'You can't keep her, you know.' Bancroft had been watching Trimble as he'd fed the chicken soup to Susan.

'She's sick. We should get her to a doctor.'

'Oh right.' Bancroft laughed, a sharp, harsh sound devoid of humor. 'You know what that'd cost us.'

'I know what it could cost her if she doesn't get treatment.'

'Breakin my heart, here.' Alesio clutched his chest. 'I can think of a couple a things she's still good for, long as she's warm.' He fell about, laughing, delighted with his own joke.

Trimble raised a hand, ready to slap Alesio but instead it was Bancroft who hit him: a solid blow on the ear. He turned and swung a wild punch but Bancroft was bigger than him and faster and altogether a better fighter, he dealt a straight left that caught Trimble on the cheekbone, just below his right eye and sent him tumbling back against the stack of firewood. 'I'll tell you what your bleeding heart's going to cost - it's going to cost all of us our lives. Think of that did you? Because we're up to here in this.' He ran his finger across his adam's apple in the classic throat-cutting gesture. 'We're kidnappers and kidnappers fry in this state so I'll tell you what's not going to happen.' He jabbed a finger at Susan, huddled on the bed, shaking and talking to herself. 'She's not going to a doctor. Not till we've got the money and get outa here. Once we've made the split you can do what you like. Sit here and hold her hand and wait to get arrested for all I care.'

'I can think of much better…' Alesio smirked.

'Shut up.' Bancroft bashed him across the ear. 'We've got one day to wait for the money and her father'll have it.'

'Splitsville,' Alesio sighed. 'Tell me about Mexico again,' he said to Bancroft.

'Jeez, you're just like a kid waiting for fairy stories,' Bancroft said. He smiled though. Mexico would be like Christmas and Halloween and Fourth of July all rolled into one. They'd have enough dough to impress every dumb spick, get themselves high as kites and live like kings with whole harems of women the color of honey and just as sweet.