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Now that he’d finally turned away, I glared at my partner. What was she doing?
She gave a slight shake of her head and her lips curved slightly, encouraging me to just trust her.
Detraux handed Jasper our drinks and then a hundred-dollar bill. He glanced back to be sure I saw the denomination and smirked.
I felt chills run up my back and fought the urge to shake. There wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the disgust I felt.
Detraux returned our cups and slipped something else into my hand, brushing against me as he walked back around the counter. He left through the alley door, turning back to wink before he vanished.
I had to get out of there now. Before my breakfast really did show back up.
Jasper eyed us but we ignored him as we hurried toward the door with our drinks. I wanted to be back in Shai’s car before Detraux drove out onto the main street. We needed to follow him.
Ella and I dashed down the sidewalk and across the street, earning a blaring horn when we ran through traffic without waiting for it to completely stop.
I slid into my seat and Ella did the same just as Detraux’s car appeared from the alleyway.
We’d made it back just in the nick of time. I didn’t want to know what Detraux would have done had he seen me on the street. I ducked down in my seat as he turned onto the main road and Shai started her car, pulling in behind him.
“What was that about? Why did you let him buy our drinks?” I asked Ella from my ducked position. She was likewise scrunched down in the back seat.
“Saying no would have caused more of a scene. Besides, what did he end up passing you? I was hoping playing nice would give us another clue.” Ella’s words all made sense but didn’t help to ease the ickiness I felt.
I’d forgotten about the card that was now crushed in my fist. I dropped it instinctively, remembering how I’d received it, then gingerly picked it up by one corner to read it.
Albert Detraux
1212 One Plaza
(555) 218-7070
“It’s his card,” I said, glancing up at Shai. Her eyes were on the road but I was guessing she’d at least peeked at the card while I’d read it.
“Let me see,” Nadia said, putting her hand between the two front seats.
I passed it to her and she began to click away on her phone.
“One Plaza?” Ella asked the same question we were all thinking.
I was pretty sure even the newest citizens of our town knew what One Plaza was. The gigantic center housed at least a hundred businesses and even boasted a skating rink during the winter.
“The Beast Boys can’t own One, can they?” Ella asked.
I had no idea. These guys had a network we still had barely tapped into. Could it be so deep that they could own One?
“You can get up now,” Shai said to us as she made a left turn. “There are at least six cars between us and there’s no way he can see you two.”
I slowly sat up, feeling a bit lightheaded after keeping my head low for so long.
“Maybe it’s a fake address?” Shai offered.
That wasn’t a bad idea. It wasn’t like a woman he gave this card to would show up at the address. As long as the number worked, they’d believe the rest.
“Except he’s headed into downtown.” Nadia pointed out from behind her phone screen.
Shai nodded.
This was definitely not how I’d foreseen our day going.
