The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer Read Free Book Online

need
     to be a thief.”
    “Who said anything about thieves?” Charlie challenges. “Thieves steal from
people.
This money doesn’t belong to anyone. Duckworth’s dead—you tried to contact his family—he’s got no one. All we’d be taking
     is some cash that would never be missed. And even if something goes wrong, we can just blame it on whoever faxed us that letter.
     I mean, it’s not like he’s in any position to tell on us.”
    “Oh, okay, Lenin, so when we’re done redistributing the wealth, we’ll just take this show on the road and go on the run for
     the rest of our lives. That’s clearly the best way to help mom—just abandon her and—”
    “We don’t have to abandon anyone,” he insists. “We’ll do exactly what this guy’s doing—transfer the money out, and then we
     don’t touch it until we know it’s safe. After seven years, the FBI closes the investigation.”
    “Says who?”
    “I read this article in the
Village Voice
—”
    “The
Village Voice?
”
    “No screwing around—all it takes is seven years—then we’re just another unsolved file. Case closed.”
    “And then what do we do? Retire on the beach, open a bar, and write sappy little songs for the rest of our lives?”
    “It’s a lot better than wasting another four years kissing corporate ass and going nowhere.”
    I hop off the bed and he knows he’s overstepped the boundaries. “You
know
business school is the best way out, and you
know
I can’t go there directly after college,” I insist, shoving a finger in his face. “You have to work a couple years first.”
    “Fine. A couple years—that’s two. You’re finishing four.”
    Taking a breath, I try not to lose it. “Charlie, I’m applying to the top schools in the country. Harvard, Penn, Chicago, Columbia.
     That’s where I want to go—anything else is second best and doesn’t help anyone, including mom.”
    “And who decided that, you or Lapidus?”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “How many opportunities did you give up because Lapidus put his grand plan about B-school in your head? How many companies
     have you refused offers from? You know it as well as I do—you should’ve left the bank years ago. Instead, it’s been back-to-back
     B-school rejection letters. And you think this year’s gonna be any different? Broaden your horizons a little. I mean, it’s
     just like dating Beth—sure, you make a nice picture, but that’s all it is—a nice picture, Oliver—a Sears portrait of how you
     think things should be. You’re one of the most brilliant, dynamic people I know. Stop being so scared of living.”
    “Then stop judging me!” I explode.
    “I’m not judging you…”
    “No, you’re just asking me to steal three million dollars—that’ll solve all my problems!”
    “I’m not saying it’s the answer to every prayer, but it’s the only way we’re ever gonna dig out of this.”
    “See, that’s where you’re wrong!” I shout. “You may be thrilled nursing paper cuts in the file room, but I’ve got my eyes
     on something bigger. Trust me on this one, Charlie—once I’m done with business school, mom’s never gonna see another bill
     again. You can tease and joke all you want—sure, the path is safe, and it may be simple—but all that matters right now is
     that it works. And when the payoff hits, that three million dollars is gonna look like bus fare from Brooklyn.”
    “And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Well, let me tell you something, buddy-boy—you may think you’re all private jet
     going straight to the summit, but from my side of the river, all you’re doing is standing in line like the rest of the lower-level
     drones you used to hate. A drone like dad.”
    I want to smack him across the face, but I’ve been there before. I don’t need another fistfight. “You don’t know what you’re
     talking about,” I growl.
    “Really? So you think that even though you’re one of the bank’s