by G. K. Parks
Knocking on Martin’s office door, he buzzed me in. “Ready to go?” he asked.
“I guess so.” I looked across the hall at my empty office. “It’s strange.”
“We could keep you on retainer,” he offered, but I shook my head.
“Ms. Parker,” Guillot entered through the still open door, “it’s been a pleasure working with you. I want to wish you all the best.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Martin came around and put his arm around me. “Luc,” his grin couldn’t have been any bigger, “I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Alex.” Guillot looked surprised, and I dug my elbow into Martin’s ribs. There went one bridge, sacrificed to the burning flames. “It’s not new, but it’s nice to have it out in the open.”
“Congratulations. In that case, you’ll both have to come for dinner soon.” After making some polite small talk, Guillot left, and Martin and I soon followed suit.
“Are you staying at my place this week?” he asked.
“Just tonight.” He took my box and carried it to the parking garage, where we got into his town car. “We have plans with the O’Connell’s tomorrow, and then I have to start conducting surveillance on that home invasion thing.”
* * *
I was sitting next to Heathcliff’s desk, reading through some eyewitness accounts. My private investigator gig coincided with an ongoing police investigation, and although Moretti was avoiding hiring me to consult, he was letting me read through the case files. O’Connell was only two days back and bored to death for being stuck riding a desk. We were bickering back and forth when Thompson and Heathcliff came in.
“It’s nice to see mom and pop getting along again,” Thompson responded, smirking at the two of us.
“Yeah, us kids were really starting to suffer in the separation,” Heathcliff chimed in. “I thought you were supposed to shower us with gifts to buy our love, so it’d be easier to pick a side in the divorce.”
“All I got was some takeout that I paid for by losing a bet,” Thompson retorted.
“Boys,” I glared at both of them, “behave.”
O’Connell chuckled. “You do sound like their mom.” Of course that just led to more bickering, but despite it all, this was home.
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“Oh, come on,” my tone was indignant, “do I look like a cop to you?”
Tommy Claxton narrowed his eyes and turned his head to the side like a cockatoo, considering my point. “I’ve never seen a cop built like you, babe.” He licked his lips and reached into his pocket, causing the hanging chain to rattle from his belt loop. I took an uneasy breath, wondering if he was about to pull a gun. Instead, he produced a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. “Want a smoke?”
“No.” I brushed my long brown hair out of my face. “Are we doing this or not?”
“My god, you’re impatient.” He grinned. “One of the things I look for in a broad.”
“I aim to please,” I purred, stepping toward him and running my leather clad hand up his chest and grabbing the cigarette from between his lips. “Work first, then play.” He caught my wrist in a vise-like grip and kissed me hard. The impending heist made him handsy, and I attempted to react properly. “Work first,” I repeated when he broke for air. He snatched the cigarette from my hand and relaxed his grip on my ass as I stepped back.
“I’ve only known you for a few days, Alex, but damn.” His eyes smoldered, and my stomach roiled. “If you’re half as good as you claim,” his eyes lit up, “mmm.”
“Tommy, keep it in your pants. We’re working on a timetable, and your screwing around is going to get us all fucked,” Robert Gregson snapped, walking into the repair garage. He cast his gaze on me. “Just because you like my boy doesn’t mean we’re square. Consider tonight your audition.” His words were ominous.
“You’ll be impressed. I never make promises I can’t keep.” My tone held much more conviction than I felt. Stealing cars was not my forte. Sure, I’d been practicing for the last two weeks, but there were so many different makes, models, and security systems that there was a good chance I wouldn’t be able to pull it off, especially when Gregson was keeping all the relevant information so close to the vest.
“Somehow, I doubt it,” he remarked. He turned to Tommy. “You brought her in, so she’s your problem.”
“Hear that, babe? You’re all mine.” He slung his arm around my waist and guided me to the back of the SUV.
