Shepherd lit up a smoke. “That might change. I heard a rumor they’re trying to get more insiders so they can assign them to work the Breed district. Less to clean up if a human calls them out.”
“That would make sense.” Gem applied a bright-red lipstick while looking into the mirror of her compact. “I can only imagine the work involved when they arrest one of us. All the data they have to erase before getting them out. All the memories they have to scrub. That’s a job I wouldn’t want.”
I walked up to the front of the van and looked through the window. Christian stood outside the shop, which wasn’t open. A lady approached the door, but she kept it closed. Christian gestured to Claude, who was acting aloof by looking at his watch. Through the large windows, I observed her walk to the back of the store and have a brief exchange with another employee.
“Those windows will be a problem,” I remarked. “You can see everything.”
“Stores like these always have security gates or shutters.” When Shepherd blew out a cloud of cigarette smoke, Gem waved it away from her face.
The woman walked briskly to the front and opened the door. Before Claude approached, Christian leaned forward, and the woman stared at him. He was charming her.
Once inside, Christian coolly strode to the back and spoke to the man by the counter. Shutters began lowering in front of every window, and Claude waved us in.
While Gem opened her door and got out, I climbed over her seat and followed. We jogged across the street, adrenaline teasing me with an extra burst of energy. Shepherd jumped into the Honda to move it.
“Shoot. I forgot perfume.” Gem hopped onto the curb and rushed inside.
After Claude closed the door, I glanced around at the pretentious décor. Some of this junk reminded me of the trinkets I’d seen in the mall. The cases inside the walls were lit up, creating a dazzling display of the crystal, Hummel, and Lladró figurines. Those were the only recognizable items to me, and they were toward the front. As we reached the back, the items were like nothing I’d ever seen before and came with hefty price tags. Christian dragged a man from behind a jewelry case along the left wall. There tall shelves on the right were spaced amply apart, each holding encased items on display. Two white chairs near the back offered seating, probably so customers could sip their champagne.
“There it is!” Gem exclaimed, dashing up to a velvet rope surrounding a pedestal. On top was a large crystal egg protected by a glass box.
The woman walked mechanically to the center of the room and stood.
Gem sized her up and then removed her diamond earrings before putting them on. “Do you have any perfume?”
The woman didn’t respond.
Gem turned. “Christian, ask her if she has any perfume!”
Christian appeared from the back, a pair of trousers in his hand. “I’m a wee bit busy at the moment undressing the guard.”
Gem strutted toward him with a sophisticated swagger. “I can’t let anything tip him off that things aren’t copasetic. A woman in her position wears expensive perfume. Besides that, it’ll mask my emotions. And right now you don’t want to smell what’s going on in my head.”
“No, you don’t,” Claude agreed.
Christian cursed under his breath before leading the woman to the back.
While they worked out the perfume situation, I joined Claude by the doors. “When they get here, tell them the shutters are closed for privacy. That protecting clients is of the utmost importance and all that bullshit.”
“I’ll know if the male is suspicious. He can’t hide his emotional scent.”
I glanced up at the gap in the lofty ceiling where decorative crystals hung. “What about the shutters for the door?”
“We’ll activate them once he’s inside.”
“If he tries to run, he’ll probably go out the back.”
I jogged through the spacious store and stopped at the register where a large black sign that saidKleinman’sin gold lettering hung on the wall. “Gem, see if you can find a dimmer. It’s too damn bright in here.”
There wasn’t much to see past theStaff Onlydoor. A short hall to the left had a vending machine, water fountain, and bathroom. I opened a door to the right and looked inside an unremarkable office with a large desk and computer. When I didn’t see anything of interest, I walked to the back through the swinging doors and looked around the storage room.
I kicked a crate. “What’s in all the boxes? Inventory? Customers who didn’t pay up?”
“This won’t work.”
“What won’t—?” I turned and sputtered with laughter.
Christian stood in nothing except his boxer briefs. The guard’s slacks were stuck halfway up his thighs. “This is just grand. Of all the guards, I wind up with Barney Fife.”
