But did she really?
What would happen to Maggie’s on the Mountain if Ijust suddenly disappeared?
I stared down at my little black book of localhandymen. She would find someone else. Probably the very day I didn’t show up.
That was how Summit County worked. Everybody wanted tolive in ski country. It was a twenty-something’s dream come true. I would leaveand then a gorgeous blonde from like Switzerland or Norway or something wouldroll into town and just walk into the office and stand behind the desk like shealways belonged there. Maggie’s reaction would be a shoulder shrug and amuttered, “That seems about right.” And all of Frisco would move on in happymerriment.
“Plumber,” I said out loud. “I need to find a plumber.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it outimmediately, stabbing at the number code so I could read the text. It read, Stillalive. Still in town. Still think this is a stupid idea.
Francesca’s text made me smile. The text also made mebreathe a sigh of relief. Frankie had Juliet today since her job at the swankyLodge at Blackburn didn’t have a regular schedule like mine. She also didn’thave a boss that checked out cowboys with her or gave her the weekends off. Butshe did get corporate benefits and better health insurance and free rooms atany of the sister resorts around the world.
She also made almost twice as much as me. And shedidn’t have to work until Thursday this week, so I was taking full advantage ofher time off.
I tapped a quick reply into my phone, you’re the best!
To which she replied, any sign?
Frankie and I had done our own covert ops over theweekend. Taking turns, we both scouted out The DC Initiative. From a distance,of course. Sayer and Gus spent the remainder of their weekend at their galleryand restaurant. We both witnessed them making nice with the locals andschmoozing the out of town guests. They seemed friendly and open and kind totheir mostly female employees.
That said, we couldn’t see a ton of what they were doingsitting in our dark cars on side streets, peering through binoculars at nighttime. But nothing we saw screamed of shady behavior.
Which was exactly how we knewsomething crazy was going on.
First things first, Sayer and Gus had been breakingrules and the law for as long as we’d known them. I had known Sayer for fifteenyears, and Gus longer than that and there was not a time in either of theirlives they weren’t working on a scam, coming up with the next scam or reapingthe rewards of a scam. They were thieves. Criminals. Con-artists.Bratva.
It was in their blood.
Secondly, Sayer had only been released from prisonrecently. I didn’t make it a habit to search for him on the internet. I didn’twant to ping the wrong watchdog and get someone on my trail. But I had my earto the ground enough that only a few short months ago, I knew for a fact, hestill hadn’t been able to win parole.
Third. And this was probably the most important point.Frankie and I had abandoned them. We’d straight up run away. I had my reasonswith Sayer, but leaving Gus behind had been an asshole move on our part. We hadalways planned to escape, the three of us, together, united.
But when it came time to go… Gus was on Sayer’s side.Gus was moving his way up the ranks, set to take over his dad’s job asbookkeeper. He was learning the ropes and the ins and outs of the business. Hewas gaining notoriety and respect, along with stacks and stacks of cash.
We had to ask ourselves if we knew for sure that Guswould come with us. We couldn’t take the chance that he would even waffle forone second. When it came down to it, we felt as though he would rather staywith the brotherhood, and his biological brother and Sayer.
As for Sayer?
Nothing, Six. Doyou understand that? Nothing could make me leave them. They’re the only familyI’ve ever known.
What about me?What about the family you’re going to start with me?
They’re mybrothers, Caro.I won’t.He’dsucked in a deep, final breath.I can’t.
I had Sayer’s answer. I didn’t need to ask him myquestion. He’d been super clear on what to expect.
Maggie walked out of her office, ready to spit nailsand breathe fire. “Move that family coming in today to the king suite. Tellthem it’s a complimentary upgrade. And then let’s just freaking hope and praythat they don’t want to extend their stay. With three rooms in the shitter,it’s going to be a miracle if we can get through this week.” She put her handon her forehead and spun toward the wall with a pinned map of the cabin layouton it. “I have no idea how hard it is to pull a sex toy out of a hot tub jet,but I’m hoping the repair is simple and straightforward.”
“And cheap,” I added. “We also need it to be cheap.”
“Son of a bitch,” she growled.
At Maggie’s look of frustrated helplessness, I rushedto assure her. “We’re just close to the end of our repair budget for the month.We have some saved for a rainy day though. If we go over this month, we’ll beokay.”
She cocked her head and breathed out slowly. “You’resure?”
“I’ve been running the numbers with the estimates I’vereceived so far. Barring no hidden problems, like black mold in all thebathrooms, we should be okay. More than okay.”
