"Will you hurry up already?!" Casino stepped up and pounded on the locked door with the heel of his hand. "We're gonna be late!"
They'd all been invited over to have dinner with Winnie and Alf. Winnie cooked and left food at the mansion for them on a pretty regular basis but getting a real, hot, homemade, woman cooked, sit down dinner wasn't something the east coast con was prepared to miss.
"Just one more…"
"You said that twenty minutes ago!" the safecracker shouted at the door. He rolled his eyes as he turned to face the two men standing with him. "I swear if he doesn't open that door in the next ten seconds I'm breakin' it down!"
Just at the end of the threat the door swung open and the occupant stepped out.
"How do I look?" he asked as he smoothed down the front of his jacket and patted at his hair.
"Gorgeous!" Casino's voice dripped with scornful sarcasm. Turning on his heel he stalked off towards the stairs.
"Wait just one moment." Actor called out as he pulled the knot on the tie loose; his nimble fingers quickly retying the silken fabric.
"Jeeze! The car's leavin'. NOW!" The exasperated voice of the group's explosives expert floated up from halfway down the stairs. "I don't care who's in it!"
The door slamming downstairs rattled the coat of arms on the wall.
"Blimey! Get a move on, Actor," Goniff complained. "Ee's gonna leave us t' leg it over!"
"I got the distributor cap in my pocket." Chief assured them. "Take yer time."
"There!" The Italian con man finished with a flourish. "Much better, is it not?"
"Beautiful!" Goniff agreed with a stoke down the piece that ended with an adjustment of the button that held the jacket closed.
Actor headed off for the stairs and the other two fell in behind him.
"So…" Chief started, just loud enough for the pickpocket to hear. "Guess that little gal you got you'r eye on got herself invited to dinner too, eh, Goniff?"
The little cockney pull his chin up and adjusted his collar, snugged the borrowed tie up into place and then grinned as he took the stairs two at a time down to the main hall and elbowed his way past Actor and out the door.