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Picking up my phone from the desk, I flopped across our questionably stained sofa and read Roman’s message. Fuck. He wasn’t kidding around this time. Looked like the client was pressuring him on top of the usual turnaround time. Who the hell was so desperate for that book? The job outline said it had already been in police custody for weeks.
I stared at the ceiling, tapping my phone against my chin as I relayed the message to Bee. “Doesn’t look like he knows exactly what happened yesterday—”
“You mean you going into heat and begging the target to fucking rail you?”
One of these days, I’ll learn to keep my mouth shut around Bee.
“—but he’s sent an updated location of the book,” I finished. “Also, Leo’s apparently getting ready to step in if I don’t get it done, as per fucking usual.”
Bee stood, joining me on the sofa by lifting my legs and sitting with them on their lap. They tapped a rhythm on my shins, deep in thought. “Is Leo the huge one who broke your nose last year?”
“That’s him.”
“The one who’s further up Roman’s butt than that alpha was up yours this time yesterday?”
A swift heel jabbed into Bee’s gut was my response. Little jerk got away with way too much.
Chuckling to themself, Bee turned their head to me and asked, “In all seriousness, do you have a plan for how to get that book? He’s gonna be expecting you this time.”
I nodded. “That’s why I have to strike his office tomorrow morning. He won’t expect me there so soon. I’ll probably need your help this time, if you’re up for it.”
“An in-person job?” Bee grinned at me. “For you? I suppose I could be persuaded.”
Matching their grin, I sat up and clasped their shoulder. “You do make a wonderful distraction.”
We had a plan. Or at least, the bones of a plan.
I’d never fucked up a job this badly, let alone literally. But now that I was back in my element, with Bee at my side, the strategy flowed, and things started coming together. By the time we were ready, we had a few hours to rest up, then it was off to work.
Emerson wouldn’t know what hit him.
Chapter Eight
Emerson
Ifonemorepersoninterrupted me today, I was going to lose it. This was exactly why I preferred working from home—no distractions, unless a thieving omega was nearby. But today, everyone and their great-aunt seemed to need my attention.
“I’m not looking over the case file, Harris. That trial isn’t for another two weeks,” I growled at my friend, my poker face long abandoned.
Unfortunately, Harris had seen worse from me over years of working together and wasn’t easily deterred. “Come on, please. I need your eyes on this, or the guy’s gonna walk. We all know he did it but—”
“But right now, it isn’t the priority,” I snapped. “I’ll get to it, really, just not today.”
Harris sighed, folding his arms over his chest and staring me down. For a beta, he had incredible confidence standing upto alphas. Usually, that confidence worked for our friendship, keeping me on my toes, but today was not the day for it.
After a long moment, he finally relented. “Okay, go do your thing. I’ll grab you after, and you can fill me in on the latest with the Fisher case.” He turned to leave before adding, “Oh, and thanks for stealing my favourite board room for that client meeting in an hour, by the way. You know I like to spread out in there for cases like this one. It’s way roomier than my cupboard-sized office.”
“The what—” I started, but he’d already escaped my office. Poking my head out of the doorway, I asked Pearl, “Why does Harris think I have a client meeting today?”
She blinked up at me, her blond eyebrows raised. “Because you do. I’d assumed you were the one who added it to your calendar this morning. It’s short notice, but not unheard of.”
I shook my head, grinding my teeth before catching myself and taking a deep breath. My calendar was supposed to be blocked out until the meeting with Norah and detective Rhodes this afternoon. Something was up. The timing felt too strange to be a coincidence.
Pearl clicked on her laptop a few times. “The notes say it’s for a new case being brought in, but there’s not much other information.” She narrowed her eyes, thinking for a moment before snapping out of her little trance. “Oh, that reminds me. I have thatfileyou requested.”
Pearl met my gaze, her large innocent eyes twinkling with barely contained mischief. She was always happy to help with research, but she especially loved anything off the books. Said it made her feel like a secret agent in an old noir movie.
Smiling, I nodded to my office and headed back inside. Once Pearl joined me, locking the door behind her, and I sat behind my desk then said, “Please tell me you found something.”
