"That's good - isn't it?" Shannie asked.
"Fuck no, It sucks! It means that he's going to be in the shop embalming another stiff. That means if we put a stiff on a gurney he's going to notice it. Then the shit will hit the fan."
"Geezus Pete!" Shannie stomped a foot.
"We're fucked," I mumbled.
"Not necessarily," Steve said. "I think I have this figured out."
"We are fucked!" Count interrupted. "We might as well go get your coffin Shannie."
"Hear him out," Shannie said.
"My old man isn't that observant; he's overwhelmed right now. I mean, he had to borrow a casket from Katzenmoyer and he hates that prick! Point being, if we leave a body lay on a gurney, how can he not miss it; but, if we take a casket, body and all, he'll never notice that its gone."
"You mean we have to carry a coffin with a real live stiff in it?" I uttered.
''No, with a stiff stiff, Jack Ass!" Count chided.
"We could, but after five blocks, it'll get too heavy, even if we take one with one of the kids from the accident," Steve was referring to a family of five who were wiped out in an accident on the Expressway.
"What do you suggest?" Shannie asked.
"Yeah Einstein, I want to hear this one," Count chimed in.
Shannie glowered at Count.
"We take a casket, doesn't matter which one, preferably one in a corner, so the old man won't notice. We load it on the truck, drive up to Fernwood, unload the body, store it in one of your garages," Steve nodded at Count. "When the parade is over, we go back, load it up, bring it back here. By that time, my old man should be finished with the new stiff. We slide the whole works back in its place."
As I was muddling over Steve's idea Shannie said, "It works; lets do it!"
Oh God, I hope we don't pick a coffin with one of the kids from the accident, I fretted. We snuck in the front door. We walked down the hallway adjacent to the viewing room. Steve stopped before double doors at the end of the hall, he turned to us and said: "It'll be easier if we take it out the back door. We have to hurry. I don't know when the old man will be back." Slowly, he opened a door, allowing a slither of light to cut across the darkened room and rest upon a coffin. My stomach quaked, goosebumps rose on my skin.