"I think this is a bad idea.”
"Then why are you here?”
"I figured I'd listen to what you had to say, then make a decision."
"Bullshit. You thought you could show up and fuck me like old times.”
"Well, the thought had crossed my mind," he said with a grin in his voice.
"That's the cherry on top if you agree to take care of this for me.”
Gavin thought about it for a long moment. "Since you can't pay me upfront, I'll take that as a deposit.”
"So you’ll do the job?”
After a long pause and a sigh, Gavin said, "Yeah, I'll do it.”
"I'll give you a name and an address.”
"When does this need to be done?”
"Tonight.”
"Tonight!? Are you out of your mind?”
"Time is of the essence. She's already made a statement. It's only a matter of time before there's a warrant out for my arrest. Comprende?”
Gavin was silent again.
In a sultry tone, Tiffany said, "I'll be waiting here for you when you get done completely naked, willing to do anything you want.”
"You want me to go do that shit first?”
“Like I said, time is of the essence.”
There was a pause, then it sounded like a zipper came undone.
“If you want this done, you’re gonna have to show me how desperate you really are.”
"Oh, baby, I'm desperate."
I couldn't see what happened, but I figured Tiffany dropped to her knees and made a persuasive argument for murder.
I fired up the van and pulled out of the parking lot. It’s too bad we couldn’t use the call or the recording of their conversation.
We headed back across town to Joyce’s house. With her secure at the hotel, we set up an ambush at her house. She’d given us the keys and the schedule of when she fed the cat and when she went to bed. The porch light stayed on all night. The living room light was out by 10:00 PM, but she left the TV on all night just so the house wouldn’t feel empty. It didn’t really matter. Gavin didn’t know what her regular routine was or what the house was supposed to look like.
We parked the surveillance van a block over and entered with a key through the back door.
I figured Tiffany was pretty good at what she did. I don’t think Gavin lasted long. He’d be on his way shortly. If it were me, I would wait until the wee hours of the morning, between threeand four. That would be the time with the least amount of activity on the street.
JD and I took watch in the dark house, waiting.
61
The doorknob jiggled. Metal scraped and clinked. A moment later, the handle twisted and the back door creaked open.
It was a little after 3:00 AM when the shadowy figure crept into the house.
