Chapter 22

Converting the truck was relatively straightforward. Marking the measurements on the side and the door, the magnetic letters went on without a hitch.

Next job was to tackle the aluminium trim around the windows. The trim was already pre moulded into the shapes of the window corners, this would save the trouble of having to bend them to shape. It was just a case of a little cut and shut on the straight edges. Offering the pieces up against the window to check the fit, they looked damn good. A little dab of epoxy glue to attach the corners to the straight and within the hour, they had a complete one piece trim.

While Rob got started on the door windows, Terry gave the completed trim a coating of aluminium spray. After adding a couple of layers of lacquer, and unless you were close enough to kiss it, the joins would be almost invisible. A thin layer of two-part epoxy glue would be strong enough to hold it in place, but also weak enough to remove when it was finished with.

With the window trim now in place, popping out the badges from the doors was simple. One more thing that it needed was a pea-sized amount of filler and a dab of tip-ex to cover the holes.

Climbing on top of a chair inside the truck, Rob started to undo the nuts from the bolts holding the refrigeration unit in place.

"Last one Tel, have you got it?"

"Yep mate, let it go"

Terry braced himself to take the weight of the unit. With a final turn of the ratchet, the unit became free. Sliding it off the bolts, he cradles it like a babe in arms. Dropping it outside the truck, he grabs the sheet of mild steel and places it over the four bolts making sure it covers the hole. Securing it in place, Rob climbs onto the cab on the outside of the truck. With a batch of mixed filler, he skims over the surface of the mild steel, making it appear as though the refrigeration unit was never there. Letting the filler set, he sprays it white and the transformation of the truck is complete.

As he stands back, marvelling at his work, Rob takes out his phone. Looking at the pictures that he had received of the armoured truck, he replicates them with his own pictures and sends them by MMS to Dan.

Within a few minutes of sending the pictures, as he had expected, the phone rings.

"Alright Rob, are they the pics of the new truck or the proper one?"

"Well if you can't tell then my work is done"

"Wow is all I can say. If I can't tell then, with all the panic on the night, the guards definitely won't be able to either"

"It wasn't that bad actually, plus it can be changed back quickly if need be" Rob said smugly, pleased with himself.

"Nice, right, the time is getting closer. I will meet you all at the Curzon tomorrow night at nine"

Rob could sense the smile on Dan's face. This, he was hoping, had pleased him enough to be included in any more jobs that Dan had planned after this one.

"Okay Tel, Dan sounds pleased and wants us all at the club tomorrow at nine"

"I gathered he was pleased by the smile on your face"

"Oh yes. I'm off home to get some kip, I'm bloody knackered"

"No worries see ya tomorrow"