CHAPTER FIVE
She pushed open the door and the bell gave a chime. The man in the back of the restaurant came walking up to the front. He smiled at them. “Table for two?”
Nadia smiled back and patted Gabe’s arm. “We’re eating for three. Do you have anything to accommodate us?”
Gabe turned his head to her and gave a questioning stare. She shook her head and focused her attention back on the host.
“Why yes we do; I have the perfect position for you both.”
Gabe leaned over and whispered into her ear. “Position?”
“Shh, I’ll explain later. Just roll with it.”
They followed the host to a back table, and they took a seat on one side of the booth. Gabe slid in first and then Nadia joined him. She placed her hands on the table and motioned for him to do the same.
“He’ll be right with you,” the host said before he turned and walked away.
“He? Who is he, and what did you get me into?” Gabe knew that Nadia knew people, but he didn’t like the feeling he was getting from this situation.
“Don’t you wonder how I always get the heads up on the big crime stories? I have connections. This is one of them. So don’t embarrass me, okay?”
“Good God woman, I need to put in for hazard pay.”
“Shh, here he comes.” She sat up straight and smiled as Mr. Talbot sat in the booth across from her.
“Nadia, such a pleasure, it’s been too long, almost 6 months since we’ve seen each other. I thought that judge had scared you straight.”
“You know I was just lying low. I can never give up my meddling.”
“Who’s this you have with you? I don’t like new people, you know that.”
“This is my,” she paused for a moment not sure how to introduce him.
“I’m her lover. She’s kept me a secret for a while because she didn’t want me to be involved in her stuff,” Gabe interjected. He reached out his hand across the table for Mr. Talbot to shake.
The men did their manly stand off for a moment, then Mr. Talbot focused his attention back to Nadia. “What did you need my assistance with today, my dear?”
“Have you heard of the pet shop, Paws Pals?”
Mr. Talbot nodded and looked at her very carefully. “I have, they’re a pet store in town. What’s it to you, Ms. Maverick?”
“Well, I’ve been doing a little digging into them because something seemed off yesterday when I was there picking up my kitten. And, call it a gut feeling, but I think you know what’s going on there. I was hoping you could help point me in the right direction.”
“I’ve heard they have an ‘in’ with the locals. Are you sure you want to go down that path?”
Gabe spoke up. “She loves getting in trouble. I think she might be biting off a bit too much this time though.”
“Quiet Gabe. Keep talking, Mr. Talbot.” Nadia sat there with anticipation; she hung on his every word.
“Very well, rumor has it that the owner, Carlisle, is actually a paid hit man, and the pet shop is his front. So when I tell you to be careful, I mean it.”
“That would explain why Ramon had the crime scene photos, and why that other reporter wound up dead after her news story.” Nadia scanned the room. She felt her heart picking up speed, beginning to race.
“Nadia, stay away from this. Leave Carlisle and his people alone. I won’t be able to assist you like I normally can, not with someone who’s in so deep with the locals. If you have already started inquires, they probably know about it already. This man leaves his signature on each of his kill, a chalk mark in the shape of a snake. When I say he means business Nadia, that’s what I mean.”
“Nadia, listen to him. Maybe we should reconsider.” Gabe started to plead with her when she cut him off and stood up.
“Thank you, Mr. Talbot. As always, I appreciate your time, and I promise I’ll be careful. Come on, Gabe, we need to get going, stuff to plan.”
Mr. Talbot nodded his head at her and turned to look at Gabe who was still sitting in the booth. “Good luck with her.”
“Thanks, I’ll need it.” Gabe left the booth and followed Nadia out of the restaurant and back to her car.
“So what do you want to do now? Go after a hit man?” Gabe said as they pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to the office.
“I don’t particularly like that he’s a hit man. That doesn’t give me the warm fuzzies,” Nadia said.
“And a simple mob boss you would have been fine with, right?” Gabe laughed.
“I know it’s all crazy, I get it, but something is going on, and one of our own was killed. We can’t just let that slide, you know? Even us reporters need justice.”
