“No one keeps secrets better than me, sis. No one.”
7
WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES…
Joaquin
Rebel eyed the driver before sliding into the passenger seat. The window rolled up as the Mercedes headed out of the alley and onto the street.
“When did you start doing rideshares?” Rebel asked.
Sin chuffed out a laugh. “Today’s your lucky day, my friend.”
“It didn’t start out that way.”
“That’s all about to change.”
“It’s been a bitch of a morning,” Rebel said. “I didn’t get in to HRT, I got desked, and I was denied the Dillinger case.”
Sin weaved his way out of the city. “That’s why I’m here.”
“Where’s your driver?”
“Taking Evangeline to a meeting.”
Sinclair Develin, known as The Fixer, ran Develin and Associates. When anyone with power and wealth ran into trouble, they hired Sin and his team to make their problems go away. In a town of power-hungry politicos where everyone was either vying to be number one, or cozying up to someone higher up on the food chain, Sin topped them all.
He wielded power, commanded respect, and was feared by anyone who dared to cross him.
After driving over the bridge into Virginia, Sin said, “Today’s one of those days you’ll remember. It’ll be up there with life’s milestones. The day you propose, your wedding, the day your kids are born.”
“That big of a deal?”
Sin nodded.
“How’s business?” Rebel asked.
“Booming. I can’t keep up with the demand, but I’m ready for a new challenge.”
“Like what?”
“You’re about to find out.” After a brief pause, Sin said, “HRT fucked up by not taking you.”
Agitation had Rebel grinding his teeth.
“I know you, Joaquin,” Sin continued. “I know you’ve got my back. And I trust you. It takes a certain type of person to walk toward danger, but you walk toward dangeralone.” Sin glanced over, smiled. “You’re bat-shit crazy.”
Rebel laughed. “Appreciate you sayin’ that.”
The conversation continued until Sin turned down an unmarked gravel road somewhere in Great Falls. A largePrivate Property, No Trespassingsign stood as a warning marker.
“If we weren’t close friends, I’d say this was gonna be the end of the road for me.”
Sin chuckled, but said nothing.
The trees cleared and the gravel road turned into a paved parking lot. Before them stood a warehouse with no cars in the lot, and no visible entrance.
What in the hell is this?
