Page 64 of Jobe

Paulina sucked in a huge breath, then slowly let it out. “Yeah, I know,” she said, defeat leaking into her words.

“I know it’s hard now. You’ve only been with us a couple of weeks. But give it time. In another month, you’ll be able to transition to a full-time job and then things will seem better.”

Paulina nodded, but her expression gave away her doubts. Standing, she started to walk down the hall toward the classroom. Suddenly turning, she ran back, throwing herself in Mackenna’s arms for a hug. “I’m sorry,” Paulina said, her face buried in Mackenna’s neck.

“Oh honey, you have nothing to be sorry for!” Mackenna assured her. “Once we get the move over with, you’ll feel so much better.”

A little later Mackenna finished up and decided to meet Jennifer for lunch. Walking toward the front, she heard Rose speaking to someone on the phone.

“It needs to be soon. We’re moving next week. Yes, we’ll be at a different location.”

Mackenna’s keys rattled in her hand as she turned the corner, and by the time she came into view, Rose was putting her cell phone back in her purse. Looking up, she asked, “Oh, are you leaving now?”

“I’m heading out to meet Jennifer.” She hesitated, wondering if Rose would tell her who she had been calling. When Rose said nothing, Mackenna nodded awkwardly, then headed on out of the building, letting Doug drive her downtown.

* * *

The riverfront was dark, the dim streetlights unable to penetrate the inky blackness of a cloudy night. They only gave partial illumination to the water that was swirling past the anchored boats. This time Tito came to the old warehouse to oversee the arrival of the shipment of new guns.

As Jazzie and Waldo moved toward the boats to assist with the unloading and inspection, Tito stayed back with Tank. Eying the large Hispanic, he said, “You never talk much. Like that about you. And you’re loyal. Like that too.”

Tank just nodded, his eyes sharp on the procedure in front of him.

“You got plans for moving up?” Tito asked.

Tank nodded again, “Yeah.” His eyes never wavered from Jazzie and Waldo.

Tito followed his line of sight and turned back, asking, “You got a reason to be suspicious? Something I should know?”

Tank allowed his gaze to drop to Tito, answering, “No reason, no proof. Just figure anyone close to you bears watching.”

Tito turned back, now wondering if there was not something that Jazzie or Waldo had been saying…or planning. The transaction in front of them was concluded, payment and arms transferred without any problems. The Kings had skulked away like river rats and the boat crew slid their crafts back into the river’s current, moving out of sight in the inky waters. Jazzie and Waldo, laughing together as they pushed the cargo toward the vans, never noticed Tito’s intense focus now on them. He had no reason to be suspicious of their loyalty…but maybe it was worth keeping an eye on them.

“Watch them,” Tito said quietly. He did not have to look at the big man next to him to know that he had been heard, and that Tank had nodded as usual.

* * *

Jobe met with Tony and the others as they discussed the New Beginnings transition. “We need to get the new building’s security set up before they move in,” he said.

Tony nodded and asked, “They move on…?”

“Thursday,” he replied. “So we’ve got two days.”

“No problem,” Tony said. “Vinny, you’ve been out there. Do you have a list of what we’ll need?”

Vinny turned to Lily, who flashed the equipment list up on the white screen on the wall. “Shouldn’t be a problem. Most of it’s the same as what we have in place now. We’ll just duplicate it and then remove what’s at the old building on Friday.”

“Equipment issues?” Tony asked Gabe.

“Shouldn’t be. We’ve got most of it in stock, except parts for a few of the cameras. That shipment is coming in tomorrow, so we’re good to go.”

“Any news from Matt or Shane?” Jobe asked.

“Latest I heard was that they know for sure that the Sixers are running guns as well as drugs. They even know where the Sixers are getting the shipments in—some warehouse on the King’s riverfront.”

“If they know where the fuckers are landing and buying this shit from, then why in the hell don’t they shut it down?”

Tony shook his head. “I know. Let’s face it, we’d go in the middle of the night and deal quickly and get this taken care of.”

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