Life Rewired (Aspen Friends, Book 3)

by Galli, Lynn

  I checked out every inch of the space around us. We were alone on the sidewalk. I didn’t know for how long. Just saying hello to him when I was on parole would have put my status in jeopardy. I wanted to punch him for how casually he was putting our freedom in danger.

  “Doesn’t look like you missed me much since you have yourself a sweet little deal going here. Wanted to keep it all to yourself.”

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Anger and fear clogged my throat. The heat of the August sunshine felt like it was baking my skin.

  “You don’t sound happy to see me.” He made a disbelieving sound. “Last time we saw each other was before my trial.”

  “What are you doing here?” I repeated.

  “You seem pissed, Shaw. No love for the man that made you rich?”

  “You didn’t make me rich.” Not even close. It was a nice take, but with a girlfriend who could burn money like a wildfire, I didn’t hold onto any of it. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”

  “You know, I always thought it was funny how you, of everyone on the team, had the biggest gold-digging girlfriend. I thought mine was bad, but yours took the cake. Heard she cleaned out everything you had as soon as you went inside.”

  “Fuck you,” I seethed at his cavalier tone. The devastation I felt at her betrayal was second only to how I’d felt when I found out one of the burglary crew turned state’s evidence against us. Brock knew how that felt, too, and here he was making light of someone else who’d screwed me over.

  “Hey, we’ve all been there. Mine lasted three years then got bored. It’s always best to keep some people you trust on the outside to handle your shit when you get pinched. Did you hold onto your sweet car at least?”

  I didn’t want to have this conversation with him. I didn’t want him to be here. If that police officer who kept “bumping” into me on the street showed up tonight, I doubt I could talk my way out of her suspicions this time.

  “You pulled those jobs?” I already knew and dreaded the answer.

  “What jobs?” He gave me a sinister grin.

  “You broke into those two homes I worked on.” I turned away and started pacing. Damn and damn and damn again.

  “Not sure what you’re talking about, Shaw. If you’re interested in starting our little business venture again, I could round up a team.”

  I stared hard at him. He’d done it. I knew that as much as his tone confused me. Normally he’d brag about everything he’d done. Shutting him up was the hardest thing to do in our planning sessions. “Not interested.”

  “Really?”

  “Leave me alone, Porter. I’m done with that life.” And everything about that life. I didn’t want it or need it, and that allowed me to be the best version of myself.

  “No one is ever really done. You’re judged and treated with disrespect everywhere you go now because you did time. Gets tiring, doesn’t it?”

  Yes, it does, but it isn’t enough of a reason to get back into the life. “I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I’m out of it.”

  “You’re in the same ideal position as you used to be. We could have something even better here. I’ve strolled around town, cased a few places. With your access to the interiors, you’d know exactly the places to hit. I can get everyone together again. We’re all out now. Not Kaplin, of course, can’t have another snitch on the team.”

  “I’m serious, Porter. I’m out. Don’t contact me again.” I started walking away.

  “No one can escape this life, and you don’t want to miss out on this.”

  “What’s that mean?” I turned back at his threatening tone. I was practically sweating clean through my clothes from the nervousness and the heat.

  “Point us in the right direction, that’s all. You don’t even need to be on the crew. Just give us a heads up on the places.”

  “No.”

  “Shaw.”

  “No, I won’t do it. And if I were you, I’d leave town soon. The police already suspect me when one of those places is hit.”

  A faint smile drifted across his lips. “Yeah, I saw them headed to your place once. See what I mean about not being able to get out from under this life?”

  I wanted to punch him. He’d intended for them to suspect me. “You asshole.”

  “Had to give you a little incentive. At least give me credit for making sure you had an alibi.”

  “I’m telling you now I don’t want any part of whatever team you’re putting together.” I got right in his face. “Go back to Boulder and pick up there.”

  “But it’s so nice here and a lot more money.”

  “They’ll find you.” Not if they kept looking at me every time, but I could at least make the threat.

  “Next time, I might not make sure you have an alibi.”

  Dickhead. “I’m not helping you.”

  He shrugged, giving me nonchalance. “Next time, maybe something will turn up in the search.”

  “One phone call and you’re back inside. Unlike me, you’re still on parole.” It was the only card I had.

  He snorted in disbelief. “Don’t make me regret giving you this offer, Shaw. We were a good team before. We’ll be good again.”

  “Back off. If I see you again, I’m calling you in.”

  A smile drifted over his face. “Sure.”

  He sauntered off like he was on an evening stroll, enjoying his vacation in this beautiful town. That sense of being pushed into a corner pressed hard against me. I could only hope that he’d figure out I was serious.

  33

  Molly already had her key out before we hit the top stair of her condo complex. We were coming back from Vivian’s housewarming party that had turned into an engagement celebration. I’d been right about Natalie having something planned when we left the house on installment day. She’d proposed to Vivian in some grandly romantic event on a beach or something with rose petals and ice cream or something. I didn’t really follow the narrative because it was the result that mattered. Vivian sported a beautiful engagement ring, and Natalie wore her happiness in every word and gesture.

