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Mitch only smirked as they approached the host looking at them as if they were too unknown for him to fool with. Yet when he got a closer look at Vanessa’s face, he didn’t hesitate to show her and Mitch to a two-person table by the wall. They had no view of the city and were a bit closer to the kitchen than Vanessa was used to in these establishments, but she remembered the monetary deal she made with the manager the other day. He had delivered. So would she, as soon as she got what she came here for.
“That’s her.”
Mitch said that so matter-of-factly that Vanessa didn’t have to turn around. If Mitch was sure, then so was Vanessa – Candace was here, leading her cabal of closest confidants who would hopefully be their “in.”
“What has she ordered?” Vanessa asked, keeping her face pointing ahead.
“Looks like a Waldorf salad with a croissant. Blood Mary for her drink.”
“Hmm.” That was an interesting combination, to be sure. When the waiter arrived, Vanessa had to pretend she had been perusing her menu. She quickly ordered the same for herself, Bloody Mary and all. For Mitch, she ordered a bowl of soup and a mimosa.
“Bit on the nose, isn’t it?” Mitch asked. “Of all things, a Bloody Mary.”
“It’s not my favorite, but I’ll suffer through tomato juice.”
“With vodka. At lunch.”
“This is a brunch-exclusive space. If they have it on the menu, it must be watered down.”
“Or is it? We don’t know what kind of place she runs yet.”
Vanessa ignored that. “How many people are with her?”
“Enough to populate a platoon.”
“Speak in civilian, please.”
“Honestly, about twenty. How are you going to get her attention?”
“I’m not going to get her initial attention.” Vanessa picked up her water. “You are.”
Mitch was not surprised. Yet Vanessa knew her partner well. Mitch may hide her irritation, but she wasn’t impressed with having to dothis.Outside of nightclubs where she donned a persona, she was loathed to be the center of attention. Mitch by day preferred her jeans, hoodies, and plain face that blended into a crowd. If Vanessa was lucky, her partner combed her hair before leaving the house to run errands.I love her, but sometimes I wonder how the hell we ended up together.Vanessa remembered. How could she not?
The wonders of the dark web.
“Wait until we have our food,” Vanessa said.
“Are we sure we want to do this?” Mitch glanced over her partner’s shoulder as several of the women behind her broke out into laughter. “Once we’re in her orbit, we might not be able to get out of it.”
“Based on what the lovely detectives told us, we might not be able to get out of another kind of trouble.”
“You don’t really believe that shit, do you?”
“Of course not, but he’s put the idea into my head now. I’m curious as to what kind of person Candace is.”
“And I have a greatly misplaced and burdensome sense of justice.” Mitch sighed. “Fine. I know what to do.”
“Maybe don’t do what you usually do at the club. We could get kicked out of here.”
Mitch wasn’t the type to roll her eyes, but it didn’t stop Vanessa from sensing that energy coming her way.
Halfway through their meal, which would have been “excellent” on any other normal day, Mitch announced she had to use the ladies’ room. Vanessa remained seated as her partner got up, smoothed the back of her skirt, and excused herself.
When she returned, she pretended to drop something in front of Candace’s big table of friends and closest confidants.
Classic.If that dress did one thing for Mitch, it was show off her ass. Candace immediately took note, even with one of her friends’ heads in the way.
“Did she notice?” Mitch asked when she sat back down. “I really put it all out there.”
