the deal with that gorgeous hunk of Viking man meat?”
“Cholula, darling, he’s sitting right here, listening to you,” he said with a smile.
Cholula, which I assume wasn’t her real name, gasped. “I want pictures, details. Everything.”
“Soon as it’s safe. But in the meantime, I have a present for you, and I need a few favors.”
“Ooh, what did you get me? And where are you?”
“In a truck stop diner. You know I love the coffee. And I got you this.” He caught Shauna’s attention as she crossed the dining room and waved her over.
“I need to introduce you,” he said to her. “Smile.”
She gave a worried smile and he took a picture, sending it to Cholula with a few swipes of a fingertip.
“Aw, she’s adorable!” the woman said. “How old?”
“How old are you?” he asked Shauna. I guessed sixteen.
“Eighteen. Nineteen in January,” she hurried to say.
He relayed this information.
“Adorable. Between her and the boys, we can get in so many places we couldn’t before.”
“I was thinking Jump Street for a Name, should she decide to stay with us.”
“I’m staying,” Shauna said hurriedly.
“Fantastic,” Carson said. “Jump Street, meet Cholula. She’s going to be your contact. Rule number one, call signs only over the phones and coms, no matter how secure.”
“Got it,” she said voice serious.
“Do you have a car?” Carson asked Shauna. She nodded. “Hate to rush this, Lulabelle, darling, but time is of the essence. I need a drop and keys to a safe house near Clinton, Iowa.”
“What do you need?”
“Just cash, cards, and phones for now. When we get the phone, you and Jump Street can coordinate directly. I know we’re stretched kind of thin at the moment, but can we get one of your girls on it, ASAP?”
“Of course, anything for you, babydoll.”
“You’re the best. I owe you. Spa weekend of your choice.”
“For two,” she said.
“Only two, my dear? Are you slipping?”
There was a hesitation. “Not getting any younger, Chaney. Might want to find a special one, know what I mean?”
He looked at me. “Oh, believe me, I do.”
Shauna was looking at Carson like he hung the moon. Can’t say I blamed her. If what was happening was what I thought was happening, he was changing her life in much the same way that Charlie person had changed his. Not sure if a life of crime was what a parent wished for their kid, but it had to be better than a violent stepfather and a waitressing job. It also sounded like Carson wasn’t a lone wolf. He had this Cholula person and her ‘girls’ and whoever his entourage of male models was.
“Got an address for you,” Cholula said.
Carson pulled out a fountain pen and notebook from his pocket and wrote down an address. “Okay.”
“Fair enough. So, Jump Street? Same old story?”
“Not so bad, yet. I’m trying to keep it that way. She’s clever.”
“I trust you. Talk to you soon, Chaney. Besos.”
“Later, Lulabelle.”
“Are you going to tell me what that was all about?” I asked.
“Later, in the car. I promise.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
The dinner that followed reminded me so much of those not-quite dates we’d had back in the day. Our legs pressed against each other under the table, the innuendos, and the way I pretended to try and keep Jake from stealing my fries.
We left Shauna with a huge tip, a hug, and a promise to be in touch as soon as she got the phone from the mysterious and helpful Cholula. “My phone number will be in there, under Chaney,” Carson said. “Lon Chaney, the Man of a Thousand Faces,” he explained to both our confused looks. “Google it,” he said when that cleared up nothing.
Outside, the night had turned cold but clear. The stars blazed brightly even through the lights of the parking lot.
“Now what?” I asked as we stared up in awe.
“Now we go home and break the bad news to Ryan,” he said with an evil grin.
“I’ll do it,” I said.
“You spoil all my fun.”
“Get in the car, Eric,” he said.
We’d gone a few miles at the most before Carson’s phone pinged with an incoming text. “Can you check it?” he asked.
“No problem.” I checked, there was no sender information, just a notification that opened up a picture of man when I touched it. I knew that guy. “Why is someone sending you a photo of Symanski?”
The car jerked to the right as Carson looked over. “Let me see.”
I turned the phone to him. He looked at it and then took the phone