“Just the way I like it.” I nipped at his earlobe playfully before getting into the back of the truck. Gregson climbed into the driver’s seat, and Tommy got in the passenger’s side.
It was after three a.m. I tied my hair up and tucked my ponytail into the back of my leather jacket. When I was trying to catch Tommy’s eye, I had to blend in at the bars he frequented. That required a lot of leather, chains, piercings, and dark eye makeup. Although he wasn’t a biker, his style reflected a cross between rocker and Hell’s angel. I opted for a slightly more rocker-esque appearance and donned dark jeans, stylish boots, and a tank top covered by a leather jacket and matching driving gloves.
As we drove through the city in search of whatever the perfect audition score would be, I pulled out my electronic frequency scanner and my code sequencer. If it was a high-end vehicle with such features as keyless entry, remote ignition start, or pretty much anything that used a radio frequency to operate the vehicle, I’d be set. Unfortunately, Gregson wanted to see some old school techniques since he pulled to a stop two blocks from a classic American muscle car.
“Didn’t I mention I’m more of a modern day thief?” I inquired, hoping to mitigate my potential failure.
He turned around and handed me a slip of paper with an address. “Delivery is twenty minutes or less. You leave a tracker or any anti-theft measures in place and you’re done. If you don’t deliver, then don’t come back.”
“I’ll see you in fifteen.”
Stepping out of the car, I pulled my collar up around my neck. Tommy got out and joined me on the sidewalk. I spotted a gun tucked into a holster at his hip. Maybe I wouldn’t have to worry about making a bad impression since failure was no longer an option. He kissed my cheek as we made our way to the vehicle.
“What the hell does Robert want you to do?” I asked, kneeling next to the driver’s side door and checking to see if it might be unlocked by chance.
“Keep an eye on you. He has trust issues.”
“Yeah? How come?” I pulled the thin piece of wire from inside my jacket and inserted it between the molding and the window, manipulating it into the interior of the car in order to unlock the door.
“Don’t know.” Tommy lit a cigarette and stood with his back to me, watching for signs of trouble. “I think it has something to do with a rat on his last crew.”
“That’ll do it.” The lock popped, and I opened the door, sliding across the seat and unlocking the passenger’s side for Tommy. By the time he got in the car, I was scanning for radio signal transmissions.
He looked at my gear quizzically. “Who’da thought I’d be into some fancy, high-tech chick?” There was a transmitter of some sort, probably an installed lowjack, perhaps in the trunk or under the hood. Getting out, I started at the front of the vehicle and located the security system. At least I was familiar enough with the proper method of disengaging these. “You got ten minutes,” he muttered as I got back inside.
“Plenty of time.” Reaching under the steering console, I felt around for the seam and pulled the panel off, exposing the wires. Burning the tips of my fingers with the initial spark, the engine roared to life, and I pulled out of the parking space. “Grab the address out of my pocket, will ya?” I asked while scanning for signs of police and traffic cameras.
DOT cameras were everywhere, and if the cops had some idea what to look for, they’d spot us easily enough. Classic cars were few and far between.
Tommy reached into my pocket, copping a feel before extracting the paper. I drove one handed since my cell phone was in the other. Hopefully, the GPS app could provide directions to our destination.
“Give me that,” he insisted, but I refused to hand him my phone. There was too much incriminating evidence on it.
“I got it. Just tell me the address.” He rattled it off, and I input the information. After executing the proper turns, I drove to the roof level of a parking garage and pulled into a space. I wiped the interior and climbed out of the car. “Now what?”
“We wait.”
“Shit. First, you accuse me of being a cop, and now, you want me to sit around with a hot number like this. Are you insane? How do I know you’re not a cop?”
“He’s not a cop,” a voice said from behind. I turned, and Tommy waved at the approaching man. “And I’m unaware of any who’d be willing to commit such costly felonies.” He circled the vehicle, scanning it with his own RF reader. “Excellent.”
“I told you she was rocking my world,” Tommy responded, “and in more ways than one.”
