Page 33 of Secret Spark

“Todaywasperfect, Joan Malone,” Sadie said. She squee-ed and rolled onto her stomach to type her reply. The night didn’t have to end just yet.

CHAPTER7

Darkness surrounded Joan as she peeked inside the air duct opening on the roof. Well, the enlarged opening she’d created via some light torching.

Breaking into the auto museum on the far north end of the city wasn’t exactly what she’d envisioned for hanging out with Greta. Though hanging out with Greta often meant literally hanging from something. She had to talk to someone about her date with Sadie, and Mark had been all about Day Two of gorging on food truck offerings.

Greta checked her harness and its line, her sleek black ponytail swinging. “So you’ve been texting with her?”

“Off and on since last night.” Since the end of their date when it had nearly killed Joan to walk away. “She’s at work right now but is on a break.”

“They’ve been textingall day,” Mark whined. He was lying on the roof, holding his stomach and moaning because his Ice getup fit too close for comfort after finishing an ill-advised second Cubano sandwich.

Joan unzipped the chest pocket on her Spark bodysuit to make sure she hadn’t missed a text. Their outfits were similar in their black and striped designs, though Mark’s was streaked with a deep blue. He’d also opted to get a dark wig attached to his facemask.

“She has some ideas for the Hot and Cold logo based on what we saw this weekend,” she told her brother.

Greta readied to slide into the ductwork. “You two and food trucks,” she drawled.

She slipped through the hole, sitting back and testing the line. Greta’s petite frame made thievery easy. It also provided a good cover for her to move about unnoticed. Unless someone called her an “exotic beauty.” Joan had borne witness to Grets throat punching more than one ignorant dude for saying that because of her half Japanese, half Filipino background.

Damn, no new response below Joan’s last text. Sadie had been teasing her with little hints about her hidden tattoos. How many were there? And where were they located?

Her heart skipped a beat seeing the magical three dots appear. Then Sadie’s text.

Two. Let’s just say you can’t see them when I’m fully clothed

What about partially clothed???

Maaaaaaybeeeee

Damn it, she could’ve seen them last night. But she had to sort out the wholeYou’re Catchsituation before that could happen.

Mark groaned as he crawled over. “This seems like the least straightforward way to get in.”

“There are motion detectors all over and pressure sensors on the floor,” Joan told him.

“Why not turn them off?” He mimed typing on a keyboard and went, “Bleep blop blerp.”

“Why are you here again?” Greta said, her voice echoing.

“I was already with him,” Joan said. “He wanted to tag along.”

“I wanted to see you pull this off.” Mark leaned into the duct. “Which car are you eyeballing?”

“None of them,” said Greta.

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Someone bet her ten grand she couldn’t break into this place without setting off an alarm,” Joan said.

“Easiest money I’ve made all year.” Greta slowly lowered a few feet.

Mark squinted in confusion. “So you’re not taking anything?”

“What would I do with a fancy old car that needs to be unloaded fast? I want cash to renovate my apartment in France.”

“I love your apartment in France,” Joan said. It was in a gorgeous wine region. The local food was some of the best she’d ever eaten in her life.

---