NaturesBounty(36)

He picked up the two-way radio and said, “She’s inside. I’ve lost visual.”

“Copy that,” came the reply. “No audio yet.”

“Will you stop drumming that steering wheel?” Benny asked from beside him. “I swear, you’re worse than an expectant father. She’s got the spirit, that one. She’ll be fine.”

They were sitting in Benny’s black junker since Nate’s car was too recognizable. The car smelled just as ripe as its owner, who was still dressed in his drunken hobo disguise from casing out the office building they’d tracked Lydia to. Now they were just down the street from Asa’s place. Around the corner sat an unmarked van full of officers and surveillance equipment. All were waiting for Lydia to either get what they came for or give the panic signal to send in the brigade.

“Ace is always packing when he’s in the office,” Nate said. “He keeps a shotgun beneath the counter.”

“Which you already said ain’t loaded most of the time. It’s just for show.”

“What if he heard the news already?”

“We haven’t given him a chance. Waller and his crew are too busy getting booked to tip anyone off, and the cops kept it off the wire.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve been monitoring the broadband ever since I contacted them with your offer to help bring in Andrew Waller in exchange for calling off the fugitive mark.”

“What if this doesn’t work?” Nate asked, just as her voice came over the receiver.

“It will. Now shut up and listen.”

The audio wasn’t great, so Benny dialed up the volume. Since Lydia had a knack for getting her tits ogled or outright searched, the wire she wore had been hidden lower down, inside the waistband of her jeans. It wasn’t the optimal location for sound, but the equipment was sensitive enough that he could still hear the shock in Asa’s voice over seeing her.

“I don’t believe it,” he said. “A lotta people are looking for you, little lady, and here you come waltzing right in my front door. What’s in the pretty flowered box?”

The sound that followed made Nate’s blood run cold. “He racked the gun. He’s got it pointed at her, I’ll bet.”

“Sit tight, cowboy,” Benny whispered.

“There’s no need for the shotgun,” Lydia said. “This is just my rainy-day hatbox. It’s where I got the money I gave you to make bail. And there’s more where that came from. I just need your help.”

“I already helped you, and you screwed me. Now you’re going back to jail.”

“Just listen to me. I know you and Andrew were in on that little visit his asshole friends paid me.”

“Bullshit. Stop right there and put the box on the floor. Lift the lid slow and easy and back up, hands in the air.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s everyone just keep our heads cool.”

Nate managed a tiny smirk at the reference from their encounter back in Venice. There was silence for a moment, except for the adrenaline-fed pounding of Nate’s heart.

“Don’t bother denying you and Andrew were partners in this,” she said after a minute. “He told me everything.”

“Right. You, Andrew and Nate Antillean all sat around having tea and crumpets while you discussed his entire scheme.”

She snorted. “Nate? Don’t make me laugh. I wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or insulted that you sent that jackass after me.”

Nate glowered at the smirk Benny shot him.

“Yeah? Speaking of which, back away from the door. Keep your hands up.”

Benny and Nate slumped down in their seats so they couldn’t be seen in case Asa had gone to check the window.

“And one more thing,” Asa said after a pause. “Lift your shirt up.”

“I knew it,” Nate said. “I just fucking knew it. She can’t go five minutes without some guy getting an eyeful of her tits.”

“What are you,” Lydia asked, “some kind of pervert?”

“I’m looking for a wire, sweetheart. Not a hard-on.”

“Fine.”

There was a rustling sound, and then a male wolf whistle. “Then again, the hard-on wins.”

“Get a life.”

“Okay, so what did happen to Natey boy? Last I heard, he had you with him.”

“Then you obviously haven’t heard the latest. I slipped my cuffs and used them on him before helping myself to his car. Here’s a little tip for you, Asa. Next time you want a felon captured, send someone with a little more firepower than half a brain.”

Benny straightened up in his seat. “Ouch. She burned you.”