“The third?”
“You want me on your next job.”
“I like the confidence, Mr.Hunter.”
From where Nic sat, Percy looked anything but confident.Blond hair matted with sweat stuck to his pale forehead.Cuffed hands clasped in his lap, shaking.Eyes full of fear, locked on the script in front of him.
But the kid could front like a pro.“Getting Abby out was a test, wasn’t it?”he read off the cheat sheet.Nic and Cam had drawn up the list of assembled prompts and questions, designed to draw out a confession.Something Nic could use against Becca in court once Cam captured her.
“You passed.”Not exactly a confession, and Bowers knew it too.From across the table, Nic’s boss mouthed,Ask again.
Percy ran his wide eyes down the page once more.“I broke your girl out of the courthouse just like you wanted,” he said.“Proved myself.I want in on the next job.”
Becca dodged again but opened another door.One infinitely more useful.“We should meet.Make sure our interests align.”
“And the third deposit?”
“You seem awfully focused on the money, Mr.Hunter.”
“It’s Percy,” he said.“And do you know what the average monthly rent is in San Francisco these days?”He didn’t read that off the sheet.
Beside Nic, Cam nodded.Nic didn’t think the sympathy a show.
For her part, Becca chuckled, seemingly convinced and amused.“After we meet, Percy.”
Cam shifted forward, reaching over his laptop and pointing at the first potential meet location he’d scribbled on the script.All the places he’d listed had limited ingress and egress points, giving them the best chance for rescuing Abby and taking Becca into custody.
For springing their trap.
Percy proposed the first location.Becca shot him down, offering someplace else.Not unexpected—she held all the cards—and by the way Cam’s brows raced north, she’d played a surprising one.Good or bad, Nic couldn’t tell, and Bowers didn’t give them time to assess or counter, giving Percy a thumbs-up and gesturing for him to continue.
“I know where that is,” Percy said.“When do you want to meet?”
“You be there at midnight.”
“Does that mean you’ll?—”
Becca hung up, cutting off the rest of Percy’s question.Nic reached out and slapped off the speakerphone, cutting the call on their end as well.
Hunched forward, Percy was still waiting for an answer.“What the fuck did that mean?”
“It means she’ll show up when she’s ready,” Cam answered.“Sometime before sunrise.”He shifted in his chair toward Lauren.“Take him upstairs and get him fitted for eyes and ears.Then call in the tactical teams.Debrief in an hour.”
“On it.”She snapped shut her laptop and stood.“Let’s go, Blondie.”
Percy looked her up and down, and not in the appreciative sort of way.Not that that would have been any more acceptable.Either way would get him neutered by the lady herself.
“Don’t even think it,” Cam said, reading Nic’s thoughts.“Her favorite weapon is a Colt 1911 and she’s trained in hand-to-hand combat.”
“She’ll drop you faster than either of us could,” Nic added.
Cam jutted a thumb at him.“And he’s a former Navy SEAL.”
“Don’t make me ask a second time,” Lauren threatened, indulging in the talking up.Nic didn’t begrudge her the attitude.
Percy snapped to it, following like a well-trained puppy.
Cam tossed her the keys to the cuffs.“I’ll be up shortly.”
