Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
I also spoke. “I’d really like to see how things are going with Homer.”
“We have psychologists who are going to assist in questioning the victims and returning them to their…places,” he replied. “I can tell you that all of them seem healthy and fed, even if a few of them have clearly been roughed up.”
Not good news.
My narrowed eyes got narrower as my always lacking patience began to run out.
“What I’m saying is, we’re looking after them,” Alvarez asserted.
“I’d still like to see for myself,” I stated.
“Yes,” Alvarez retorted. “And you can do that as soon as I inform you that Phoenix is not gonna be the car bombs exploding, high-speed chases on city streets, haunted houses being shut down, cars getting plastic wrapped, quarterly kidnappings, apartments obliterated, assassins dispatched nightmare that Denver became when the Rock Chicks were active.”
Cars getting plastic wrapped?
Assassins dispatched?
No one mentioned anything about any assassins.
“Now,” he said sharply and turned to Raye. “I know about your history, and I’m truly sorry for your loss and what your family went through.” He looked to me. “And I know you were searching for your brother, and although I’m glad you found him, I wish you’d tell him to stop doing fucked-up shit, like right now I’m telling you to stop doing it.” He then looked between Harlow and Luna. “And I don’t wanna know what you two might get up to.” He took us all in. “And that’s the reason why you’re here.” He lifted a hand and circled a finger to the table. “This, whatever it is you women are tied up in, ends tonight.”
The last was a proclamation.
Before any of us could say anything, Harlow tentatively raised her hand.
“What?” Alvarez clipped at her.
“Well, first, only Jess got kidnapped, and it was by her brother, so it kinda doesn’t count,” she said.
Alvarez looked to the ceiling.
“Well, it doesn’t,” Harlow pressed.
I was of a different mind. A girl gets hooded and zip-tied, it doesn’t matter her brother did it to make a point.
But I wasn’t going to slow Harlow’s roll.
“And second,” she went on and lifted her chin when Alvarez aimed his steely gaze at her. “We’ve semi-kinda helped solve two cases without any high-speed chases or that other stuff. I mean, barring Jess’s kidnapping, which we already agreed doesn’t count.”
“Right. And you’re hooked up with Montoya, and I saw you women with Titus tonight,” Alvarez began. “So you’ve managed to make connections in a matter of months that every cop, investigator and criminal has tried to make, with most of us failing, for years.”
Interesting.
“But there’s no reason to be hooked up with those two men except reasons you shouldn’t be hooked up with them,” Alvarez concluded.
“We haven’t hooked up with Javi,” Harlow declared.
“Yet. For one of us,” Luna mumbled.
Raye chuckled.
Harlow turned on Luna. “I’m not hooking up with Javi. He didn’t even ask for my number.” She swung her attention to me. “And did he ask after me when you saw him before he went to the safe house?”
“I mentioned you,” I told her.
“And what did he say?” she demanded, a super curious look in her eye.
“He told me I was a pain in his ass,” I shared.
The curious light died, and I felt like a bitch.
“He was literally walking to the car to head to a safe house, Lolo,” I reminded her. “And he just lost two friends. I don’t think that puts a man in a romantic mood.”
“So there’s one thing in the negative column of the when-do-I-gotta-get-me-some list for when the opposite sex doesn’t have a mind to get him some,” Luna chimed in.
“Speaking of getting some, we’ve been waiting, since it’s clear you and Eric broke the seal, and you’ve said nada. Zip. Zilch.” Raye aimed this accusation at me.
She was right.
How did I miss doing that?
“Okay. I can confirm you’re correct. We broke the seal,” I said, and then I smiled hugely. “Since, we’ve ripped it to shreds and set it on fire.”
“Right on,” Raye said, grinning at me.
“Which nightie did you go for?” Luna asked.
I frowned. “It was a dud. A cotton stretchy thing. Which makes me glad this is over, and I have tomorrow off. I can go shopping and get new ones. Eric said it wasn’t the nighties, it’s the woman in them, but still. I know he gets off on them. And now I have to one-up my best ones, which is going to be a challenge.”
“He said it’s the woman in them?” Harlow asked. At my nod she smiled. “That’s so sweet!”
“I don’t have anything on tomorrow. I can go shopping with you,” Luna offered.
“I have to pack for the move,” Harlow put in.
“Plan,” Raye announced. “We bring Bosa and coffees to Harlow in the morning to help her pack. And in the afternoon, we go sexy nightie shopping.”