Nobody Rides For Free by Neil S. Plakcy

Author:Neil S. Plakcy [Plakcy, Neil S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635760514
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2017-08-21T16:00:00+00:00

19.

Understanding

I used all the tactical driving skills I’d learned at Quantico as I made my way up US 1, darting around slow-moving Canadian tourists and senior citizens so short their heads didn’t show over their seat backs. The Mini Cooper was a front-wheel drive car, which meant my turning capabilities were more restricted, and it didn’t have as much acceleration as the cars I’d driven in training, but I focused on the road looking for advantages I could exploit.

I didn’t relax until I had to idle at the traffic light where US 1 veered right and merged with Sunrise Boulevard. I used that break to call Shane. “What’s going on?”

“Ozzy’s trying on clothes,” Shane said. “I tell you Angus, that other guy isn’t even a friend of his. Ozzy keeps showing him stuff and the guy doesn’t care. He must be some kind of guard.”

Eric had chauffeured Dimetrie to his dance lesson, and he’d mentioned to Jonas that he did odd jobs for the car dealer and his friends. Was he a driver? Or something more?

“I’m almost there,” I said. “Listen, I don’t want to engage Ozzy or this other guy in the thrift shop. I want to follow them when they leave. If they go to that house where I saw Dimetrie, then I’ve got concrete evidence that I can use to get a search warrant.”

“You’re going to let him go?”

“It’s a free country. I have no cause to detain either of them.”

“I need to talk to him. I want to make sure he’s all right.”

“Does he have any visible evidence that he’s being abused? Broken arm, black eye, anything?”

“He looks OK,” Shane admitted. “I haven’t seen him up close. I’m hanging out in the office at the back of the store so that he can’t see me.”

“Hold on. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

It felt like I could stop holding my breath when I pulled into the thrift store parking lot. As I walked in, I spotted Eric, and before I could turn away he recognized me. “Hey, you’re Jonas’ friend, right?” he asked. “I’m Eric.”

“Angus.” I shook his hand.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Shane lurking at the back of the store, but I didn’t want to approach him while Eric was watching me.

“You doing a little retail therapy?” I asked Eric. He looked like he’d come from the gym and was dressed in a tight tank top that emphasized his bulging pecs and biceps.

“Nah, just helping out a friend,” he said.

The boy I recognized as Ozzy Perez came out of the dressing room, carrying an armload of T-shirts and skinny jeans. “I’m done,” Ozzy said to Eric. “Can I have the money?”

Eric pulled a roll of bills out of the pocket of his jeans. “Ring him up,” he said to the clerk.

That was my cue to get away from him. “Good to see you,” I said to Eric.

“Yeah, say hi to Jonas for me.”

“I will.” I walked toward the back of the store where Shane met me behind a circular display of short-sleeve shirts.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.