Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“You know what they say… there’s a fine line between love and hate.”
“Well, right now, it feels like a fucking ravine.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“That’s something I’ll have to discuss with Memphis.” He ran his hand over his face, then shook it off and asked, “He still covering for you at the Vault?”
“Yeah. The last I talked to him, he was basically living over there.”
“I bet Antonia is loving that.”
“Hopefully, it won’t be for much longer.”
“About that… what’s the latest with your girl?”
“Her brother is a lying asshole, but I got no way to prove it or make him come clean.”
“There’s always a way.”
“I got Shep working on it. Maybe he can come up with something, but I have a feeling that the only way we’re gonna get any real answers is to get her father’s laptop and that’s in his office.”
“Which is gonna be tough with all the yellow tape and security hovering over the place.”
“Exactly.”
I hadn’t even realized that Tallie had walked up until she said, “Maybe I could help.”
“We got it covered.”
“I’m sure you do, but I could help,” Tallie pushed. “I could ask Detective Joyner if he could let me in the office.”
“Doubt he’d go for that.”
“I could tell him that I need some important papers from the safe or something?”
“Hmm.” Preacher shrugged. “That could work.”
“But she’s gonna need a good excuse.”
“I could say that I need Ford’s birth certificate so I can register him for school. If he lets me in, I could try to get access to his computer and whatever else you think we might need.”
Ghost gave me one of his looks. “It’s worth a shot.”
“Not if it means putting her in danger. I’m not…”
“I’ll be fine,” Tallie argued. “I’m sure Detective Joyner will be there with me.”
“The same detective who couldn’t keep Volkov’s men from following you.”
“Yeah, you have a point there.” She thought for a moment, then suggested, “Then, you come with me.”
Preacher shook his head. “Detective would never go for that, and even if he did, he’d be suspicious as hell.”
“Don’t need cops thinking we had anything to do with this mess,” Ghost added.
“Okay, then you guys can wait outside or something. I don’t know, but me going to the office makes the most sense.” Tallie remained calm and rational as she told us, “I mean, it’s not like you guys can just bust up in there, at least not easily. It’s a three-story office building with security guards and cameras, and Dad’s office is blocked off with yellow tape.”
“She’s got a point.”
“I don’t know.”
“Just let me talk to Detective Joyner and see if he will even consider it, because there’s a really good chance that he won’t.”
“Okay, fine. But it’s just to the office. Nothing more.”
“Whatever you say.” Tallie seemed proud of herself when she asked, “When do you want me to go talk to him?”
“First thing tomorrow.” I glanced over at Prez and Ghost as I said, “That’ll give us some time to prepare.”
“Okay. Sounds good to me.” Tallie gave me a smile. “I’m gonna head back over to the girls. Just let me know when you get ready to go.”
“Give me five.”
“Take all the time you need.”
Once she was out of earshot, I turned my attention back to Ghost and Prez. “If we do this, we do it right. We need to take every precaution.”
“Shouldn’t be much to cover her to the station and over to the office.” Prez turned to Ghost as he said, “You and Goose get with Rusty and Skid. Work out a plan to keep eyes on her at all times.”
“So, we just doing the office or is she going to try going over to the house, too?"
"Just the office. If she doesn’t find anything there, then we’ll make plans to check out the house ourselves.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll get with Shep,” Ghost offered. “I’m sure he’ll have some input to all this.”
“I’m sure he will. Thanks, brother.”
“Get with us in the morning, and we’ll piece together a plan.”
“Sounds good.”
By the time I got Tallie and Ford back to my place, it was already pushing dinnertime. Ford had been talking nonstop about Toby and the games they’d played, but as soon as we walked in the door, I could see it—he was starting to slow down. I figured he was getting hungry, so I started for the kitchen. "You like hot dogs?"
“Yeah.” His eyes lit up. "As long as you’ve got some ketchup.”
“Got plenty.”
“Awesome.”
Tallie leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching as I got everything together. “Need a hand?”
"I’ve got it." I tossed the hot dogs in the pan before starting on the macaroni. It wasn’t anything fancy, but Ford didn’t seem to mind. He ate every bite like he hadn’t eaten in days. Hell, he even gave me a couple of nods and a thumbs-up. I considered it a grand success.