A heavy black double-door safe stood against the far wall, its main wheel already turned open for the evening deposit.

In the bottom compartment of the open safe sat a rectangular gray steel lockbox with a reinforced keyhole.

Tim stepped back toward the door and crossed his arms.

“I’m not touching anything in that box.”

I stepped up to the open safe and took the brass trunk key out of my coat pocket.

The brass key slid into the steel keyhole without catching.

I turned it ninety degrees to the right, and the heavy latch inside popped with a sharp metallic click.