacey . But that was just a TV show. This was real life…so much more exciting.
    The tape ended just as Gemma finished off her glass of wine. “Be a good boy and grab the bottle for me,” she said to Max.
    â€œWhere were you hiding when you taped this?” Murray looked on the verge of throwing up. Clearly he wasn’t enjoying this as much as she was.
    â€œWe were under the shed.” Max placed the half full wine bottle at Gemma’s fingertips.
    Murray’s eyebrows nearly thumped together. “You actually saw these people?”
    â€œYeah, it’s really cool under there. It’s dark, so we can see them but they can’t see us. There was this one guy though that scared the crap out of us when he fell up the stairs. He was like this far away.” Trent held his fingers centimetres apart.
    â€œYou should see it, Dad.” It was Max’s turn to speak. “We’ve made this really cool racing track. We race our remote control cars.”
    Gemma nearly burst out laughing as she imagined the boys playing with their cars while these guys were planning a robbery upstairs. She wanted to see it, but by the look on Murray’s face, he was a long way from matching her thoughts.
    â€œWe told you it was true,” Trent said. He raised his chin in defiance and Gemma saw for the first time—or maybe it was the first time she was willing to admit it—how grown-up Trent was.
    â€œI’m sorry, boys, I should have believed you. It’s just this whole thing, it’s like something from television.”
    Gemma grinned. “Ha, like Cagney & Lacey.” She loved that show.
    Murray glared at her.
    â€œWhat?” She shrugged.
    He shook his head. “Boys, it’s past your bedtime.”
    â€œBut what about the tape, Dad?”
    â€œGemma and I need to discuss it. We’ll talk about it more in the morning. Now get ready for bed and I’ll come up in a minute.”
    The brothers weren’t happy with going, but they did anyway. Gemma topped up her wine glass and upon noticing Murray hadn’t even touched his, added a little more.
    Murray waited until he heard the boys upstairs before he spoke. “We’ll have to give the tape to the police.”
    â€œI guess so. I could take it to the station tomorrow.”
    His eyes shifted from the boom box to her. “You sure you can get away from work?”
    â€œI’ll cancel an appointment and shut the door for a bit. It’ll be fun.”
    He reached over and cupped her hand. “Thank you. You know I can’t take time off at the moment.” Murray was always going on about needing to earn as much money as he could just to get the bills paid.
    â€œI know. It’s okay.” She sipped on the wine. “So…how much money do you think will be in the bank?”
    â€œNo idea. They must bring in extra cash for Melbourne Cup day.”
    â€œExactly, so how much do you think it’ll be? I reckon at least three million dollars, don’t you?”
    â€œI doubt it. That’s too high,” he said.
    Gemma took another swig of wine and thought about the zeroes as she twirled her hair between her fingers. “If there are six bank robbers and there’s only, say, one million dollars, then they’d only get about one hundred and fifty grand each. It doesn’t seem worth it for that much money.”
    â€œHoney, they’re bank robbers, not accountants. They probably haven’t even thought it through.”
    â€œWell, it has to be at least two million dollars. Wouldn’t make sense