Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 109640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, then realized he was missing out on eavesdropping on her and Rez’s conversation.
He tipped his cell phone up and visually scanned the app. Some words were missing but he got the basics of the conversation. They were talking about the differences of culinary dishes between their two cultures. His being Venezuelan and hers being Columbian.
Rez promised to bring her some of his mother’s cooking. Excited about his offer, she began speaking so fast, the app couldn’t pick up on most of it.
Crew had to admit, Carmen Alvarez’s cooking was some of the best. Any time he could snag an invite to sit at her table, he took it.
Suddenly a hand flashed in front of his face and snagged his phone.
“What the fuck?” Finn yelled and hooted behind him.
Crew surged to his feet and tried to grab it back, but Finn danced out of the way, twisting and turning to avoid him.
There went his goddamn secret. And his advantage.
“Hey, this asshole is listening in on your conversation by using a translation app,” Finn announced loudly, lifting Crew’s cell phone in the air over his head.
“Give me my phone back,” Crew hissed.
Finn wagged a finger at him and clicked his tongue. “You shouldn’t listen in on someone’s conversation without them knowing, you sneaky fucker.”
Cami stared at the phone in Finn’s hand with her eyebrows pinned together. “You were using your phone to translate our conversation?”
Fuck. “I’m—”
“Of course he is! I also caught him using Duolingo,” Torres snitched loudly from the other side of the room.
For fuck’s sake! Did no one have any loyalty to their leader around here?
Cami’s eyes swung from Torres to him. “You’re learning Spanish? I know you don’t like us speaking it around you because you feel left out, but isn’t that a bit drastic?”
“Are you that fucking paranoid, J. Crew?” Decker asked on a laugh.
“Fuck off. I’m not paranoid! It can’t hurt to learn.”
“Can an old dog learn new tricks?” Cami teased. “Let’s see…” She spoke very slowly, “¡Hola!¿Cómo estás? Me llamo Cami. ¿Y tú?”
“Even I know that much,” Crew grumbled.
“Then tell me… what did I say?”
“Hello. How are you? My name is Cami. And you?” he translated, finally getting a chance to grab back his phone from Finn. He locked it and shoved it in his back pocket.
“Hey, your name is Cami, too?” she asked with a laugh. “What are the odds?”
“No. Mi nombre es Crew.”
Torres yelled out, “Look at you, now fluent! Better watch out, the agency might put you undercover with a cartel.”
“I’m no expert. I remember that much from high school,” Crew announced.
Decker smirked. “They taught Spanish in school in the early 1900s?”
“Why are you learning Spanish now, Crewella?” A grin curled Rez’s lips as he cocked an eyebrow toward Cami.
“It’s the second most spoken language in this country. That’s why.”
He ignored the laughter and hoots.
“Are you sure you don’t have another reason?” Torres tilted his head and also raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t need another fucking reason.”
“We’ve known each other for years and you’ve never bothered to learn it for me,” Rez said, then pouted and gave him sad puppy dog eyes.
Crew needed to change the subject. And quickly. “Anyway…” He turned to Cami to see her lips pinned together and the corners of her eyes crinkled. He was sure he’d hear about this later. “Can you stick around before heading to Hawg Wild?”
Chapter Thirty-One
Cami’s amusement quickly fled. “Is something up?”
“We’re about to have a quick task force meeting. I figured it would be good for you to join in.”
She glanced at her cell phone. “Since they don’t have a time clock, I’m sure no one will miss me being a little late.”
“The Demons don’t know the word punctual,” came from out of thin air.
“Ladies and… ladies… Ghost and Kitten have joined us.” Crew called out, wearing a smirk.
Finn pspspsps’d, then meowed.
A groan could be heard through the speaker phone sitting in the center of the conference table. “Yeah. We’re here and we’ve been listening in to Crew’s downfall.” Fletch chuckled.
“How’s the new apartment?” Crew rushed to ask to steer the conversation away from his so-called downfall.
“Compared to my house? It sucks. Can we wrap up this fucking investigation soon? I miss my pool and my own bed.”
“Hey, it’s not easy finding rentals right now. Especially with the budget the agency gave me. Just be glad you’re not living in a camper down by the river.”
Decker burst out in laughter.
“Does that mean something?” Cami asked.
“She’s probably too young to know that SNL skit,” Torres said.
“SNL as in Saturday Night Live?” she asked him.
“Yeah,” the plant manager answered. “Do a search on YouTube for SNL and Chris Farley. You’ll get sucked down a rabbit hole and you won’t regret it.”
Rez did the sign of the cross. “Gone too soon.”