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them fight, though it was more of a brotherly tussle than anything else, Graff being extra careful not to jar Asprey’s shoulder as they circled and danced. Let them kill each other, for all she cared. She had problems of her own. Big ones. That necklace was her ticket, the down payment on the long con she’d been planning for months.
    If she’d wanted to scam Todd before— and she had —the urge now magnified about a hundred times. Except she had to find the money somewhere else. She could try the angling-for-jewelry gambit again, but the asshole would probably just pull the same stunt with another fake.
    What she needed was a guarantee.
    She narrowed her eyes. What she needed was a partner. Or three.
    “Are you guys almost done?” she asked, inserting a false note of irritation into her voice. “I’d love to sit here and watch you demolish one another, but since that worthless piece of crap necklace isn’t going to fill my empty wallet, I need to make alternate arrangements.”
    “You never did tell us what you need the necklace for,” Asprey said, stopping the fight as suddenly as Graff had started it.
    “What can I say?” she asked, showing her hands like an old-time shell man. “I’m a grubby gold digger.”
    Asprey’s gaze flicked over her, and he shook his head. “Nope. I’m not buying it. I know lots of grubby gold diggers—and they don’t moonlight as killers for hire. The worst of their sins is lying about their age.”
    She quirked a brow. “Exactly how many gold diggers do you know?”
    Asprey rolled his eyes toward his brother. “I’m not sure. Graff—what would you say? Do you think the Nesbitt twins count?”
    Poppy smothered a laugh as Graff let out another low growl of irritation. He obviously didn’t know when his brother was baiting him.
    “Fine,” she said, capitulating. If she wanted their help, there would have to be at least a little transparency. “You caught me. I’m not a gold digger, and I’m not the least bit interested in the Nesbitt twins. But I am after Todd’s money.”
    “Then I’m truly sorry we couldn’t be more help,” Asprey offered.
    “Oh, but you can be,” she replied, squaring to face him. Pulling in partners she barely knew wasn’t the best idea of her life, but it wasn’t the worst either. Definitely not that . These guys had resources and no qualms about traversing the wrong side of the law. That was quite a few points in their favor right there. “I’d like to make a proposition.”
    “Now you’ve skipped gold digger and gone straight for call girl.”
    She laughed. “That’s not exactly what I had in mind. But you’re obviously criminals of a sort, and ones who could use a little help. No offense.”
    “None taken.”
    Graff frowned. “Speak for yourself.”
    “It just so happens that Todd has a slight gambling addiction that makes him ideally suited for my line of work,” she ventured. Might as well get it out there. “In exchange for your services setting up a slightly rigged poker game, I’d be happy to…whatever. Fight, lie, cheat, steal. I’m flexible.”
    “No,” Graff said, at the same time Asprey licked his lips and offered, “We’re in.”
    Tiffany looked up from her handheld device. “I guess that makes me the tiebreaker.”
    Poppy had met a lot of strange criminals in her line of work, but this family had to be the oddest. It almost felt like she’d wandered onto the set of a movie, and they were all here to play a part before going home to normal, crime-free lives.
    Except for, you know, the table of ill-begotten goods.
    “I’ll tell you what,” she offered, playing her hand conservatively. “You take some time to think about it, discuss the idea amongst yourselves. I can give you a few days, but I need an answer soon.”
    “And how will we find you?” Asprey asked. “Do you answer to a bat signal?”
    She laughed. This guy was cute. “I’ll be in touch.”
    With that, she turned on her heel, exposing