“What’s the fun in that?” She pulled a makeup mirror from her purse and examined her face. “Shit,” she said. “Forgot my bright reds.”
“Huh?”
“Lipstick,” she said. She snapped the mirror closed. “Girl, how in the world do you get by without any makeup? That’s like God’s gift to humanity.”
“You look fine,” I said. I realized instantly fine wasn’t the thing to say. “I mean pretty.”
“Bless your heart.”
I parked the van in the street where she told me to. The trailer was tiny, almost camper-sized. It had only a wooden step up to the front door. The yard was half sand, half brown, crunchy grass.
I hopped out, looking for a place to leave my keys and didn’t have storage anywhere. I held them in my hands instead, along with the cell phone. I had to leave behind the MP3 player since I no longer had a pocket.
“Where’s your purse, girl?” she asked as she stepped out. We had been the same height, but now, even with me in kitten heels, she was a good four inches taller than I was in the spiky boots. “Did you leave it in my car?”
“Told you that you need one,” Marc said. I spotted the SUV driving past. It pulled down the road, circling the neighborhood. “Be right back,” he said. “Don’t shoot anyone until I can find a good spot.”
“Don’t usually carry one,” I said.
Future rolled her eyes. She came forward, snatched up the keys and tucked them into her purse. She took the phone, opened up my shirt, and then wedged the phone into the cup of my bra. “God gives you a shelf, you use it.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt with her man-handling my boobs. I looked down, and spotted the outlines of the phone sticking out. “He’s going to see.”
“Then you should get a purse next time. I’d stick them in my purse, but I need access to the gun just in case.” She slapped my hip and nudged me forward. “You’re a mess. Didn’t your mama ever teach you anything? I don’t know what I was thinking taking you on as a partner.”
I bit my tongue. The mama comment stung, but it wasn’t her fault. She didn’t know. I flicked the emotion back. “For the van,” I said, trying to crack a smile.
“That’s an awesome van,” she said.
We hobbled up to the front steps. She stayed a step below me, because there wasn’t enough room to stand side by side. “I’d go in front,” she said, “but I don’t want him to see me reaching for a gun just in case.”
I grunted. “Being a shield wasn’t part of the bargain.”
She ran her fingers through her short hair, combing it back. She hiked the skirt on her hips. “Let me do the talking,” she said.
I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. Her voice would give her away.
She rang the doorbell, and then knocked on the door, putting on the prettiest smile.
“This ought to be good,” Marc said. I imagined he found a spot where he could see what was going on.
A short, pudgy guy answered the door. His eyes were bleary and his shirt was smudged with a mustard stain across the front.
He spotted me first, looked confused, and then spotted Future and his eyes widened as he checked her out.
I just got overlooked for a cross-dresser. Maybe she was right; I needed to work on my girly image.
“Huh?” Danny asked.
Future tilted her head. “Hey there, sugar,” she said, and her voice was surprisingly soft, to the point where she could have easily passed for a female with a husky voice. “Is Johnny around?”
“Who?” he asked.
She frowned looking up and down the street. “Damn. Do we have the wrong house?”
Danny’s disappointment dropped over his face like a rock. “Who were you looking for?”
Future made a clicking noise with her mouth. “You see, me and my friend Tasha,” she said, tugging my arm. “Need a partner.”
“Tasha!” Marc said, laughing in my ear.
I shoved my clenched fists behind my back and then gritted my teeth and smiled. “Yes, we do,” I said, in a flirty tone.
“You see, we’ve got to film this really hot scene on the beach,” Future said. “It’s for a music video. You know, with bikinis and a lot of skin pressed against skin.” As she spoke, she took a small step backward. She held on to my arm, snagging me along.
“Oh?” Danny said, taking a step out. “So you needed Johnny to…”
“Hold the camera,” she said. “We’ve got to go pick up a camera and then go to the beach.”
“I can hold a camera,” Danny said.
Future paused in her movements, looked at me and then looked at Danny. “I don’t know.”
“He could hold it,” I said. “He looks like he can hold up a camera.”
Danny made a muscle bulge, barely, by holding up his arm in a flexed position. “I can hold it steady. I’ll do it for free.”
Future leaned in to whisper in my ear. “Too easy.” She pulled away from me and then curled her fingers. “I like you, Danny. Come on out and play.”
Future started walking toward the van. I followed. Danny started to pad down the steps and then stopped. “Hang on,” he said. “I need my shoes.”
“We’re going to the beach,” Future said. “You don’t need any shoes.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. He reached over, closed the door to the house and then ran down the steps. “Let’s go.”
“We’ve got a van,” Future said. “Want to hop in the back?”
“What’s the van for?” Danny said as he walked behind us.
I went to the rear of the van and unlocked the door. “For carting around a camera.”
“And Tasha and I like a little privacy so we can fool around before a shoot,” Future said.
Marc snickered in my ear.
Danny looked like he was about to shoot off a geyser where he stood. “Fool around?” he asked.
“You know,” Future said. She smiled, tucking her arm into his to urge him toward the open van. “You’ve got to work off a little steam before the shoot. Otherwise everyone ends up hot and bothered and your music video ends up as a porno.”
