Page 18 of Easy Steal

Reaching over into the backseat, I grabbed the white box and I handed it to her. She arched an eyebrow and flipped the top open.

“Donuts?” she laughed.

“It’s a stakeout,” I shrugged, grabbing one with pink icing and sprinkles, “donuts are stakeout food.”

She shrugged, taking a glazed one and shoving it in her mouth, “I’m not complaining,” she said with her mouth full.

Livie reached back into her backpack and pulled out a small notebook and pen. Craning her neck, she inspected the crowded yard of the Redliner base as she munched on the donut. Usually there was a no eating rule in all of my cars, but I could make the exception for what I knew would be a long night with someone that she barely knew.

I felt a pang of guilt for roping this random girl into my troubles, but I knew that I needed as much help as I could get.

I was not born for this, as Antoni was.

“Double check my counts, will you?” Livie asked, handing me the notebook.

Fourteen bikes, three cars.

My eyes scanned the yard and I nodded, handing it back to her.

“More cars than I expected.”

“It’s probably easier to use for transportation of product,” Livie nodded.

“Moving on,” I sighed, putting the car into gear and heading to the second base. I was sure that there had to be more, but none that we knew of.

We didn’t need perfect numbers, if we could get the majority, that would be enough.

“Can I put the radio on?” Livie asked after a while of silent driving.

“Sure,” I shrugged, “I don’t really use it.”

She scoffed, “why?”

I shrugged again, “not really a music person.”

“Red flag,” she mumbled under her breath, fiddling with the stereo.

I smirked and shook my head.

Music was just like noise to me, and I struggled to understand the concept of enjoying it. I knew that you were supposed to like it, and I always felt a little strange whenever people asked my favourite song or band - knowing that I was supposed to have an answer. Sometimes I would just make something up, or throw out a random name of a band I had heard of once, just to avoid the questions that I knew would follow.

Maybe it was a red flag.

“So,” I said, “are you ready to tell me what you were running from the other day?”

She let out a deep exhale, and shook her head.

I nodded, and focused on the road, stealing glances at her from the corner of my eye. She didn’t look too uncomfortable, with one leg folded under her and an arm resting on the window. She was looking up to the sky, then down at the road, and at the buildings we passed - anywhere but straight ahead.

I knew that she had no real reason to be helping me with this, let alone be driving around with me in the middle of the night. I also knew that I would have to come up with a way to thank her when it was all over.

When we arrived at the second base, it was practically empty, to my disappointment. I didn’t know if that meant they were onto us, or if it was just bad luck.

Still, she scribbled down the details of the few bikes and one car that was there. A light turned on inside the house and we both held our breath. We waited, my hand stuck to the gearstick just in case.

The front door cracked open and I shifted into reverse, but Livie’s hand shot across, putting her own over mine. I looked down at it, and then up at her. She only shook her head, before her eyes wandered back towards the door.

Two men stumbled out, laughing and talking before they got onto their bikes, kicked them to life and pulled off down the street.

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