  “If I weren’t so caught up in you and I didn’t think Vivian would kill me, I’d kiss Natalie for giving my friend everything she ever wanted in love.”

  “Caught up, huh?” I teased, winding my hands around her waist and bringing her to me.

  She tilted her forehead against mine and pulled me closer. “Pretty damn, yeah.” Her lips coasted over mine, tantalizing now with a promise for more as soon as she got the door open.

  Except when she opened the door, her apartment was in disarray. Her bookcase had been tossed, books and knickknacks spilled over her couch and floor. The speaker set she kept on one of the shelves was dumped on the floor, the iPod gone. I glanced at the kitchen table where she kept her laptop and the iPad she just got. Neither were there. All of the kitchen cabinets were open, broken glass and dishware sprawled onto the counters.

  Molly squeaked in dismay beside me. Her hand braced against the open doorway, shallow breaths moving in and out. This was what it was like for those twelve homeowners I’d burgled. The descriptions really didn’t bring the devastation to life like seeing it happen.

  My eyes took in the chaos of her small apartment. I knew her bedroom wouldn’t be spared. This wasn’t the kind of job I pulled. We weren’t messy. We could avoid being messy since I’d already cased the homes. Still, this was amateurish. Overly.

  Molly stepped inside, wariness in her eyes. “I can’t believe this.”

  I couldn’t either. I knew she didn’t keep cash here. They got away with a TV and some portable electronics? They’d get maybe a few hundred for the effort. It was dangerous to hit a condo building because the halls were often monitored by cameras with offsite backup and nosy neighbors. Her second floor unit didn’t make for a clean getaway either.

  “Molly.” I grabbed her arm, shocked to find it trembled under my fingers. I pulled her in for a hug that I needed as much as
she seemed to.

  “This is unbelievable.”

  “I’m sorry this happened.”

  She pulled away and gave me one of her intense stares. “I’ll call the police.”

  “Wait,” I said as a thought formed fully in my brain.

  She gave me a quizzical look. Her finger hovered over the call button on her phone.

  I shook my head, not wanting to voice what I’d been thinking. “I think if you call the police, they’ll find something that isn’t yours.”

  “What do you mean?” Her eyes looked around the room as if something might suddenly animate and attack her.

  “I told you I ran into that guy the other day.” I hadn’t gone into everything that Brock had said, but I did want to be as forthcoming as possible with her. She seemed to need that to keep the trust. “I think he did this.”

  She shook her head and took a step back. “Why?”

  “I think,” I cleared my tight throat and restarted, “He wants to take away my choices so I’ll work with him again.”

  She reached out and cupped my face, stroking her thumb along my cheekbone. “How does this fit in?”

  “He hinted that if I didn’t start back up with him, something incriminating might show up in my possession. I’m betting that he thought you’d find this alone and call the police. They’ll give the place a cursory search for fingerprints and find something from one of those jobs. They won’t suspect you, especially if the cop who responds is Cherise. She’ll think I stashed the take here.” I shook my head and swore.

  “Jesus, Falyn. Who is this guy?” Her hand slid down my neck to grip my shoulder.

  “He was the planner. We had three others, but we all listened to the planner. He wants to get us together again, and he’s trying to force me into it.”

  She made another sound of disbelief. “This is the kind of guy you worked with?” Her arm waved around her place.

  Guilt swamped me. This was exactly the kind of situation I never wanted to face again. Molly didn’t need to see this side of me because it no longer existed.

  “We never left a place looking like this.” I stopped before I said anything more. She didn’t need to hear what I’d done or not done. Not now, not in the face of this. “I’m really sorry.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. A hand came up to wipe at them angrily. “Why didn’t you call the police the second you saw him?”

  “Because I’m not in the same position as you. They’d believe you. They’ll just think I’m rolling on my conspirator for a deal on something I’ve already done. I told him to back off, that I wasn’t interested. I hoped he’d just leave.”

  “But he didn’t. He broke into my house, went through my things, took my things.”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re saying we can’t call the police now?”

  “I don’t know.” I wasn’t sure how to handle this. “Let me look around first.”

  She crossed her arms, gripping them tightly. She was afraid and angry and frustrated and facing something she’d never faced. And the only person with her was someone who’d caused these reactions for many others.

  I turned away, afraid of the disappointed look I knew would soon develop. My eyes searched everywhere he touched. There wouldn’t be any fingerprints, or I should say, the only other fingerprints besides Molly’s would be mine.

  If he wanted the police to find something, it would have to be fairly easy to find because they wouldn’t do a search. Yet it wouldn’t be out in the open because any thief would take whatever it was.

  I went to her bedroom, a place I’d felt so comfortable. Molly followed slowly behind. I couldn’t blame her. She probably didn’t want to see what he’d done. I let out a sigh when I entered. A lamp from the nightstand and her alarm clock lay on the ground. The closet door was open, but otherwise, nothing was amiss. Big clue that something was wrong here.

  “Do you have a safe?”

  Her head shook. “I don’t have anything really valuable to safe keep.”