“No porno making for you,” Marc said.
“Is that a bad thing?” Danny asked with a smirk. He got into the back of the van. “There’s no seats.”
“Just kneel on the floor.” Future reached for the door, starting to close it.
Danny stopped the door quickly. “Someone going to join me back here?”
“We need to get the camera first,” Future said. Her eyes flickered down his body, stopping at his pants. “Do me a favor, baby?”
“What?”
“Show me your piece. I want a look at you.”
I totally didn’t want a look. I turned, getting out of the way before Danny could pull his cock out.
“Nice,” Future said. She licked her lips. “That one’s so big. All ready to go, too. Tell you a secret, sweetie. If you jerk it off now, you’ll last longer when we get to the beach.”
I was out of view to see Danny, but my jaw dropped and I was shaking my head and waving my hands at Future. Gross!
“You want me to…”
“I want to watch,” she said. “Puts me in the mood. Put on a show for me, and I’ll put on a show for you when we get there.” She winked at him and then shut the door.
“No,” I seethed through my teeth. “No, ew, no.”
“Are you kidding?” Future whispering, her voice low again. She slid her arm around my shoulders, taking out the van keys. “It’ll keep him busy until we get there. He won’t know where we’re going until it’s too late. We can hose it out if he makes a mess. Usually I’ve got them in the back of the Montego and they sprinkle happy juice all over my upholstery.”
Gross!
Marc was laughing loudly in my ear.
RUNNERS GET PAID
I drove while Future took her time watching through the window at Danny while he did his thing. She directed him, asked him to do ungodly things to himself, and occasi
onally touched her bra, pretending to be turned on. I think she enjoyed this part a little too much.
We were back at the police station as soon as I could get there, but it didn’t save the van.
Future even managed to get him to put on the pink fuzzy cuffs.
“Looks like we’re here,” she said as we pulled into the parking lot. “Get as close to that door as you can, sweetie,” she said to me, pointing to a metal door on the side. “Then hop out and ring the bell. I’ll bring Danny.”
“Should I put my pants back on?” Danny said.
“Yes,” I said. I jumped out of the van. I ran over to the door, smacked the doorbell and waited.
Future held Danny’s arm while he stepped out of the back, looking confused. “Where are we?”
“Hang on,” Future said, pulling him along by the pink cuffs. “Have to make this one pit stop.”
“This isn’t the beach.”
“You’re smart,” Future said.
A cop opened the door. Danny took one look and started to walk back. “Wait a second.”
Future planted her hands against his body and shoved him toward the cop, who got a grip of his cuffs and pointed inside.
Danny, defeated, followed.
“I’ll be right back,” Future said.
I went back to the van, standing against it, afraid to get in and see or smell something I didn’t want to.
“Yeah,” Marc said drily in my ear. “You should get a job as a bounty hunter.”
“Shut up,” I said. I reached into my bra, pulling out the cell phone and holding it to my ear so I wouldn’t look like a psycho talking to myself.
“Are you done playing, now?” he asked.
“I have to take her back to get her car,” I said. “Then I think I quit the bounty hunting business.”
“If you get a chance,” Marc said, “see if you can’t find out who her boss is sleeping with. Seems like he went home and there was a girl there. Axel can’t seem to get a good look at her. There’s other people there, too. They’ve got a party going on tonight.”
“Shouldn’t we be looking for Fred?”
“We still can’t find Fred. Axel’s been listening to the office while he was still there. This Henry guy hasn’t mentioned Fred once.”
“Because he can’t find him?”
“I don’t know.”
I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing no one had seen Fred. If these bounty hunters couldn’t find him, did it mean he could have skipped town?
Future walked out the door again, waving a paper in her hand like a flag.
“Got to go. Future’s waiting.”
“I’m your future, Bambi,” he said.
I wasn’t sure if he meant it or if he was trying to be that corny.
Future smiled showing me the paper. “See this?” she asked. “This is like gold.”
“So we turn that in for money?” I asked.
“Give it to the boss and he writes out a check.” She tucked the paper into her purse. “I’ll give you a hundred to start.”
“What? I don’t get half?”
“Honey, you’re in training.” She reached out, tugging a lock of my hair. “Besides, I’ve got to get your wardrobe up to date. Those shorts were ugly. And I still hate that top.”
I groaned and climbed into the van. Despite what I’d said to Marc, I wish I’d known about this bounty business before. This was pretty easy. And I’d earned a hundred dollars in a couple of hours’ worth of work. If I had a license, I could have earned five hundred easy. And she said this was a small case. I wondered if I could be a runner in Charleston. I wondered if Raven would help me.
I had the thought, and then my heart sunk. No, I couldn’t. I had to pretend I wanted in the Academy. Finding out those secrets was more important.
I started the van and Future smiled lazily as she sat back in the passenger seat. “This is a good day,” she said. “The office is closed now. But I can get your money if you need it tonight.”
“Whenever,” I said. “Not in a hurry.”
