Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Ted sets ketchup down in between me and Kane. Kane grabs a fry and eats it before he offers his approval. “That’s better than most of the expensive meals I’ve had.”
“I thought a guy like you would be all about expensive meals, all day, all the time,” Ted says.
“I’m Mexican, man,” Kane replies, salting his fries, his sleeve pulled up enough to show his thirty-thousand-dollar watch. “Tortillas, rice, and beans are life. And lots of salt on a good French fry. That last part isn’t Mexican, but it’s still life.”
Ted’s eyes light with a mix of surprise and approval. “You’re okay, man.”
“Only when I’m with her,” he says, and Ted’s expression says that he thinks it’s romantic.
It’s more a statement of fact. My badge, and his will keep us both in check.
“Are there any clubs or special interest groups that come in here?”
“We have a couple groups that meet here. You want me to write them out for you?”
“That would be excellent,” I say, enjoying a fry myself now, too. “Any regular customers, too,” I add.
The door chimes again, and I turn around to watch a group of about seven walk in. Ted’s eyes go wide. “Can I email that to you?”
I reach into my bag and offer him my card. “That works.”
Ted snaps up the card, pockets it, and rounds the counter. I eye Kane, and then a camera on the ceiling. “That’s what I need.” I take a picture of it and enlarge it, reading the security company on the side. I shoot the photo to Lucas, with the dates of the murders. He’ll hack the company, or the server here at the diner, instead of asking nicely like Tic Tac. If we find something, we’ll need the legal version for court. If not, no harm, no foul.
“Who’d you just send that to, Lilah?”
“Lucas,” I say, “and you obviously saw that, or you wouldn’t be asking. You know he’s working for the team now.”
“Are you sure you want him involved with this team that Murphy put together?”
“I thought of that, too, but I need answers and Tic Tac is going to do it the long way. I have five days.”
“Five days?”
“Oh right. I didn’t tell you. Each murder gets closer than the last. I think we have about five days left, after today, before it happens again.”
“Then if you really think this place is the key, I’ll put a couple of men on it, have them rotate in and out of the diner, and watch the outside.”
“I’m not turning that down, but they have to be discreet.”
“They’re alive. They know how to be discreet.”
“Gabriel doesn’t.”
“We both know Gabriel isn’t one of my normal men.”
“Yes, about that. Why?”
“You know why.”
“You still don’t want me to know all there is to know about my husband.”
“You know everything that matters, Lilah, but knowing it, and having the cartel believe you see it, are two different things.”
“Hmm. I’m not going to fight with you on this.”
“Why not? I thought you liked fighting with me?”
“I do, but,” I point to the kitchen door, as Ted brings the coffees piled high with whipped cream, “that wins first.”
Ted sets them in front of us, but his gaze lifts over our heads. Kane and I turn to see a couple college kids standing in front of Calvin, and waving hands around.
“Seems like he needs me,” I offer.
“I got it,” Ted assures me. “Calvin isn’t as tough as he seems. He lets them run over him.” He hurries around the corner, and I watch as Ted cuts into the confrontation. Pretty quickly after, the kids back down, and sit down.
“Ted’s a tough guy,” Kane says, as I scoop a huge mound of the whipped cream into my mouth.
We finish our coffees, and when Ted and Calvin are overwhelmed, and can’t get back to us, Kane drops a hundred-dollar bill on the counter, when our bill is about thirty dollars. He’s generous like that, though some might see it as flaunting his wealth, I don’t believe that to be true at all. Not that he’s not willing to flaunt it. He simply chooses the when and why.
We exit the diner and there’s a car waiting on us. The night is dark and chilly, and my jacket is in the car, but I motion down the road anyway. “I want to get a feel for the area in the evening hours.”
“You want your coat?”
“The cold keeps me alert.”
“Then, let’s walk.”
And so, we do. The area is a mix of residential, small mom-and-pop shops, and a few souvenir stores because every area of New York City has them, and a few office buildings. It’s about five blocks down that we come upon an old movie theater. It’s closed, and I’m not sure if it’s active, or not. I pull my flashlight from my bag and back up to glance at the billboard that reads “Horrorfest October 12, 2021” and my heart races.