Page 21 of Cozen

“Mmm, I thought so, too. Last tenants snuck out a lot of shit.”

“Furniture, you mean?”

“And some things we had on the walls. No worries—I have them in for a civil case in two months.”

“I thought this was a little bare for being fully furnished.”

“Never thought to change the ad for the place,” Ronald said. “I just told the wife to put it back to active online. Sorry about that.”

Cozen shrugged. “Maybe you’ll have some things to keep for the next tenant.”

“Why’s that?”

Because she wouldn’t be staying once this job was finished, and New York was not her home. Even if she wanted to stay in the city after she did what she needed to do, it would be incredibly dangerous.

And stupid.

Cozen disappeared after a job. She went back underground, and hid from anyone who might be able to find her. It made things easier. She did not take things back with her once she was done as they were just things.

Replaceable things.

Nothing she got attached to.

The ringing of Cozen’s phone saved her from having to deflect the landlord’s question. She gave him an apologetic look over her shoulder as she dug out the cell phone. He gave her another one of his too-wide smiles, and backed out of the apartment as he closed the door at the same time.

Cozen only answered the call once she was alone. “Cozen here.”

“Pearl would like an update, Zen.”

Ace’s voice instantly grated on Cozen’s nerves, and she didn’t particularly have a reason why.

“Isn’t your job done where this deal is concerned?” Cozen asked.

“It should be.”

“And yet, you’re calling me, Ace.”

“It’s the Astors. I have to call. Or they keep calling me. Make of that what you need or want to make of it, Zen.”

Fuck.

“I’ve been in New York for an entire three days.”

“Yes, and it’s already the second week of April. Three months since Pearl transferred a quarter of your payment. She’s getting antsy now for good news from you. You haven’t updated them.”

“I made it clear this job might take a while. Any heist like this takes time to do it properly.”

“Anyone can go in and steal something if they know what they’re doing, Cozen.”

She took great offense to that.

She didn’t even try to hide it.

“Anyone, really?”

“Well—”

“Why don’t I transfer that money to you, and then you can make your way to this city. We’ll let you do this job, Ace. How about that?”