She looked over at me. “You hungry?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Let me show you this little place I know,” she said. She snapped her fingers and pointed down the road. “Turn here.”
The thought of food put me in a happy mood. Maybe now I could talk to her about Fred. I followed her directions. Some of the downtown St. Augustine streets were one-way and narrow. There wasn’t a chance for Marc to follow us down some of them without being completely obvious. I kept my eyes on the side mirrors to look out for him as Future directed me deeper into the city.
“So,” I said, trying to make conversation. “Henry is the boss? What is he like, really?”
“I’m telling you, girl, don’t trust him.”
“He said something about a party tonight,” I said, going on what Marc said.
Future shrugged. “Haven’t heard of one. He might have meant a party with just him. Go if you want, but I’m telling you, the devil makes a better dance partner.”
“You don’t like him?”
“Not my type,” she said. “And I’m a lovable person. I love everyone.” She motioned to the sidewalks. “We’ve got to walk to get to this place.”
“In these clothes?”
“These are damn fine clothes,” she said. She pointed to a tiny parking lot. “Park here.”
I did, wedging the van into a space I was scared I probably wouldn’t ever get out of.
Future hopped out, taking her purse. “It’s this way.”
Since it wasn’t the height of tourist season, the downtown area was practically a ghost town. A few of the gift shops were closed early. There were spaces in the street for outdoor vendors, but those were gone.
I followed Future onto a narrow street, and then she made a turn into an alleyway. “There’s a short cut.”
“What’s this place?” I asked.
“A nice tourist spot,” she said. “Steak and lobster and fancy little folded napkins. She stopped, looking back behind me. Her eyes widened. “Did you hear that?”
I turned, looking at the entrance we’d come from, wondering if Marc had made an appearance. Future shuffled behind me. I thought maybe she was trying to look around me.
I didn’t see anything. The alley was empty. I stayed still, trying to listen. If Marc tried to follow us down here, he’d be really obvious. I hoped he wasn’t that stupid. I was so close! I could ask Future where Fred was, we’d go get him and we could go back to Charleston. One less thing to worry about.
“Okay, honey,” Future said behind me. “Time to play with the big girls, now.”
I thought maybe she did spot Marc and was calling him out. Or maybe was calling out some invisible people because I didn’t see anyone.
I turned to look at her, and ask her what she’d spotted, when I caught the barrel of her .38.
Pointing right at my nose.
I stared beyond it, toward Future. I held up my hands slowly. “What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” she snapped at me, her voice taking on a more masculine tone now. “Who are you? Really?”
“I’m Rachael…”
“Bullshit,” she said. She waved the gun at my nose. “Start talking, missy. That SUV’s been following us since we started. You’ve got a bug in your ear. Who the hell is offered money up front and then doesn’t take it? I know a stakeout when I see one. I’m not stupid.”
My heart jumped from dead stop to full on thunder. Given she was a bounty hunter, she probably knew a thousand policemen to call at any second and where to dump the body if needed. Lying wasn’t going to be an option now. “It’s not what you think.”
“Why are you following me?” she asked, gun steady.
“We’re not after you,” I said. I wondered if Marc could hear what was going on. He wasn’t saying anything, which was making me nervous. Did she really have me lose him well enough that he couldn’t even hear me now? I wasn’t sur
e how much distance this ear piece could cover. Or maybe it broke. It happened before. Does the battery die after a short time?
“Then who the hell are you after?” she said. “’Fess up. I don’t want to stain that skirt, but I will if I have to.”
I shifted in the kitten heels. I’d have to kick them off to run. It was tempting, but this was a narrow alleyway. She picked a good spot to kill me without a chance for me to escape. The only thing I could do was try to convince her.
She did hate her boss. Maybe I could get her on my side.
Had to take a chance. “We’re looking for Fred Gunther.”
“Who the hell is that?”
“Henry put up the money for a custody bond for him.”
“So?”
“Fred’s on the run. His grandmother paid off the agency, but they’re still chasing after him.”
Future squinted at me. “So why are you hanging out with me?”
“I was hoping to get information. I was hoping I could learn about Fred if I could convince Henry to let me find him.”
“So you can get the jump on him? Offer him up and hope to get the reward?” She flicked the gun closer to my nose. “You’ve got to come up with a better story than the money one.”
“We want…” I paused, wondering how much I needed to say to get her to trust me. I went for sympathy. “There’s a little girl involved. Sara. He’s got her.”
She started to lower the gun, just barely. “You’re looking for her?”
“We’re looking for both of them. It’s a long story, but I don’t think he meant to run on purpose. He didn’t need to. The girl seemed to be living with him. She seemed happy there. Then suddenly he up and leaves?”
“Where’s the mom?”
“Haven’t been able to find her,” I said. “We’re looking for her, too. She hasn’t been home.”
Future grunted and then shook her head. “This is so unbelievable.”
“It’s the truth,” I said.
“Oh I do believe it,” she said. “The fact that it’s completely fucked up is what makes me think you’re being honest.” She lifted her hand again, pointing the gun toward my eyes. “You could be feeding me shit just to get out of this. Why do you give a damn about it?”