Page 28 of Nest of Thieves
“Small? Ouch,” the guy says with a chuckle.
A good sense of humor never hurt anyone.
“Mmm. A bit on the petite side, if you ask me.”
He smirks. “A bit on the cruel side, if you ask me.”
“Good thing I didn’t.” I wink to soften the jab.
“One dirty martini. Let me know when you want another.” The bartender sets the glass on top of a napkin and scowls at the blond. “Are you bugging my customers, Earl?”
“Earl?” I ask as he says, “No. She and I were having a conversation.”
“One that you prompted, Earl. She’s not interested in you.”
He puffs his chest. “What makes you say that?”
I lift my hand and take a sip of my drink while the bartender laughs.
“Because a woman like that deserves more than you have to offer.” She nods at his Miller Lite can. “You’re in a cocktail lounge, Earl. At least drink something good if you’re trying to flirt.”
“Hey now, the man likes what he likes. Sort of how I like what I like, and at the moment, Earl’s company is just fine.”
Earl grins ear to ear. “Hear that? I’m fine.”
“That’s not exactly what I said.” I wave it off and take another sip. “He’s harmless. I’ll have him castrated before he touches me.”
The bartender is reluctant to leave me but finally relents. “All right. If you change your mind, let me know. I’ll drag him back to his seat.”
“Deal.”
“So, Earl.” I turn in my seat. “Tell me about yourself.”
Time to start digging.
* * *
Saturday afternoon, I park a half-block away from where the guys run a chop shop. Turns out, Earl knew exactly who I was looking for. Apparently, the man has a gambling debt and has had a few run-ins with Vette, Lark, and Mac. I didn’t peg them as loan sharks, but it is what it is. They have a reputation for trouble. It’s amazing what a thousand dollars and cleavage will buy. Earl really needed the cash for the loans, but I bet he’s already gambled it away.
I holed up in my hotel room yesterday, calling OU and transferring my courses to the online versions. It took a lot of fake crying to get it done, but I finally got on with the right person and they made it work. Now that I have that set up, I can focus on getting the Sunrise Ruby back. Step one? Find the alphas.
Half of their shop poses as a real vehicle repair business, but the other half is an enclosed warehouse with no windows. The bays are open, and a few employees work on cars while heavy metal music blares loud enough to float down the street and through my open window. A black iron fence closes the lot in. There’s an electronic gate with a keypad. I glance around, checking for any sign of the guys.
They’re nowhere in sight, but that doesn’t mean they’re not here. They could be in the office or the warehouse side of the building.
Do I go in now, or do I wait until the employees leave for the night?
Common sense says to go in later tonight.
Fuck that bitch. I’ve already wasted enough time.
I shut off the stolen car and shove the keys into the pocket of my jean shorts. Pulling down the visor, I check over my simple makeup and tight tank. I’m not above using tits and ass to get information. Don’t judge.
“Go in there and show them who’s boss,” I tell my reflection. “They don’t get to screw you over and get away with it.”
With a refortifying breath, I climb out of the vehicle and strut to the gate. I pop my hip and hit the call button on the keypad. The intercom rings three times before someone answers.
“Yeah?” The guy sounds annoyed.
