****

"Are you sure you checked the mic?" Frank asked while he leaned over Cody's shoulder.

"Yes, for the hundredth time," Cody answered crisply and frowned when Frank began pacing. "And would you sit down or stand still. You're making the van rock."

Frank ran a hand through his hair as he watched the dual monitor. Both Shay and Alex's hidden cameras were working, but they had yet to enter the bar and neither had spoken a word.

Alex tugged the door to the bar open and followed Shay inside. They spotted "Ricky" immediately. He was sitting at the bar with Rooney and one other of Rooney's crew.

Rooney looked up to see Andrea Debolt enter the bar with, who he guessed, was the female vice president of the Charlton First Bank of Chicago. He stood from his seat and nodded slightly to the women before heading toward the back of the bar. Both Ricky and his fellow goon jerked their heads, motioning to the women to follow Rooney.

"Search 'em both," Rooney ordered harshly when the door shut behind the two women.

Shay glanced sideways at Alex. "This is completely unnecessary, Mr. Rooney."

"Really," Alex agreed. "You've had plenty of time to check out my story."

"I'll decide what's unnecessary in my operation, lady," he answered gruffly, grabbing Shay by the arm and pulling her roughly toward him. "And, I did check you both out, Andrea. Search her, Ricky," he ordered and proceeded to run his hands up and down Shay's body, pausing to cop a feel or two.

Inside the van, both Frank and Cody heard the low growl from Shay's throat as the man touched her a bit too familiarly. Cody wondered at Frank's ability to keep his cool while his wife was being fondled, until he heard a sharp snapping sound and noticed the pencil Frank had held moments before was now in two pieces.

"If you're done feeling me up...might we get on with this?" Shay asked, clearly annoyed.

Ricky nodded to Rooney after he had finished searching Andrea. "She's clean."

Rooney swept a hand toward the small table, indicating the women should sit. He and Ricky sat opposite them. "Tell me why I'm even speaking to you, Miss Cameron?"

Shay leaned forward with one arm resting on the table and looked Rooney square in the eye. "You want something in my bank. I want something in my bank. I can help you achieve your goal without anyone getting hurt."

"What the hell do I care if someone gets hurt? I go in; I take what I want. If someone gets hurt along the way, lady, it's no skin off my teeth," Rooney spat arrogantly.

Shay shrugged. "That may very well be, sir, but you run the risk of being killed yourself. My way, no employees, a few of which are friends, or customers get hurt. And as a side, none of your men are wounded or killed. The choice is yours, of course."

Rooney watched the two women for a moment while he contemplated the situation. "And just how do you propose we handle this?"

"Reel him in, Shay," Frank whispered.

She smiled inwardly. "The bank has an evening cleaning crew. They come in every night at 9pm sharp. Because they are working short handed for the next two days, they won't be able to make it before 10 pm. I saw the memo as it came off the fax and destroyed it. The guards won't know you aren't the real cleaning crew."

Rooney frowned. "It has possibilities. And how are we getting into the vault?"

"No vault. Safe deposit. The depositor was a private citizen. That was how Andrea knew about the deposit. She heads that department," Shay explained simply.

"And you?" Rooney asked.

"And I...have access to the master keys. The ones that don't require the owner's key present."

"And what's in it for you, Blondie?"

"Half a mil each," Shay replied without blinking an eye.

Rooney sat silent for a moment before answering. The information she provided checked with his surveillance of the bank. He looked to Ricky for his opinion. When Ricky shrugged and gave a slight nod, he moved on to Deuce, the other crewmember that stood by the door. Deuce also nodded. "And who will let us in the bank?"

"I can arrange for uniforms and ID's from the cleaning company to be dropped off tomorrow, if you think your crew can be ready to do the job by tomorrow night. The guard will let you in the rear entrance like he does every evening at 9pm."

"How many guards?"

"Three until Midnight. One guard stays with the cleaning crew at all times."

"He'll be dealt with," Rooney commented off-handedly.

"Let's not litter the bank floor with dead bodies. I intend to keep my position there."

Rooney laughed harshly. "You're in no position to make demands, Blondie. But I'll see what I can do about keeping the dead to a minimum."

Shay stood and moved away from the table. Alex joined her at the door. Both gave the three men a cursory glance before Alex reached for the doorknob.

"Be working late tomorrow, Blondie. Both of you. Anything goes wrong, there will be two bodies that hit the bank floor," Rooney threatened. When Shay locked eyes with him, he smiled sardonically. "And when this is over, we can go out to celebrate."

Shay lifted a brow. "Take a look at your right hand, Mr. Rooney," Shay suggested. When the thug looked at his hand reflexively, she said, "That's the only celebrating you'll be receiving." She reached past Alex and tugged the door opened.

Once out of earshot of Rooney and his four-man crew, Shay shuddered and heard Frank speaking through the earpiece.

"Good job, both of you."

"God, I need a bath," Shay replied as they made their way out of the bar.

"Amen to that," Alex agreed.

****