The Muffin Man ✓

Surveillance

Exhausted after a long day of driving Harry's ass around, Niall sat down at the small kitchen table in the back of the house while Arie brought their dinner.

"Hamburger Helper again?" Niall poked at his plate with disgust.

"Mrs. S. said it was for the house workers," Arie said, popping open two cans of Coca Cola and pouring them into two plastic mismatched cups.

"Yeah," Niall snorted. "While they eat Fillet Mignon and that caviar crap."

"Hey," Arie dug into her food. "At least it's better than that crap they gave us in jail."

"True that."

They ate in silence for a few minutes then Niall remembered something.

"Guess what I found out?" He said. "Harry's been taking over the business around here."

Arie gasped. "Seriously? No way."

"Way."

"But they're so decent and respectable," Arie was beyond shocked. "I can't see it. They were the first to do that Second Chance Project. They have that nice little bakery on that corner."

"It's a damn front," Niall said. "They use that as a cover up. I saw him with my own eyes selling that shit in the park. He even used muffins to try to hide it. I know the tricks, I invented them myself."

Arie tried to picture the nice Mr. Styles as a shady pot dealer like themselves. "I still can't see it," she said. "I can barely picture them having sex."

"Oh gimme a break." Niall scoffed. "They do plenty of that too. I heard that too. 'Suck Daddy's dick, sweetness.' Please."

"Well I can't."

"Think about it," he said. "How is it possible for them to live like this on a baker's dime? I used to work in a bakery and I didn't make shit. That how I got into the business."

"Oh my God. I see it now." Arie shook her head in disbelief.

"And now thanks to him he's killing the competition." Niall said. "I couldn't get a business going if I wanted to."

"We're not supposed to anyway," Arie said. "We're on probation. I wonder if they have a stash here."

"I know they do," Niall said. "They smoke it almost every night."

Arie looked up suddenly. "How do you know what they do every night?"

"Uhhh," Niall looked guilty. "Heh heh." He braced himself for another of Arie's yellings.

"Are you spying on Emma in her undies? Niall!" Already her face was turning red.

"Let's not get off the subject," Niall said. "Why not find the stash for ourselves. It's in this house somewhere."

"They'll be checking our urine for drugs."

"Not to smoke, dummy, to sell. No reason why we can't get in on this sweet deal. We can make a little nest egg and move to another state. You in?"

Arie thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Why not? Beats cleaning toilets all day that's for sure."

"No shit."

"We can start tomorrow," Arie said. "They'll be out of the house all day."

"Perfect." Niall said. "Let's do this."

* * *

"There he is."

Liam and Zayn pulled their plain car up to the curb several feet away from Niall. They turned off the ignition and sat watching. Their chief had given them the order to watch Niall for any signs of illegal activity.

They saw Niall climbing out of a Lincoln Towncar. He wore a suit and a chauffeur's cap. He stepped around the back of the car to open the door for Harry. Harry wore a long coat, his half opened shirt visible, and a large black hat. He went into the Sunnyville Savings and Loan.

"Must be making a deposit," Zayn said. "The bakery must be doing pretty good."

"Mm." Liam said.

Then a curious thing happened. The minute Harry was gone, Niall began what looked like snooping. He opened the trunk of the car and quickly rifled through it, moving stuff aside. Then he began looking through the back seat.

"What the hell is he doing?" Zayn said.

"Whatever it is," Liam said grimly. "it can't be good. All I know is that's our guy."

As soon as Harry went into the bank, he removed his shades and went to the safe deposit section.

"Do you have your key?" The teller asked. Harry reached for the chain around his neck where he kept his safe deposit key.

They went to the safe deposit box. There they placed their keys in at the same time and unlocked the box.

Harry took his large box to a private room. Then he studied the contents of the box. Passports of him and Emma with different names. Several papers. And stacks of cash, totaling in the thousands.

Harry added another large wad of cash to the box. The stash was growing very quickly. God bless pot.

When Harry returned to the car Niall jumped up from the ground. What he was doing down there Harry was sure he didn't know. Niall was a strange one.

Niall nearly tripped over his own feet as he rushed around to open the door for him. Neither men knew they were being watched.

"Let's go." Liam said.

The detectives followed them to a park. They watched closely as Harry left the car with a large basket of bakery goods. He went over to a small group of people.

"What's that about?" Liam asked.

"He's helping his wife out with her bake sale," Zayn explained. "It's for her ladies' club or something."

They observed Niall who was now looking under the hood of the car.

"What the hell is that guy up to?" Liam wanted to know. "What's he looking for?"

"I don't know, boss."

So far the only thing Niall was doing on their watch was searching the car he drove for some unknown object. Nothing more. After a while Harry returned to the car and drove away.

"Damn," Liam shook his head, feeling a little disappointed. "Nothing. I was sure Niall would slip up. He's good, I'll give him that."

"So what now, boss?" Zayn asked. "You think we should rule him out?"

"Never," Liam said. "We are not giving up. That Horan's got something going on, I know it. I just have to figure out this new M.O. of his. Let's get back to the station. We'll try again tomorrow."

"Yeah."