Four Deuces

By: David Larson

Narrated by: John Wilkie

Planning the seemingly perfect heist during one of his regular spells in jail, Al and his newly assembled gang can’t wait to get paroled so they can try out their masterplan—making bank employees and customers beneficiaries and therefore accomplices to their crimes. After all, if everyone is getting a cut, nobody wants to rat anybody out, right?

After leaving their South Florida jail, the so-called Four Deuces begin assembling the other ingredients needed for their criminal enterprise. Al is used to being the brains of any criminal gang he is part of—not that that is usually saying very much—and as he tries to marshal the questionable talents of rich-boy-gone-bad Rodney, colorblind conspiracy theorist Sandy, and troubled religious zealot Diddley, nothing seems to have changed.

Every move they make enmeshes another Floridian eccentric into their criminal conspiracy. First up is Slag, the flamboyant but down-on-his-luck costume ‘expert,’ always accompanied by a vicious, unpredictable coke fiend in the form of monkey Mr. Fluffkins. Slag is in charge of providing disguises for the budding bank robbers, but his theatrical background means that his idea of a great look does not always meet with the Deuces’ approval, and they end up conducting their first job as a crew while dressed as the Village People.

This brings them to the notice of… many people, actually, but particularly aging hippie and Vietnam veteran Helen, a carefree badass who wants in on their deal. She is followed into the Deuces’ network by the ironically named Honest Jerry, provider of getaway vehicles—for a price, and so long as nobody thinks too deeply about the stains on the floor of his used-car lot or the noises coming out of his garage.

One person Al doesn’t mind bringing into the Deuces’ orbit is beautiful waitress Mattie, who serves drinks at his favorite Everglades watering hole. Al is smitten, but the other Deuces are wary—can Mattie really be trusted with 'all' their secrets?

©2025 David Larson (P)2025 David Larson

great read

I loved the characters-- especially including Mr fluffkins. Vivid descriptions and interesting characters make it delightful. An added bonus for anyone who knows the author are the delightful "easter eggs" he plants seamlessly into the story line. And the ending was NOT what I expected