They wore masks – hard things with shaded visors. Neil Seeley recognized them as paint-ball masks, but the pistols they held were real and deadly. One of them used their weapon to smash a glass case near the door, the exclamation point on his recent shout.

“Stay calm, nobody play hero, and nobody will get hurt!” that one yelled as glass clinked around his booted feet. One of his partners, a woman, locked the door behind them. The third took a position near the front window.

The apparent ring leader turned to Frank. “Where’s the shipment, old man?”

“Wh-wh-wh…” Dringer replied.

“The diamonds!” the leader yelled again. “Where are they? We know you got them yesterday!”

Frank nodded dumbly. “Yes. Yes. Just… don’t hurt anybody.”

“That’s up to you,” the woman hissed through her mask. She looked at the ring on Jodi’s hand. “Nice ring.”

“Bitch!” Jodi spat.

The one by the window surged forward. “Shut yer–!”

Bumping into his partner, a pistol fired. Neil grunted, fell into a display and dropped to the floor.