Ririko paid no attention to the blood still clinging to the safe door.
She found a large tote bag in the walk-in closet, probably left in the room by Mrs. Stacey or one of his mistresses who visited often.
Selina found a wheeled golf bag in a corner of the room, too, and the two bent down, busily loading them up.
They pulled cash out of the safe and stuffed it into the bags, then reached in for the gold bars on the bottom shelf. Their movements were brisk and perfectly coordinated, like two cats busy stockpiling food in their den. Neither looked up.
Jerome stood beside them, swinging the severed hand. He wanted to say something to liven things up, but couldn't get a word in.
In the end, he tossed the hand onto the floor and went to change into an expensive suit.
After Ririko packed away all the money and slipped the last few gold watches into the bag, she spotted a tiny black memory card tucked beside the safe.
She slipped the memory card into the bag as well.
The safe was finally empty. The tote was so full that its bulging corners had stretched out of shape.
Ririko slung the handles over her shoulder, and the weight dragged it down. She adjusted her balance and checked that nothing had been left in the safe.
"Let's go." Ririko turned toward the door. "The police can search through the rest."
Jerome picked up a set of car keys in the bedroom and took the two women to Stacey's private luxury garage, where he started a gold Bugatti.
He drove brazenly out through the front gates of the mayor's residence. The guard raised the barrier out of habit, without even giving the driver's seat a second glance.