“What are those keys for?”
“It’s not important right now. What is important, is getting the guns and the money. I have to take care of one other thing, then we’re going to get G. You’re gonna have to trust me, kid. I have Letty’s best interest at heart. You need to keep your mouth shut about all of this.”
“Miles, you’re the only one who bothers listening to me!” Landon said with a laugh.
Letty patted Miles’s hand. “It’s all right, Miles. You can trust Landon.”
Looking at Letty with a serious gaze, Miles replied, “I do. Just need to be careful. No matter what happens, don’t cave. Don’t talk. I have a plan. Even when it looks like all hell has broken out and there is no hope, just know, I have a plan.”
“There’s always hope, Miles,” Letty said with a reassuring look on her face.
“You remember that,” Miles said cryptically.
“Care to elaborate what your plan is?” Landon pressed.
“In due time. You just need to trust me.”
Before Letty and Landon could press further, Miles climbed out of the car. Leaning in the passenger side window, Miles barked, “Don’t follow me.”
Miles entered the double doors of the storage facility. Peering around at his surroundings, Miles took the elevator to the sixth level and followed the aisle markers to storage unit 628. The facility was relatively empty except for a few guards that stood watch. Miles noticed that along each row of storage lockers, there was a pair of surveillance cameras watching his every move. Pulling the key from his pocket, Miles inserted it into the padlock. With a hard twist, the lock opened. Miles removed the lock hastily and jerked the locked door open. It clanged loudly as it rolled up. Dust scattered in the air causing Miles to choke. As the air settled, Miles stepped inside the storage locker as he quickly rummaged for the things he needed. Hanging on a hook from the top of the locker was a set of keys on a fluorescent orange keychain. Miles snatched the keys and put them in his pocket. Sifting through boxes, Miles carefully but feverishly searched for the items he was looking for. He found his mother’s bulletproof vest that Michael made her wear whenever they went out. Clearly, it had gotten a lot of use because there were a few round tears in the fabric where a bullet had hit, but not penetrated the vest. Tossing it behind him, Miles continued to search. He found another vest, and tossed that with the other, creating a pile. Miles moved boxes and bins out of his way. In an old milk crate, Miles found his mother’s memoirs. Piled in a neat stack of yellow legal pads and secured with a pink ribbon, Andie had written down her life experiences. On top of the stack was a piece of elegant cream stationary paper on which Andie had written in a floral scrawl, Love, Life & Death: Living in the Shadow of My Husband.
Miles hadn’t realized that his mother had written her thoughts and experiences down on paper. Now he understood why his father wanted to get in the locker so desperately. Miles certainly intended to read his mother’s words, so he placed it gently back into the milk crate and moved it aside as he continued to search through the hovel. At the bottom of one stack he found a black chest with his father’s name on it.
“Gotcha…” Miles said as he pulled the heavy chest out into the hallway.
Lifting the lid of the chest, Miles stared down at his father’s old treasure trove of weapons. There were guns, ammo, scopes, a pair of brass knuckles filling up the chest. The lid of the chest was lined in satin in which two dozen sharp knives were secured with twine. Letting out a laugh as he slammed the lid down, Miles pulled the chest into the hallway. Miles found humor in the fact that he intended to use his father’s own gun against him. Die by the gun you live by. It was a code that the Capadonnos adhered to. Miles intended to give Michael a send-off fit for the Butcher, himself. Giving one last look around, Miles’s eyes fell upon an old photo album. Without even opening the cover, Miles swiped it and walked out of the storage locker. Slamming the door shut, Miles locked it securely and walked away with his hands full of his parents’ belongings. Walking to his car, Miles popped the trunk and loaded it up, but not before grabbing the vests and a few guns. With finality, Miles slammed the trunk shut. Opening Letty’s door, Miles held his hand out. Letty unstrapped quickly and gave Miles a nervous look but did as Miles wanted. Pulling Letty into his arms, Miles brought her into a tight embrace, wrapping his strong arms around her.
He whispered into her ear, “No matter what happens, I have a plan. No matter what happens, I will come back for you. Even when it looks like all is lost. Remember that, Letty.”
Letty looked up at Miles with a pair of glassy eyes. “Make sure you do,” Letty said as her voice quaked.
“Make sure you remember that, Letty.”