  “Jewelry box?”

  “No. I just keep some earrings and the one necklace I have in—”

  “Your sock drawer?” I guessed.

  Her eyes went wide. “Bad idea?”

  “It’s actually smart to keep things in an innocuous place.” I looked around again and noticed a wood carved box on the top shelf in her closet. “What’s that?”

  Her eyes flicked up. “A gift from my mom. She put some old photos and newspaper clippings from my high school soccer and softball days as a birthday present one year.”

  “Will you look inside it, please?” It was the only place that a good officer would ask about when assessing the damage.

  Molly stepped over and pulled the box down. She opened the lid and gasped. The box tilted in her hands and sitting right on top of the news clippings was a diamond bracelet. Retail, easily ten grand, fenced nothing more than one. It was from the second house. I’d seen the homeowner wearing it. The second house where I had an alibi.

  “That isn’t mine.”

  “I know.” I sighed, dropping onto Molly’s bed to gain my thoughts.

  “How?”

  “That was taken from the second place, the one where I have an alibi. He’s warning me. Even if the police found this, it’s still only circumstantial, which can be trumped with my alibi. If he’d left something from the first house, he’d be telling me he was pissed. He’s still trying to recruit me.”

  Her eyes squinted in confused anger. “We have to do something, Falyn. This is awful.”

  “I know, but I don’t know what to do. Short of hurting him, which was never my deal.”

  “A lawyer?”

  I let out a breath. “I think that’s the only option I’ve got. I can’t be seen with stolen property.”

  “I’ll call Mei.”

  I knew my neighbor was a lawyer but didn’t know what kind. “Does she do criminal work?”

  “Not really, but she’ll know someone who does.”

  I bit my lip and nodded. Molly gave me a small smile and pulled me up from the bed and into her. “I’m so sorry about this. I thought this was over for me.”

  “I’m sorry this is happening to you.”

  I gripped her tight, not wanting to let go. I should be distancing myself from her. Brock had no qualms about using her against me. Things could turn wrong for her on his next attempt, whatever it was.

  Once again, I found myself in a situation that didn’t make me comfortable or happy. The last time I gave up seven years because of it. I really didn’t know if this time would end any better.

  34

  My neighbor scheduled the appointment with the criminal defense attorney for me. Mei even managed to get me a free consultation. That never happened with criminal attorneys.

  The attorney didn’t mince words. She shared a practice with another defense attorney, who seemed to trade on his sharp looks and even sharper suits. She dressed nicely, but not designer custom. Her jewelry was minimal, and she took notes with a disposable pen not a Cartier. It was an interesting juxtaposition. Her hourly rate scared me, but she didn’t flaunt the hourly rate in her office or, I would guess, the courtroom.

  “When they get here, let me do all the talking unless I nod at you,” Yolanda said as we sat around her conference room table for our second appointment.

  “How did you get them to come here?” We were waiting for the detective in charge of the burglary investigation. The police always preferred to question people in their interrogation room, yet here we were in her office.

  “I told them I had a client with information about an ongoing case. If they wanted it, they’d have to come get it.” Her smile was made up of what looked like a million sparkly white teeth. The image of a shark came to mind.

  I took a cleansing breath. My chest felt tight and I was perspiring again. I wanted this over, and yet, I didn’t want to be involved. What Yolanda was proposing wasn’t much better than what had happened to me the first time
, but something had to be done. I couldn’t let Brock coerce me into illegal activities.

  Cherise was the first one through the outer doors of the office. My stomach sank at the sight of her. A guy nearing retirement followed her in. He was in plain clothes and looked like someone who sold vacuums rather than busted criminals.

  They were shown into the conference room, each shaking Yolanda’s hand and ignoring me. Cherise couldn’t keep up the act for long. Her brown eyes kept shifting to me with accusation.

  “It’s not like you to be so vague, Yolanda,” the man who’d introduced himself as Detective Tanner said. “Don’t keep us in suspense.”

  “My client has information about two burglaries you’ve been investigating.”

  “I knew it!” Cherise exclaimed.

  “Officer.” Tanner cut her a look.

  “She’s trying to cut a deal. I knew she would,” Cherise explained.

  “She doesn’t need to cut a deal.” Yolanda spoke only to Tanner now. “Let me say this up front. She has no direct proof, but she is in a position of knowledge based on experience.”

  “In other words, she has nothing solid,” Tanner countered.

  “She has more than you.”

  He blinked. In another setting he would have flinched. Yolanda knew how to push all the right buttons. “She expects immunity for her involvement?”

  “She’s not involved.”

  “Then how does she know anything?”

  “Your perpetrator contacted her.”

  “She’s associating with him.”

  “He contacted her to work with him.”

  “I knew you weren’t working alone,” Cherise said directly to me.

  “Officer, my client will not respond to you,” Yolanda said in a chilly voice. “And you’ll take care in your accusations. From what she’s described, I have enough for a harassment claim against you.”

  Cherise leaned forward in her chair, fingers gripping the arms. “I haven’t—”