Chapter 16

           OnWednesday,January8,asTommywasmeetingMarleneforlunchattheMemorialPlazaShoppingCenter,hesawadeliveryvanpulluptotheGrayDrugStore.Whiletheywatchedthedeliverymanwalkintothestorewithalargebox,Tommymuttered,"Narcoticsdelivery.Thepharmacist’llbeworkinglatetonight."

           Marlenelookedathimcuriously.Hedidn’tknowwhyhehadsaidthat.

           Kevinhadbeenplanningtorobthestore.He’dgottentogetherwithWayneLuftandanotherfriend,RoyBailey,andlaiditoutforthem.Theywouldexecutetherobberyandgetthelion’sshareofthemoneyanddrugs.Fortheplanning,hewouldget20percent.

           Thatnight,followingKevin’sinstructions,thetwomenwaiteduntilone-thirtyinthemorning,forcedthepharmacistbackintothestoreatgunpoint,thenrobbedthesafeandthenarcoticscabinet.

           Stillfollowingtheplan,theydroveoutintothewoods,spray-paintedthewhiteDodgestationwagonblackanddroveouttopickKevinup.BackatBailey’splace,Kevincheckedoutthedrugsforthem:Ritalin,Preludin,Demerol,Seconal,Quaalude,Delaudidandmore.

           Heestimatedthedrugswouldbringinthirtytothirty-fivethousandonthestreet,andhesawtheirfaceschangefromcuriositytogreed.Asthenightworeon,theyallgothigh,andeachofthemensecretlyapproachedKevin,suggestingthetwoofthemteamuptoripoffthethirdpartner.