drug deal? Just how much pot could fit in that backpack? “Do you know the girl?” I whispered, even though the windows were closed, and we remained nicely hidden behind the heavy material.
“Not really,” Thelma whispered back. “She and that kid smoked out back a few times last week, and he called her ‘Cheryl.’ That’s all I know.”
All right. Good enough. I pulled out my phone and had Siri call the Tranquility Spa.
“Tranquility Spa, this is Felicity,” came a very chipper voice.
“Great. I’d like to make an appointment with Cheryl on Monday?” I said, watching the blonde zip out of the driveway.
“She has appointments open in the afternoon. Would you like to do the ‘Bring a friend’ promotion for the Spring Special with first Mandy and then Cheryl?”
I blinked. That would probably seem less suspicious than just seeing Cheryl. “That would be wonderful,” I said.
“Great. Let me get your information,” Felicity said.
“Anna Simms and, ah, Tessa North,” I said smoothly as if I’d gone undercover a million times before.
“Nice.” Thelma elbowed me again.
I shared a grin with her. Yeah. I could do this. My sister would have a lot of fun being somebody else for a day, too. After disconnecting the call, I was feeling a bit triumphant. Maybe I should take this investigatory work across the border and just check out Aiden Devlin and the Lordes.
Why not?
Chapter 11
I left Thelma’s after giving in and having a turkey sandwich on rye, side of potato salad, and hot chocolate. My belly was full, and my body relaxed as I drove from Idaho into Washington and headed north. I’d conducted a quick google search on my phone and found that the Lordes owned a garage north of Spokane that worked on vehicles.
My Fiat was in pretty good shape, so I didn’t really have an excuse for stopping by. But I’d think of something before I arrived. How tough could it be?
Aiden had said he’d wanted to talk to me before he’d rolled me to the ground, so it was kind of an invitation.
Traffic was a pain, but I made my way north and let the phone’s navigation system guide me. Would Aiden be there? My hands grew damp on the steering wheel, and I rolled my eyes before wiping them off. Even if we didn’t have a past, he was a guy who’d draw my attention on looks alone, much less with the intensity flowing from him. Of course, that could’ve been because he’d been in court stuck in an orange jumpsuit and possibly headed back to prison. Maybe he’d seem more mellow on a spring afternoon in June.
Right.
I drove past a mall and then several businesses, continuing north until the commercial buildings became less polished and more ramshackle with barbed wire and barred windows becoming frequent. On a bright note, the traffic thinned out.
Lordes’ Business Garage wasn’t what I expected. A chain link fence, topped with barbed wire, was open wide to reveal a four-stall garage covered in rusting sheet metal. Men worked inside on various trucks. Different vehicles were lined over to the right, including two B&B delivery trucks, one with its hood up.
There was no clubhouse, no apartments, no cool office like in the movies.
The sign above the garage looked newer with a logo for Lordes on it along with a lion wearing a crown. A lion with sharp and blood-stained teeth.
I shivered but drove inside the perimeter. Oh, this was such a complete mistake. I pulled to a stop near a small door to the far left, which must be the office. A man the size of a bull moose stepped outside, his blond hair and beard bushy and long. He wore grease-stained jeans beneath a light blue T-shirt with leather cut. I knew what a cut was from television.
I didn’t have a window to roll down since the top was off. “Hi.”
His gaze raked me as he wiped his hands on a filthy looking rag. He opened my door. “What’s the problem?”
With the car. What was the problem with the car? I felt frozen in place but instinctively stood up and sidled away from him. Lie, damn it. Say there’s a funny sound from the engine. Act like an airhead. “I’m looking for Aiden Devlin,” I blurted out, heat rushing into my face. Crap. There went my cover.
The giant looked me over and then rolled his eyes. “Of course, you are. Bitches are always looking for Devlin.” He said it casually, naturally, as if using any old