You'll Never Be Alone

Partner

Partner

Seth lays down a pull piece door handle on the table in front of me, making me look at it questionable. A key sticks out of one end, making my eyes glance up at Seth before returning to the door handle.

Grabbing the key, I yank it out, listening to Seth's voice.

"Fast as you can."

"Seth, I know you're a smart man, so I'm just gonna say this once. You know this is the wrong key," I said, trying to stick the key back in only for it to fail. Crap, should have left it in.

Snatching the door handle and key out of my hands, he makes a face and says, "I know it's the wrong key. It's a bump key. Ok? And in a perfect world, they'd have a snap gun for this. Quick as nick, but this is Mexico. We gotta make do with what we got. Watch. Like this."

My eyes watch as he sticks the key in a little before hitting it in the right angle and strength. The key slides in perfectly and he is able to unlock and lock the door handle. "It's all in the reflexes. Now you try," He says, handing it back over to me.

I stick the key in a little, hitting it a couple of times only to fail. The third time I hit it, my hand gets scratched on the end of the key, making me scrunch up my face and a curse word leave my lips.

Seth doesn't comment, but instead makes his way over to grab a glass and some ice.

Hoping that talking would district my mind from getting too pissed off, I asked, "Did you at least see the safe?"

"I did, yes. It's a good score, Kitty Kat. It's gonna play. If we work out all the moves," Seth says, using my nickname he gave me ages ago.

Finally, my eyes set on him, a question on my mind since the first time my nickname left his lips. "Why do you call me that?"

Seth shrugs as he holds the glass up to his mouth and takes a swallow of some water. "You don't like it?" He asked?

That was the first time I gave it some thought. Did I like it? It didn't annoy me, it didn't drive me nuts. I guess, I liked it in a way. I shrugged as my answer and returning to struggling with the damn key and handle.

Seth begins to talk, seeming to pick up on my frustration. "This beauty school dropout, the one with the helmet hair, she's got a direct-to-DVD bodyguard watching the front of her place."

I nodded, remembering the man. "Yeah, that's Tocayo. And the collector's supposed to have another guy with him tomorrow, Chino."

"Splendid. Any other surprises?" He asks as he takes another drink, slightly annoyed.

"All I managed to tell was that they sit there in the beauty parlor waiting for the collector to do his thing," I said, still struggling with the key.

My eyes notice Seth's silence and I look up to him again, noticing a smile on his face as he shakes his head. "Still don't know how you do it," he said, his words confusing me slightly, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying his smile.

"Do what?"

Seth uses his free hand to wave it around in the air. "That whole, "Getting people to give you information on their life and shit without them knowing it"."

I can't help but look down at the key and handle again, trying to hide my blush. Hoping to cover it up somewhat, I say, "Guess I just know how to get to people."

Although I'm not looking up, still focused on the handle and key, I can feel Seth's eyes on me. I heard him mumble something like "yeah" which makes my cheeks turn pink again. When he moves over to the table, I look up, noticing his attention on the TV behind me.