“Did I miss the introduction?” I asked, wondering who the man was.
“There wasn’t one. Not yet. You have to earn it. Tonight was a cakewalk. If you can step up your game, maybe I’ll consider formally introducing myself. In the meantime,” he tossed a bag to Tommy, “tell Robert to split it any way he sees fit.”
“Thanks, man.” Tommy grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the stairwell. Normally, I didn’t let anyone push me around, but it was necessary for the part I was playing.
Back on the street, Gregson brought the SUV to a stop in front of us. “You’re still breathing. Things went well.”
“I said they would.” I caught his stare in the rearview mirror. “It’s insulting to think you expected anything less.” The rest of the trip back to the garage was in silence.
When we arrived, Gregson took the bag from Tommy which contained an unknown amount of cash. He removed two stacks, thumbed through them, and handed them to Tommy. “Tomorrow, I’ll call with additional details. We’ll be moving fast, so stay by your phone,” he warned.
“Right-o,” Tommy responded, handing one of the stacks to me, and I slipped it inside my jacket pocket without counting it. He led the way out of the garage and to his car. “You were so fucking amazing tonight,” he exclaimed as one hand snaked its way up my top while we made out against the passenger’s side door. His fingers were on my belt, and I reached down and grabbed his hand.
“Tommy, no, I have to get to work. We don’t have time. My shift starts at five.”
“We just finished work.” He continued to pull at my belt, and I considered slamming his skull into the car roof.
“I have a real job. You know that, and I can’t be late.”
“Come on,” he pleaded, “watching you work tonight’s made me so hard.” He pressed his pelvis into my thigh to demonstrate. Gritting my teeth and ignoring my natural inclination to resort to a violent protest, I chose a verbal assault instead.
“You called me a goddamn cop before. You might as well have called me a freaking pig, and now you think you’re going to get some. No way.” I shoved him back. “You don’t even trust me enough to tell me who we’re working for besides Robert, and yet, you think I should trust you enough to let you in my pants. Get real.”
“Babe,” he stepped back as if I’d slapped him, “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you. But if tomorrow night goes well, I’m sure you’ll be in, and then you’ll know everything.”
“Fine, when I get in, so do you.”
He smiled licentiously. “Tomorrow night?” He offered a much chaster kiss, and I could do nothing but reciprocate.
“Tomorrow night.” Walking away from Tommy, I went to my car and drove toward the hospital. Medical transcriptionist by day, car thief by night, and yet, neither of these things was actually true.
* * *
After switching vehicles in the hospital’s garage to avoid any possible tails, I took a circuitous route back to my apartment. Paranoia was my constant friend, but I could never be too careful. Before stepping out of my car, and not the rental I claimed was mine for Tommy’s benefit, I took off my jacket, clipped my hair into a bun, and put on a sweater. Maybe going so far as to change my appearance in addition to my car would be considered overkill, but it couldn’t hurt.
Once safely inside my apartment with the doors locked, I dialed the police station and left a tip on a stolen vehicle. I did my best to memorize the VIN number, but there were too many digits and too little time. Instead, I provided the location, description of the perpetrators, and the make, model, and year. At least the owner could file a police report and hopefully be reimbursed for the loss. Hanging up, I went into the bathroom to shower and change.
After gargling away half a bottle of mouthwash to remove the memory of Tommy’s tongue shoved down my throat, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. At this moment, I hated myself. Not only did I just commit grand theft auto, but I was becoming increasingly physically involved with the mark. It was revolting, and while there were some lines that would never be crossed, I still had to act like the possibility was only moments away. My stomach knotted at the thought.
Knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I opened the dossier I had compiled and began reading. Two hours passed before the adrenaline and self-loathing dropped away. I just went to bed when my cell phone rang. Cursing, I grabbed it and tried to sound like I was fully awake and in the midst of performing a boring desk job. “What is it, Tommy?”
