Stars and Scars (Platinum Security: Shadows of LA)

Chapter 2: Grayson

The sidewalk cafe blasts some forgettable pop song through the speakers overhead. I ignore it, just like I ignore the fly that keeps landing on my forehead and strutting like a conqueror.

Nothing can take my focus from the scene across the street. A black BMW polished to a glossy sheen has just pulled up in front of Grio's Restaurant. Nice car. Fancy mag wheels, custom hood ornament, the works.

It's not the car that interests me, though. It's the piece of crap getting out of the back. Marcellus Lovato doesn't look like much. He's all of five foot three, with a double chin that no amount of salt and pepper stubble is going to hide. His hair started running off the top of his head and down his back years ago, but he still combs it over in an effort to fool people.

He's not fooling me. Not by a long shot. And I'm not talking about his hair.

Lovato waddles into the restaurant, his cocky demeanor more grating than the fly walking around on my face. I wave the insect away. The man will take a little more effort to be rid of.

But I will be rid of him. And so will everyone else.

I finish my drink. Iced tea, and not the Long Island variety. I don't have anything against tossing one back before a job, but this time I want my head clear and in the game. Lovato might not have had a direct hand in what happened to my sister, but he was in Castillo's inner circle.

I reach into my shirt pocket and pull out the silver charm bracelet my sister used to wear. A tennis racket, a dog, and a roller skate dangle from the tarnished chain. I rub at the discoloration with my finger in a vain attempt to remove it. I could just have it polished, but that would mean wiping away the last traces of my sister.

I shove the charm back into my pocket, feeling dark. No, Lovato didn't kill my sister, but he's close enough to count for me. And I have plenty of reasons to take care of Lovato. He's even worse than Castillo in a lot of ways.

I toss a couple bills on the table and stand up, gaze laser focused on the restaurant across the street. The sun splashes across the windscreens of the gridlock traffic, making me adjust my hat to compensate. Twenty-six straight days of sunshine. You've got to love LA.

Or not, I think as I cross the street. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I drag it out before I make it all the way across. When I see who's calling, I nearly thrust it back in my pocket.

But then I remember, this guy is my boss now.

I tap the green circle and put the phone to my ear.

"Yeah?"

"Grayson, I need you to come into the office, stat."

I cock an eyebrow as I draw to a halt outside Grio's.

"I'm in the middle of something."

A long silence.

"Yes, you're in the middle of coming into work."

"I can't put this off, Jax. It's time sensitive and I only have one shot."

More silence. I can picture Jax's face. Probably not too pleased with me, but he gets it. Being as he used to work the LA beat, he's probably seen even worse shit than me. Probably.

"Okay, fine. Just take care of it quickly and get here as soon as you can. There's a case that I think will be right up the alley of a former CIA spook."

I grunt, and head around the rear of the restaurant, cutting through a narrow alley.

"All right. I'll be there as soon as I can. I don't think this will take me long."