For their fifth anniversary, Melinda suggests she and her husband, Martin, spice things up by parking in a secluded lane by the lake. The couple’s heating up in the back seat when a light shines through the window, and the door is yanked open. Someone in a ski mask and holding a pistol demands Martin’s wallet. Martin fumbles it out of his pants pocket, which is down around his ankles.
The thief snatches the billfold from Martin’s hand.
“Take the cash and leave my credit cards,” Martin says. “I’ll cancel them before you can—”
“Shut up. What’s that sparkling on your finger, honey?” the thief says.
Melinda shields her diamond ring with her right hand. “You’ve got my husband’s wallet. Leave us alone.”
“Don’t make me get rough.”
Melinda hands the ring to the man. “You,” he says waving the gun toward Martin. “Out of the car.”
“What? Why? You—”
“I said out.”
Melinda whimpers as Martin pulls up his pants and gets out. The two men walk to a picnic area by the lake.
“How was that?” the man says when they’re hidden from Melinda’s sight. He puts the toy gun in his pocket and gives back the wallet and the ring.
“So far, so good.” Martin hands the other man the agreed payment. “Tell me again.”
The phony thief shoves the money in his pocket. “Follow this trail to the other side of the lake. Parking lot BB. He’ll be waiting.”
The two leave in opposite directions, Martin holding a small flashlight to show his way.
When he gets to the parking lot, Martin goes to a small, flickering flame.
“You got the rock?” a man says.
The moon emerges from behind clouds, and Martin, seeing the man has a crooked goatee, wonders if he himself should have worn a mask or something. He decides to scrunch up his face as a makeshift disguise. “You got the dough?”
The man removes a wad of bills from his pocket. After the two men complete the exchange, Martin starts to turn heel then stops. “Wait.” He puts the small flashlight in his mouth and counts the cash. He says “OK,” forgetting about the flashlight, and it falls to the asphalt and breaks. “Crap.” He leaves. The man with the goatee stays put.
After a few minutes, the tall, slender man who pretended to be a thief approaches. “All according to plan?”
The man with the goatee gives the other guy the ring. “No problem. He took the counterfeit cash and scurried off like a rat. He holds out his hand.
The taller man pays him, and the two walk off in opposite directions.
Meanwhile, while Martin is walking back around the lake, clouds hide the moon, and he nearly steps on a sleeping goose. The honking and flapping nearly give him a heart attack. As he approaches his car, he rips his shirt, musses up his hair and rubs dirt on his face.
… Melinda whimpers when Martin gets back in the car. “Thank goodness you’re safe. What did he want?”
“No idea. I kicked him in the groin and ran off. Let’s get out of here and report this.”
… At the police station, they meet with Detective Spencer. Martin says the thief was short and heavy set. Melinda agrees.
The next day, Martin files a loss claim with his insurance agent. He tells himself he should have enough money left over after paying off his gambling debt to buy his girlfriend a necklace.
That same day, goatee man meets Melinda in the alley behind the non-profit where she works as a project manager. They go to a secluded area. The man smiles and points to his fake beard.
“Nice touch. From our play,” Melinda says … “Well?”
“Just like you said. By the way, does Martin have some kind of tic?” He scrunches his face.
“Come with me. Now we go to the police.” Melinda grabs Jamison’s arm.
“You’re forgetting something. I’m not doing this because I like you.” He strokes Melinda’s hair. “But you know I do.”
Melinda pushes his hand away. “Here’s half.” She gives the man $100.
… Melinda and Jamison meet with a Detective Spencer. After they leave the station, Melinda gives Jamison another $100 for agreeing to tell the detective that the tall, slender man was short and heavy.
Later in the day, Detective Spencer arrests Martin.
That evening, the tall, slender man and Melinda meet at the picnic grounds by the lake. The man smiles and holds up a wad of cash he says he got from selling the diamond ring to a real fence.
“The main thing is that I got my cheating bastard husband.” Melinda holds out her hand. “I’ll count out your share.”
“My plan worked perfectly,” the man says.
“Your plan? You tipped me off to what Martin was scheming, but everything else was my doing.”
As soon as the words are out of her mouth, Detective Spencer steps from behind a tree and arrests her. He pockets the wad of counterfeit cash.
That evening, after Melinda is locked up, the detective and the tall, slender man splurge on dinner at a fancy restaurant where they toast the success of their scheme and their one-month anniversary of being together. The tall, slender man removes the diamond ring from his pocket. “Ought to fetch a tidy sum.”
When the detective excuses himself, as he usually does at least once during dinner, and goes to the bathroom, the tall, slender man nods to a woman sitting alone at a nearby table, and the two walk out. “Your plan was brilliant,” he says.
“As a diamond,” she replies.
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