“But it’s not your job to dish out justice. We aren’t cops, and this is a bit more than we’ve taken on in the past. I’m not so sure about it this time, Nadia.”
“Can we trust our boss, our coworkers? What about your cop friend?” Nadia’s mind started swirling with thoughts of how far into the system this man’s hands were tied. Could he really have enough power to get away with the murders?
“I don’t know. We have to tell them something. We set the stake out’s up already.”
“I think we should claim it’s a bust and go it alone.”
“Scully will be pissed if we cut him out of the loop; it’s his paper.” Gabe was always the voice of reason, even if she didn’t like what he had to say.
“He can get over it when we break the biggest story of the year.” Nadia drove into the parking garage and parked the car. They got out and went back into the office, where John from accounting was waiting at their desk.
“Mr. Schmid, what can we do for you?” Gabe asked; his face always had the more innocent look of the two of them.
“Mr. Sarmani, this doesn’t concern you. Ms. Maverick, can I have a word?”
“That depends, am I in trouble?” Nadia moved around him and sat on the edge of her desk. She gave him a sweet smile and waited for him to give her the bad news.
“According to this, you haven’t turned in an expense report in three months, and your credit card has had activity on it every week. I’m going to need to audit your records, Ms. Maverick.”
“What are you talking about? I haven’t used my credit card in five months, not since the court case!”
“Well, it seems that you have been. Look at the records. Do you have your card with you? I’ll need to collect it until after the audit.”
“You have got to be effin kidding me.” She grumbled for a few minutes as she dug through her purse. She emptied out the contents and went through her wallet. “It’s not here.”
“Convenient. I shall start deducting these charges from your paycheck. I suggest you think twice before racking up twelve thousand dollars next time.”
“You have to believe me, Mr. Schmid; I didn’t use it. Someone must have stolen it. It’s not here!”
“I’ll have the card canceled. I’ll need you to sign an affidavit; they’re in my office. I’ll have one brought over to you. In the future, please take better care of your things, especially if they are company items.”
They watched him walk off and into Scully’s office. They both hated being on the receiving side of Scully’s anger, so she prayed that, whatever happened, it was quick and painless. Nothing was worse than having to listen to the lectures their boss gave.
“Damn Nadia, seems like the world is working against you today, huh?” Gabe turned on his laptop and pulled up his work login. “I think I’m going to let Scully know what we found out today. I know what you think, but I don’t feel safe having you go after a hit man alone.”
“Maybe we can just tell him later; let me gather a few more bits of information. You know, once he’s told, it’s gonna be hell, right?” Nadia knew he was right but really didn’t want to deal with the red tape that Scully would bring. She also didn’t trust the police contacts they had been using if this man supposedly was connected. Shit, they were just screwed.
/> “MAVERICK!”
Gabe and Nadia both looked up in the direction of the scream and saw Scully standing at his door. He was giving her a pointed look, and they knew he was pissed.
“Wish me luck,” she said, pushing away from her desk and getting up.
“You should tell him now, while he’s in a pissed mood. That way you only have the ass chewing once.” Gabe laughed. “Good luck.”
Nadia wasn’t feeling the warm fuzzies when she walked into his office and shut the door.
“Yes, sir?”
“Don’t you ‘yes sir’ me. You lost your card, and it’s had charges racked up on it. All you have to say is ‘yes, sir’? I know you’re my best reporter, but Nadia, we can’t have this. Something’s got to give, because I expect more from you.”
“I know Scully. Look, I’m sorry, okay? I’ll fill out the paperwork and help with what’s needed. Okay?” Nadia tried to play down what had happened, but everyone knew Scully was big on taking care of company items. He felt it was an insult to his paper if you didn’t.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger while giving her the eye. “You know I make exceptions to the rules all the time because it’s you, right? And I shouldn’t be doing that. I should send you home.”
“But you won’t, right?”
“No, I won’t. Just get your act together. Now tell me about what you’ve discovered with the new story. I saw you and Gabe walking in like you had a plan.”
Nadia let out a sigh of relief when he changed the topic of discussion. She leaned back in her chair, grinning and tapping her fingers together. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you, so just let me investigate and write the story. You’ll love it.”
