Into the Black: A Janey McCallister Mystery, Book 1 by Beth Barany

Author:Beth Barany [Barany, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FIREWOLF BOOKS

Thirteen

Janey hadn’t met the guard but had seen him from afar in the commissary. He was ex-military, like she was. Plus he had an extra foot in height, an added one hundred pounds in girth, and bulging tattooed biceps.

Maybe he’d see her for who she appeared to be and not who she really was. Worth a try. Maybe she was caught up in the charade, having some fun on the job for once.

“Oh, sweetie, can’t we just go in and get us some extra—what were those—canapés with caviar and Scottish cheese?” Janey batted her eyes at Valdez. He picked up on her cue and grinned and smacked his lips, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. A bit over the top. She didn’t need to play an act, but Valdez brought it out of her.

Janey suppressed a giggle, as if she’d had too much champagne. That was what it really felt like—a bubbling up of something from her belly. Who knew improv on the job could be this fun and a little disorienting, but in a good way?

“I don’t see why not. If you’d let us in, my good man…” Valdez moved in front of Janey and motioned with one hand behind his back for her to slip around them.

Janey tried it, but the big man was too smart. He side-stepped to block her path, peering down at her a bit bored as if he could do this all day.

“I didn’t want to do this, but—” She crooked a finger in the big guy’s face. Time for the direct approach.

He leaned in, expressionless, his pulse normal.

“I’m Station Security Investigator McCallister, and we need to get into the kitchen.” She spoke in a whisper and flashed her holo badge. “We’re undercover.”

“Is that so?” A flicker of concern crossed his face. Then he went impartial and cool again. “Thought I recognized you. That’s right. I saw you shadow sparring the other day in the gym. Nice job.” He almost smiled, then shut that down. “Doesn’t matter. Chef’s orders.”

“Since when?”

“Since always. Didn’t your chief tell you? We’re separate security departments.”

“Chief Milano may have mentioned that.” She didn’t remember. Janey crossed her arms and accessed the encyclopedia-sized files via her implant and searched for the rules and regulations concerned. Who heard of a kitchen having their own security crew? When you ran a six-star restaurant on the world’s classiest space station hotel-casino, maybe you needed to. Why would Chef Gutierrez need to?

Ah, there it was—a one-page mention amongst all the gigabytes of contents on the casino contingencies and emergency security protocols.

“He’s security too?” The guard gestured to Valdez with his chin.

“Yep, him too. Sol Unified Police. Joint task force,” Janey said.

The guard frowned at Valdez, scanned him from head to toe, and glanced back at Janey, suspicion in his gaze.

“You don’t believe us.” Not exactly joint, but at least they were working together.

Big guy leaned back, grinned, and crossed his arms against his massive chest. “I do believe you, but the answer is still no.”

“Come on.” Janey put her hand on his muscled forearm, bigger than her mother’s Gratitude Day ham.

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