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“Exactly, Miss Gold,” Ryan purred. “We’ve already got a rough idea of his schedule but you can iron out the details with your, ah,highly trainedspy skills. When he’s not home, feel free to break in, hack into his laptop and steal the evidence.”
At that moment, Ryan’s mask ceased to freak me out as my gut twisted with frustration and panic.This is happening. I’m agreeing to this.
“Do I get more than that?” I demanded.
“Geez, newbies. Always so eager,” Ryan said; a flash in his eyes. “You sure you can handle this, little spy girl?”
“Yes,” I said testily. “I just need more thanfind some evidence on a cop’s laptop.What evidence? And what kind? I mean, if it’s a few files, that’s one thing, but if it’s videos and photos then I’ll need to account for that.”
“Right. It’s probably a mix. And this is evidence that a big-name client in the underworld is paying top dollar for,” Ryan replied. “Enough to pay off your debt to the Sons of Celtand maybe pay for college, too.” My mouth dropped open and Ryan chuckled. “Don’t get too excited. Youreallydon’t want to fuck this up – so think hard before you say yes, Lia. If you get caught, you’re the one who’s gonna take the fall. There’s a ninety-nine percent chance you’ll end up in the can and it won’t take long for the lovely ladies inside to figure out whose kid you are.”
My head nodded robotically while my mind flashed to the time that I’d accompanied my mother to visit my father the first time he got locked up. I could see the cement room, the cement tables and the bright, glaring orange of the jumpsuits. I remembered how my mother trembled with rage as she stared down my father and asked how he could do this to us. My father had justsneered and asked her what kind of a mother brings a child to a prison.
“She wanted to see you,”my mother had retorted. “As did I. I wanted her to know what kind of man her father was so she won’t ask again.”
God, if there was anything that could bring my mother back from the dead to kick my ass, it would be getting arrested and sent to jail like my slimeball father.
Only, I didn’t think it would be a year in a federal prison.
Ryan made it sound like I’d be put away for good and possibly shivved in my sleep.
But enough money to pay off the Sons of Celt and school?
“I’ll do it,” I said. “Tell me everything.”
Ryan got up, walked to a file cabinet and pulled out a folder. He flipped through it, then walked back and handed me a piece of paper with boldly typed information on it.
“Everything you need to know is on that paper: cop’s address, likely places that the files and folders will be and what to do when you find them.”
“‘Delete everything except for stuff on Tyler Michaelson,’” I read out loud. “‘Anything on Michaelson needs to be copied and backed up, then deleted.’”
“Easy-peasy,” Ryan said. “Once you do that, report back to me and you’ll get paid.”
“Alright,” I said, my mind already flashing to plans, and I made to rise when Ryan held up a hand.
“No contract, no job, Goldin,” he chided me. “How wet around the ears are you? I haven’t even told you how much time you have.”
“How much?” I asked as Ryan pulled out another sheet of paper and slid a pen across the table. “Two weeks or so?”
Ryan let out a real laugh, one clearly startled out of him. “Cute. Try five days. I mean, the sooner you get your ass back here, the better. Now, I take a percentage of your cut. For newbies it’s usually twenty-five percent, but if you get this done on time, I’ll only take fifteen.” He tapped the pen on the table. “By signing this contract, you agree to do the job, not to go to the cops and all that jazz. If you fuck up, you’re on your own. If you break the contract…” He stared straight at me and, suddenly, I was glad the mask was hiding whatever smile was making Ryan’s eyes gleam like that. “I break you any way I please.”
I licked my lips and nodded. “I understand,” I whispered.
“Don’t even think about running,” Ryan warned. “I know it’s in your blood — your daddy’s got a bad habit of it, but your mother was apparently the opposite. So far, you seem to take after her.” I struggled against a sudden knot of pressure rising in my chest and behind my eyes. “But if you take off, I’ll happily throw Ricky into the harbor and then snatch your friend Sara up for some torture time.”
Again, I nodded, although my spine had gone so numb. I had no idea how I managed that. “And if I fail?”
“Ah, smart girl,” Ryan said. “I have faith you won’t, butifyou fail, then you’re mine.” He stood up, and I shrank back as he approached, not liking how his eyes ran over me. “I could sell you to the Sons of Celt or a pimp like Henny, maybe… But I’d probably keep you around.” Now I knew his grin had to be manic behind that mask. “So, if you fail, you work for me. Ask the door attendant how he likes it.”
“For how long?” I whispered.
He threw back his head and laughed, hard and long. When Ryan stopped, I could feel tears pooling in my eyes, both out of frustration and fear.
“Forever,” he answered and took back the signed contract from my trembling hand.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ty
