“What’s the GM’s name?” Slash asked.
“Karen, or KW.”
As Slash slunk out of the club, she started brainstorming ways she could get Karen to hire her, a challenge Slash could not pass up. A smile lifted her lips as she climbed into her SUV and drove way.
She was determined to find out if Karen Woodside was running a prostitution ring.
THE NEXT MORNING,Slash got to ALPHA early again. As she exited her vehicle, Providence parked nearby. Slash waited, and the women walked toward the entrance together.
“I checked out the club last night,” Slash said.
“That was fast,” Providence said.
They each stood in front of the retina scanner, the light flashed green twice, and they went inside.
“I ran into an obstacle, but I’ve got a workaround,” Slash said.
Providence ran the overall business and managed the other teams, and Cooper managed the Operatives.
“Let’s talk now,” Providence said. “I’ll run it by Cooper during our morning sync-up.”
In Providence’s office, Slash set her bags on one of the guest chairs, stood behind the other.
“Karen Woodside is running The Blue Suit Club,” Slash said.
Providence tucked her short hair behind an ear. “Wow, that’s a surprise.”
“I need to get fake fired,” Slash continued. “We need a few Ops who’re in on it, and we need everyone in the company to know I got canned, so I gotta create a scene.”
Providence regarded her for several seconds. “I’m listening.”
“Karen hates ALPHA, and she blames me for getting fired and arrested. She also knows I love working here. If I get fired, I’ll be angry as hell, so she and I can bond over our common enemy. If she calls to verify—and she will—anyone here can confirm I’m gone.”
Providence broke eye contact for a second. “That’s well thought out. Unfortunately, there’s a problem with that.”
Slash nodded. “She’s got motor mouth, so she could talk about ALPHA at the club. I can try to contain the convo to her office, but she could bring it up in front of anyone.”
“Let me run this by Cooper.”
Slash shouldered her bags. “If that won’t work, you’ll have to send another Special Agent.”
Providence shook her head. “I don’t want to do that.”
Slash opened the office door, turned back. “I can do this.”
As Slash made her way down the hallway, Providence called out, “Meet me in Cooper’s office in ten.”
A smile lifted Slash’s lips. “You got it.”
Carrera
At nine in the morning,Carrera made his way down the dock, eyeing each of his tour boats, nestled in their slips. Most days alleight were in use, sometimes twice daily. Some days, a company would book an early-morning breakfast tour.
While he loved what he and Mara had built, the past year had been rough. Losing his sister had been heart wrenching. Losing his business partner had forced him to put his business up for sale. Three days before closing on the sale, his dad had offered a helping hand.
His dad appeared on the stern of a vessel, snapping Carrera back to the moment.
“There’s the captain,” Carrera called out.