“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t mad about earlier,” he sounded sheepish. “You know I didn’t mean nothing by it.”
“It’s okay. Hang on a second.” I got out of bed and shut my bedroom door, so the sound of a door closing would be heard on the other end. “Sorry, I didn’t want to talk in front of the other girls. You know my boss hates it when I take personal calls at work.”
“Then I’ll make this short. Rob wants you to locate a high-end vehicle, we’re talking a street value of at least 100K, and deliver it by four a.m.”
“He’s not choosing?” This sounded suspicious.
“Nah. He wants to see if you got taste to match your skills. Maybe we can meet up earlier and scout some places, see what we can find, and then once Rob gives the go-ahead, you’ll know exactly where to go.”
I bit my lip. I already knew exactly how to find an appropriate car. “Sure, I’d like that.” I opened and closed the door again for effect. “I gotta get back to work, but I’ll call you tonight.”
“Hang on, one last thing. Ribbed or regular?”
Resisting the urge to vomit, I swallowed. “You decide.”
So much for sleeping, I thought as I threw on some clothes and found my keys. It was a little after six a.m. On my way to Auto Protection Services, I dialed my current boss, Jeremy Islind. Thankfully, by the time I arrived, he had already shown up, so we got straight to business.
“Ms. Parker,” he began after I explained my need for an expensive vehicle in the next twenty-four hours, “when we hired you to investigate these claims and get an insider’s view of the current vehicular thievery trends, we budgeted in such possibilities, but we don’t have vehicles available for your disposal.”
“What am I supposed to do?” I was frustrated. Only hours earlier, I had stolen a car which I had no legal right to do. “As it is, I might be arrested for GTA. If I have to conduct another heist tonight, it’s just a matter of time before I end up behind bars. No matter how much you offer to pay me, that’s not a risk I want to take.”
“Don’t you have friends in high places?” Islind asked. “According to your résumé, you’ve been a police consultant numerous times. Hell, you were a federal agent at the Office of International Operations for four years prior to that. Can’t you just make any charges go away?”
“You’re shitting me, right?” Lack of sleep has the unfortunate side effect of making my
professionalism become nonexistent. I pushed away from the conference table and paced the room, thinking. “The police were tipped on the ’67 Mustang that went missing tonight, but by the time they bother to check into it, there won’t be anything left. What are you doing on your end to mitigate my involvement?”
“Your investigation has proven most advantageous to APS. Our clients want assurances that we offer the safest and most effective security systems money can buy. Hell, the fact that you’ve exploited the RF weaknesses has impressed our design team and our financial backers.”
“I wasn’t hired for this corporate bull.” I bit off the last word.
“No,” he smiled, “you were not. Too many cars with our security systems have been taken lately by the ring you’ve infiltrated. The authorities have other things to do besides taking any of this seriously, so that’s why we hired you. Now that we have some actual proof of their existence with the stolen vehicle from tonight, maybe the police will be more likely to take our concerns under advisement.” He glanced at the clock. “I’ll phone our legal team at eight and see if we can reach some kind of deal or partnership with the district attorney’s office. After all, you phoned in the tip, so clearly, we’re making their case for them.”
“Right, because they just love when other people do their jobs.” My sarcasm was rearing its ugly head. “And while all of this is absolutely fascinating, how does it alleviate our current problem?”
“Like I told you when you agreed to work for us, Auto Protection Services will pay restitution for any damage or theft incurred during your employment with us. You’re completely indemnified from civil liability.”
“Fine.” It was time to move on to plan B. “In the meantime, see what kind of deal you can make to indemnify me from criminal charges too.”
Two
It was seven thirty a.m. when James Martin came down the steps. He was dressed in a designer suit, minutes away from leaving for work. Upon entering the kitchen, his smile brightened when he found me drinking a cup of coffee. Normally, I didn’t risk visiting him when I was working a job for fear he would get caught in someone’s crosshairs, but once again, I needed a favor.