Chapter 23
Sam pulled the truck into the parking lot of what we both knew was my worst nightmare.
"Why the hell would you bring me back here?" I glared at the closed sign on the front door of Mo's would-be dance hall for kidnap victims. Daytime gave the cinder-block building a grey pallor.
"Whoa, so that's the shithole where Tiff was hangin'. Not much." Bobby hopped out of the truck and moved toward the building with more swagger when he saw a buxom gal heading for the entrance. At this late afternoon hour, the staff would be arriving to setup another night of dancing, drinking and general trouble making. Bobby was right at home.
The biker-dentists, having beaten our arrival to the site, had parked their bikes in a row facing the entry. Sam claimed that made for a fast getaway, if needed. Not a real confidence builder.
"Tiffany's gonna love your little reunion." I shook my head.
"Sure she will. A little sweet talking, a couple drinks...Five minutes, she'll be eating out of my hand. I have a certain way with the ladies." He winked at me.
"You cannot be serious." Knowing he was inside playing Romeo wasn't setting me at ease any more than the idea of Goliath crashing our party.
Sam's hand landed on my arm, gently this time. "Bottom line is you don't have to get out of the truck." The look in his eyes said he was dead set on going back into the place where Reynolds and Stone had ambushed us.
"We can both go. You'll need someone to watch your back. Besides, Max will get sick worrying about you out here." I reached back and scratched under Max's chin.
"Yup, he looks terrified." Sam ruffled Max's ear. "Better I go alone. They won't expect us to come back here, so should be easy in, easy out."
"Uh, you realize you've said that..."
"Yeah, yeah, not my best choice of words."
Mallory came out the back door of Mo's, paused to review the parking lot, and headed toward our truck. My confidence was shrinking by the minute.
"Look, we need to put Tiffany in a state of mind to help us," said Sam. "You two aren't exactly BFFs."
I crossed my arms over my chest, remembering twisting Tiffany's wrist till she left Sam alone. "So what's a little stress fracture between friends?"
Grinning, Sam lowered his sunglasses over his droopy eyes as Mallory jogged up to his door. He rolled down his window and she leaned inside the frame, popping her gum while she surveyed the parking lot. "You go on a diet?"
"Sometimes you gotta lose dead weight." Sam leaned over the steering wheel, checking out the other cars. "Package arrive yet?"
"That's a negative." She made an exaggerated yawn. "You know, texting me with last minute coordinates really put a crimp in our ride. Coulda told me where we were headed sooner."
"And spoil your anticipation?"
Mallory chewed her gum to one side, like she was about to spit it into Sam's face. "I'm guessing Roy didn't get that text."
"Nope. He and his jarhead driver are enjoying a little sight-seeing in Quebec." Sam slid his phone back into his pocket, which he'd used to call James before we arrived for a last minute check on Roy's location. They'd stayed in Canada, presumably waiting for the pickup time with Tiffany. At least they were loyal. "They'll probably hit base camp before we do."
"You're a real class act, partner." She thumbed for him to get out of the truck. "I'm sure you'll be the first to tell Roy I had nothing to do with the double cross. Or explain to Boss the total waste of man hours."
