Page 4 of Himbo Hitman
“We know?”
“The …” Not wanting to say it out loud, I make a gun with my fingers. “The same line of work you guys are in.”
I feel the way the three of them share a tense look.
“Don’t panic. I know what you do, I don’t care, and I thought I could get in on it and make a bunch of money.”
Arlie runs a concerned look over me. “What happened to that rich people services thing you were doing?”
Yet another job I failed miserably at, though I still maintain that Margot stealing my job and getting together with Elle was the reason for that one failing. “Got booted.”
“Have you ever had a job that you actuallydidhold on to?”
“Umm … maybe in high school?”
“With your track record, why did you think Luther would give you a chance?”
“Because I needsomeoneto,” I snap. “I’d sort of like to stop being such a failure all the time.”
Tommy cuffs my shoulder. “I just don’t think that’s on the cards for you, mate.”
“Thanks,” I mutter pathetically into my Coke.
Maybe if I head home now, I can coax Sir Squeakerton out for a play. I’m sure I have some peanut butter left to interest him in giving me attention.
“How do you know what we do?” Ever asks suddenly.
I glance at him and his dark eyeliner, the bald head, long earring, and leather jacket. “First, you all dress really cool. Second, I overheard Arlie talking about how she almost missed her mark because someone tipped him off that she was coming. And third”—I send a pointed look Tommy’s way—“you. Last time, you got drunk and left behind a piece of paper with a name, a title, and an address on it. When you came back for it and I asked what it was, you saidthe guy I have to rob, but shhhhh, don’t tell anyone.”
Arlie face-palms as Tommy’s eyes flick side to side.
“Ah … can we pretend like you didn’t say that?”
“I’m good with it.” Then, I’m struck by a genius idea. “If you take me with you.”
“Huh?”
“Take me with you to rob someone, and we can split the money.”
Tommy just stares at me. “Yeah, no.”
“What? Why not? It’s a great plan.” Surely if he’s robbing rich people for pricy things, it wouldn’t make much of a difference for me to tag along with him. It’d be like an episode ofSelling Seattlewhere I get to snoop through a house I could never afford, except instead of the owner selling for millions, I’m taking half of their shit.
“We need to be able to get in and out quickly and without leaving a trace of evidence. Now, I don’t know you well, but something tells me you’d be a walking forensics kit.”
“I’m great at following directions. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. I can be like your companion animal.”
“My what?”
“You know how in all those cartoons or spy movies they have the dog who goes on jobs with them to make the travel less lonely?”
“No. And I don’t think I want to.”
“Please, Tommy. I need this. Please, please, please,please?—”
“Someone shut him up,” Arlie groans.
“Seconded.” Luther joins our table and slides a drink toward Arlie with a piece of paper tucked under it.
