Silence.
The Rio de Janeiro sun was a molten gold coin, sliding down the back of Christ the Redeemer. For most, it was a postcard. For Suellen, Karine, and Bárbara, it was just good lighting for their next job.
As the cops led the screaming Stein away, the officer paused at the door. He looked back at the three women, frozen in their designer suits. "The Cidade Maravilhosa doesn't care if you're a kingpin or a panther," he said softly. "Eventually, the hill eats everyone. My advice? Take the loss. Leave the city tonight. Or next time, we come for all of you." As Panteras 171 Na Cidade Maravilhosa
They called themselves As Panteras 171 —Panthers, for their grace and lethality; 171, the Brazilian penal code for fraud, their true art form.
Bárbara, the actress, practiced her smile. "And I am the wealthy 'Dona Helena,' who needs to sell her late husband’s helicopter fleet. He wants a tax haven. I will give him a beautiful, expensive hole in the water." Silence
But the officer smiled. It was a weary, knowing smile. "Almost. But not quite." He put the deed down. "However, today… we only have a warrant for Mr. Stein. Your 'clientele' just confessed to financing a paramilitary group. Without you, he might have laundered that money cleanly. You're the reason we found the link."
Suellen, the strategist, adjusted her stiletto. "The mark is Leo Stein, real estate mogul. He thinks he's buying a private island in Angra. We’re the escrow company." For Suellen, Karine, and Bárbara, it was just
The officer turned to them. "And you three…" He picked up one of the fake deeds. His eyes were sharp, tired. "This is very good. Swiss bond forgery, 2024 watermarks. Almost undetectable."