“You have that look of trouble in your eye. Are you sure that I will? It’s almost like you’re up to something.”
“I’m not up to anything; does this look like the face of someone who’s up to something?”
Scully burst into laughter and waved her out of his office. “Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second. Go do your thing, stay out of trouble, and give me any updates that you get. Make sure Gabe’s got your back the whole time.”
“Aye aye, captain.” Nadia left his office and walked back to her desk, grinning at Gabe.
“Well, your ass is still intact, so I take it things are okay.”
“Better than okay, Gabe. He’s given us his blessing for the story.” She couldn’t help smiling, she was so proud of herself.
“Did you tell him all of it, the truth?”
Nadia shook her head and began typing on her computer, mapping out what she would need to properly investigate. “Maybe we could follow the owner and see what his hobbies are, aside from offing people, and that’s how I can get close. What do you think?”
“I think you are bloody nuts! Get close to him? What, do you want to end up a victim? No. I think we just keep our distance. Maybe talk to Ramon a few times and follow him. I bet he’ll lead us to something useful.”
“I have an email approving our overtime expense for man hours. I’ll send out a schedule for the guys to follow.”
“Make sure they know to look but not touch, and same goes for you.”
“Yeah yeah Gabe, always the worrier.”
Nadia finished sending out the surveillance schedule, along with complete instructions about not engaging with any of the people coming in or leaving the pet store. By the time she had all of her tasks done for the credit card misplacement and the surveillance it was 1 p.m., and she was starving. She had lost Gabe and assumed he was off doing Gabe type things, so she went down to the deli on the first floor and grabbed a sandwich. Nadia enjoyed sitting in the atrium of the building and watching the birds play. During the winter time she missed the birds but decided the sunlight would be refreshing.
She had her notebook with her, so while she had her ham sandwich in one hand and a pen in the other, she started writing out the opening to her story. She wrote and wrote and crossed out the lines she didn’t like. She preferred hand writing her stories. The flow of the pen and paper always worked better than typed keys on the computer.
When Local Pet Stores Go Bad
Have you looked at your furry friend lately and thought, “What was life like at the pet store?” If not, maybe you should. This reporter is here to tell you that not everything you see in reality is what you think. Local pet store owner Carlisle Ali has been arrested for his alleged participation in crimes across Iowa as a hit man.
Her train of thought was interrupted when she saw Gabe walking down the corridor and heading towards the back door of the building. What was he doing? She finished her sandwich and threw the trash away. She picked up her notepad and pen and went after him. She didn’t know if he had plans to meet anyone today, but she knew that look, he was up to something.
Gabe stopped just short of the parking garage outside, when she saw a police detective walk up behind the building. She observed the two of them whispering and shaking hands. What are you doing Gabe? she thought to herself. She knew that officer was his informant. Had he come back to tell Gabe more about the pet store, or had Gabe opened his big mouth and ratted her out? She watched them finish up whatever their business was, and Gabe turned around and headed back for the building.
She waited until he came to the side of the hallway next to her before she stepped out of the shadows. “Rat me out?”
Gabe jumped back and brought his hand to his heart. “Jesus Nadia, you need a damn bell. No, I did not rat you out.”
She looked him up and down, narrowing her eyes. “Then why do you have an air of guilt around you, and why are you having secret meetings with your police officer friend? Huh?”
“Not everything is about you, okay.”
“Yeah, I’m going to call B.S. on that statement. Come on, what did you do, tell him to trail me, make sure I don’t approach the hit man by myself?”
“Drop it, Nadia. This isn’t about you,” Gabe said. He pushed passed her and went back to the main entrance of the building, near the atrium.
“Fine, but I know you’re up to something. I’m not stupid, Gabe. I know how you operate.”
“You don’t know shit about what that was, okay. I’m leaving for the day; stay out of trouble.” Gabe stormed off away from the building.
Nadia was left not knowing what had just happened. This behavior wasn’t normal for Gabe. He never left work in the middle of the day, and he never spoke to her like that. Now she had two goals for the day, find out what a hit man’s hobbies are and find out what happened with Gabe.