All the way to the SNB offices he glanced over his shoulder, but no one followed. Rett sat in her Jeep when he got there, door open, loading a gun, with two more on the seat beside her. Like him, she was dressed all in black, a stocking cap bulging out at the back of her head, covering her braids.
“Are you ready?” Lucky climbed from the Camaro, bringing his own arsenal with him, complete with taser. If the SNB wanted to provide technology, no point in passing up a freebie.
“As I’ll ever be.” She stood, shoving guns into holsters at her shoulder, the small of her back, and her leg.
Wolf whistle at her tonight motherfuckers. You’ll be dead before you hit the ground.
Together they trotted across the parking lot to the Malibu Lucky had claimed for the evening. He’d done a lot of charming to keep Bo from finding out. Out of habit he climbed into the passenger seat, letting Johnson drive. “I’m not betting on much of a security system. The place is trying to stay on the down low and probably rely on the armed guards.”
Semi-darkness couldn’t hide Johnson’s grin. “My money’s on us.”
“Oh, by the way. Bo thinks we’re sparring tonight, so if you see him tomorrow—”
“I’ll be sure to tell him I kicked your ass. That’s your excuse for getting out of the house this week?”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Though guilt niggled at him for lying to Bo. If Bo knew, he’d try to talk Lucky out of this. When Walter said,“Do what you do,”he probably meant surveillance only. If he hadn’t wanted Lucky to break in, he should’ve been more specific.
Lucky went over the warehouse layout in his head en route. “I believe our best bet will be the offices at the front of the building. No fence, no guards, one simple camera, easily taken out. No sign of a security system.” Not that security systems slowed Lucky down much.
“You get us in. I got your back.” Johnson kept her eyes on the road.
“I’ll get us in.” They parked a few blocks from the warehouse, in a neighborhood they stood a good chance of the vehicle not being stripped when they got back, and crept down shadowed streets, guns at the ready. Music blared from overhead, coming from a tall building overlooking their target. The neighborhood had definitely seen better days.
Research showed mostly empty buildings, a few in various states of renovation into apartments, a few in need of destruction, but low possibility of witnesses. A homeless man lay curled in the shelter of a doorway, snoring loud enough to scare off any curious varmints.
Shadows and broken streetlights gave plenty of cover, though enough light remained not to need flashlights yet.
He strolled by the building, hands shoved into his pockets.Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.A quick perusal showed two guards in the guardhouse watching TV. Two more would show up at ten, and the first two would leave at eleven. Time enough to get in and get out.
He waited for another bout of canned laughter from the TV to hurl a rock at the lone camera. Applause covered the crashing of breaking glass.
Lucky motioned to Johnson and skittered sideways to the recessed doorway, gun in hand and covering her till she got to the door.
A vise grip clutched him around the chest, a cloth-filled hand coming across his nose and mouth.
Caught! Fuck! Lucky grabbed the arm around his chest, ready to flip his assailant. “Shh… It’s me.”
Bo? Lucky’s hammering heart stuttered and kicked back into high gear. Oh, shit. He was so screwed. Not as screwed as if he’d been caught by a guard, but screwed nonetheless. But hey! How had he let someone sneak up on him?
He was getting way too old for this shit. He slumped. So much for his evening’s plans. At least it took a professional like Bo to catch him off-guard.
“I’m going to let you go. You’re not going to run, you’re going to tell me why the hell you’re here.” Bo’s no-nonsense tone sent skitters of unease up Lucky’s spine. No familiarity there, all business. The way Bo might talk to a true felon.
Lucky blew out a breath and nodded. Bo released him and Lucky whirled.
Like himself and Johnson, Bo wore dark clothes, making him barely visible.
Johnson trotted back down the stairs. “Lucky, what—” She came to a halt a few steps away.
“Now, what are you up to?” Bo cut his gaze to Johnson and back to Lucky. “Really up to.”
Johnson sighed. “We have reason to believe this place might be used to house illegal drugs. Someone down at city hall doesn’t want us here, and wouldn’t give us a search warrant.”
“You do realize that breaking and entering is a crime, don’t you?” Bo folded his arms across his chest.
Now wasn’t the time to invoke Walter’sDo what you do.“We have probable cause.”
“Do you?” Though darkness hid Bo’s expression, Lucky easily imagined a lifted eyebrow.
