When I glanced at Aspen again out of the corner of my eye, his eyebrows rose.
My face heated and felt like maybe it was as red as the back end of me. “It’s... uh... kind of ye to offer. Thanks.”
Aspen tilted his head and stared, and I kept sneaking glances at him.
“What?” I snapped. Cursing, I jammed on the brake as someone pulled out of a spot directly in front of us, and I was forced to wait.
“Did that hurt you to say?” He reached over and tickled my knee. I smacked my hand on top of his, but he didn’t let go. I squeezed his wrist. He backed off as I started the CR-V forward again. Finally the twists and turns came to a more open space with fewer vehicles in the garage. Jamie swung his Honda into a spot, and I pulled in next to him.
“We’re going up,” Corbin said as we got out, and we followed them all the way to the top where there were barely any cars at all under the open sky, except for a huge Ford F-Series with a thick black steel brush guard on the front and a bumper constructed for war.
Jamie caught me looking at the metal beast and laughed. “It’s ours.”
We went to the ledge of the parking garage, and I snorted and pulled my sunglasses out of the inner pocket of my suit and put them on. Aspen hooked a hand over his eyes. We glared down at the complex of storage facilities below. The front of the building we were focused on faced the street, and there was a big tent selling fireworks, though that was odd this time of year. Normally those didn’t crop up in places until the American Independence Day in July. In back there were trucks and cars pulling up to a door. The driver would get a couple of boxes from someone inside, then head off again.
“Selling fireworks, indeed.” Corbin huffed out a laugh. “They couldn’t think of anything else?”
“Why have someone up front at all?” Jamie asked.
Corbin glared at him as if he was gravely disappointed. “This is my life, explaining things to a wanker who makes more money than I do.”
Jamie waved a hand at him. “Aye.”
His eyes narrowed. “To keep track of who is going around the back of the building and let people inside know what to expect. They likely have someone out there all day, and they’re hoping no one stops to buy.”
Sighing, I glanced up at the goddamned sun that was going to boil me alive at this rate. I should’ve used sunscreen but hadn’t thought of it. “That much traffic, they’re selling something. Heroin. Blow. Cocaine is a big staple for Reyes. No one rushes around for anything less.”
Corbin tugged on the collar of his shirt. “Maybe pharmaceuticals. Pills are coming back into style. Convenient, those.”
Aspen sighed. “We could’ve used Rowen on this. It would’ve been nice to have eyes up here.”
Jamie shoved his hands into his pockets and turned toward us, staring at the ground in thought.
“Why did the boss keep ’im back. Ye know?” I asked.
Jamie grinned. “Ya truly want an answer?”
Corbin nudged him, and Jamie elbowed him away.
“Aye.”
“Conall.”
I scowled at Jamie. “What the feck do ye mean, Conall?”
“He begged Sloan to make sure if we all die, there’s someone around for Vail. Fallon’s a good lad, but Conall meant someone who could take care of him. Conall fancies Vail needs someone the way he needs Sloan. And Rowen’s the most likely choice.”
Aspen grunted as if that wasn’t a surprise to him, but it shocked the shite out of me.
“I knew his pet had pull....”
Jamie bared his teeth and went serious, which was never good. “Not many see it, but as much as ya don’t want to get on Sloan’s bad side, Conall is the one to watch out for.” He shrugged. “Sloan keeps giving him more and more to do. Asks his opinions. If he was a woman, I’d say he was turning into a proper mob wife. Mob partner? Anyway, he’s no fool, and he has the subtle art of bending Sloan’s ear down to a science.”
Corbin snorted. “The wind blows in your favor when ya have Conall’s goodwill.”
Aspen huffed. “He’s a good guy.” Jamie and Corbin turned to him in surprise, but I wasn’t shocked. He’d been talking more lately. “Don’t make it sound like that. Vail and Fallon are close to him. It makes sense to take care of your own.”
“And that’s good for your wee family, is all I’m saying.” Corbin shrugged.
