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He moved back and walked to me. I leaned against the back wall of the house behind us. He put an arm to the right of my head and dipped his mouth down toward my ear.
“Guys in the back room,” he said. “More than a few of them.”
“Really?”
He nodded, his expression hard. “I couldn’t hear what they were talking about. But they were talking about something.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going in the front,” he said. “You’re going back to the car.”
“Tanner—”
“Listen to what I’m saying.” He tilted my chin toward him. “Do what I say.”
I chewed on my lip. “Are you sure?”
“Do it,” he said. “Go back to the car. Sit in the back seat and lean down low. Don’t move, don’t talk to anyone, don’t take any calls. Understand me?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good girl.” He kissed me gently then pulled back. “Go now.”
I turned and walked away. My heart raced so hard I thought I might fall over. But I reached the sidewalk, crossed the street, and found my way back to the car.
It was unlocked. I got into the back and slumped down low, just like he wanted.
And sat there to wait, my mind reeling with possibilities.28TannerSomething I learned from my years of being a hitman: nobody ever watched the front entrance.
Especially not in the middle of the day. And especially when the place was full of guys.
I took out my picks and made short work of the lock. The door opened nice and quiet. I slipped into a dark vestibule and groped for the next door. They hadn’t bothered to lock it.
I smiled as I opened it and moved into the main room at a low crouch.
It was empty. Tables filled the central space. A bar was pressed against the right side and a stage with a couple poles occupied the whole back wall. Chairs and stools were up off the floor, and the laminate flooring looked like it’d been mopped recently.
Strip club, but a clean one. Must’ve just bought it. I wasn’t surprised. Elise’s father was known for running a tight ship.
I moved along the right side, in front of the bar, and headed toward the back room. Lights shone around the cracks of a single door at the end of a short hallway. Two bathrooms were on my right, both locked. I lingered outside of the door and strained to listen.
But heard nothing, at least nothing definitely. I heard voices, snatches of conversation, some laughter. I counted maybe ten guys back there, which wasn’t a good sign. I thought I heard the click of a magazine slipping into a gun.
I could bust in there. It’d probably scare the hell out of them. Might cause a little chaos.
Not the best move though. I lurked in the darkness, waiting, waiting, trying to be patient. I forced my mind to be quiet, wouldn’t let myself go through all the bad outcomes that might shake out. I had to keep it together or else risk fucking this whole thing up.
Finally, my patience was rewarded. The door opened and I pressed myself against the wall behind it. A big guy with a bald head grunted to himself, chuckling at something he’d just heard back in the room. He wore a denim shirt and a pair of ratty jeans, like he was some kind of city cowboy. He had a gun in a holster at his hip and a big, bushy mustache.
The door swung shut. I stepped out of the shadows as he turned toward the first bathroom.
I pressed my gun against his neck.
He let out a surprised grunt. “Is that—” he started to say, then stopped when he saw my face.
“Don’t talk,” I said.
“Who the fuck—”
I pressed the gun harder against his throat. “Don’t talk,” I said again.
He nodded, eyes hard. His hands hovered at his waist.
“Hands in the air. Nice and slow. Fingers laced behind your head.”
He raised them up, placed them behind his head.
I reached around him, took his gun from his holster, shoved it into my waistband.
“All right,” I said. “What’s your name?”
“Roy,” he said.
“Roy, nice to meet you. I’m Tanner. I need a little help, okay, Roy?”
“Whatever you think you’re doing, it’s a bad idea,” he said.
“What do you think I’m here for?”
“Money,” he said. “You with the Leones? You just some stupid shit that walked in off the street?”
“None of the above.” I tilted my head. “You must be a nobody if you don’t recognize me.”
“Who the fuck—”
“Quiet, Roy,” I say gently. “I will kill you. It’ll bring your buddies out, and I’ll probably have to kill a few more of them too. But after the smoke clears, I’ll have a talk with your boss.”
Roy stared at me. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Let’s go in the back, shall we?” I asked. “Come on, Roy. All you gotta do is walk and keep your mouth shut. You can do that. Try not to piss yourself too, huh?”
