“I did.” The corner of his mouth quirks. “But not too much. My wife’s so fucking beautiful, and she was really sweet to me.” He runs a hand through his hair. “It was a great week.” Trick sets the glass down on the bar cart. “Speaking of which, I need to collect my wife and take her home.” When he gets to the door, he says, “I’ll be here tomorrow at nine thirty.”
“Nine thirty, huh? Like an office worker?”
He flashes me another grin. “If you say so, C.”
That makes me laugh. It’s good to have him back.
Chapter
Ten
TRICK
By two weeks later, the Sosa gang has gone underground after the Sullivans killed four of them. Two members are on the run. Three are in a safe house that C Crue’s managed to locate because one of them broke down and called his girlfriend.
Miller and I are in an unmarked van about ten miles outside of Boston. Anvil’s in one of the Rovers at another location. The three of us have been over the plan and back-up plans enough times that I can see it unfold in my mind like it’s already happened.
“Take this exit,” I say.
“Sure,” Miller replies, his gaze never leaving the road.
Miller’s still more guarded in crue meetings than I’d like, but I’m convinced he’s ready for this or he wouldn’t be here. He’s dressed in head-to-toe black, exactly like me. The rest of our gear’s in a steamer trunk in the back, out of sight. Wouldn’t want a traffic stop to give the police probable cause to search the van.
Guiding Miller through a series of turns, we end up on a deserted road where there’s a guy waiting who’s also dressed in head-to-toe black, but who doesn’t look like me or Miller because of his sheer size. Aiden Callahan’s six-and-a-half-feet tall and bulked up with muscle like he’s got a powerlifting competition coming up. For a second I think he’s cut his hair, which he should, then his head turns and I spot the stubby ponytail at the base of his neck.
The second I open the door, I give him shit. “Nice hair. What’s next? Man bun?”
Callahan laughs as he climbs in back and takes a seat. “Am I getting too pretty? You worried I’ll become competition for the pair of ya?”
“Yeah, that’s what’s sweating Miller and me. Especially me. I just got a wife. How would it look if I lost her straight away?”
“Wouldn’t be pretty.” There’s more than a hint of an Irish accent in his words. Though he’s from here, the Callahans have spent their fair share of time in Ireland. “Would you even know what to do with yourself if you did? I bet you’ve never lost a thing in your life.”
“My baby teeth, a couple decades ago. Everything else that I don’t have anymore is because I got rid of it voluntarily.”
When Aiden’s settled in with the door closed, he glances around and turns serious. “There’s been a development. All right to talk in here?”
I nod.
“Word is they’ve got a hostage.” His face is grim. “If that matters?”
I don’t react outwardly, but my muscles tighten. “Male or female? And how old?”
“Seventeen. Female. The younger sister of the leader of the Rio Lobos. José Sosa’s trying to get his younger brother back to Colombia. The Rio Lobos are smuggling him out through Texasand Mexico, but only because they’re being forced to. An escort and safe passage for the Sosa brother is the ransom for the Lobos girl.” Callahan shrugs. “She might not be where we’re going. They could be keeping her elsewhere.”
“Assume she’s there, because she is,” I say. “There are only three of them left, and they’re locked down. They’re not going to drive back and forth to another location and risk getting seen and intercepted. She’s their insurance; they’ll keep her close.”
“So how do you want to play it?” he asks.
“Same plan, except we’ll pull her from the house.”
“She might make noise we can’t afford,” Callahan says.
“We’ll convince her to stay quiet.” After a beat, I add, “After it’s over, you’re going to be the one to drop her off at the edge of her neighborhood, so plan your strategy. Close enough to her people so she makes it home safe on foot, but not so close that they spot you and give chase.”
“No problem,” Callahan says.
I’m not worried about him. It’s his first rodeo with me, but not his first rodeo altogether.
