Shoulders squared, she strode toward their table. But before he could ask what brought her to the diner, she said, “Nina said I could find you here.”
“She did? How did she—” Then the answer dawned on him, and he waved a hand in dismissal. “Never mind.”
His sister, Larissa, was the computer wizard at Six Points, and knowing her, she’d probably loaded some sort of GPS tracking app onto his phone that allowed Nina to pinpoint his location. Considering how many times he’d misplaced the damn thing, he supposed he didn’t mind.
Nate paused to finish the last of his drink and set the empty glass on the table. “So what can I do for you today?”
She paused, as if choosing her words carefully, and then straightened her spine and tipped up her chin. “I need your help breaking into a house.”
O—kay. To be honest, Nate wasn’t sure what he’d expected her to say, but it sure as hell wasn’tthat. Granted, he didn’t know her as well as he wanted to, but he hadn’t pegged her as the breaking and entering type. “I’m going to need some background information before I agree to commit a felony.”
It wasn’t that he was afraid of going to jail. Hell, in his misspent youth, he’d been there a few times and knew how to navigate the complex social structure that existed within a correctional facility. But he’d rather avoid it if possible, and if he was going to risk another mug shot and set of fingerprints, it had better be for a damn good reason.
Dorcas propped a hand on her hip. The red blouse she wore molded to all of her curves, and it was distracting as hell. “It’s my sister’s house. I promised to watch the place and take care of her fish while she’s away on business. But I, uh...” A blush crept up her neck. “I lost the key.”
“How did you manage to do that?”
“Does it matter?”
“Just curious.”
She blew out an exaggerated exhale. “My purse got stolen at the gym a few months ago. I thought I’d replaced everything, but I totally forgot about my sister’s house key until after she left town. If I don’t get in, her fish are going to die, and I’ll never hear the end of it. Now are you going to help me or what?”
How could he say no? Well, technically he could, but then he’d feel like a total asshole. Besides, if he turned her down, her friend Nina would bug the living shit out of him until he relented.
Still, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jerk her chain a little. “I don’t know. What do I get in return?”
“What do you want?”
Nate grinned, and she threw him some world-class shade.
“Just kidding.” He reached for his phone. “What’s the address?”
When she rattled it off, he pulled it up on a map. Nice area, not far from Universal Studios, though it was less than a mile away from a shady part of town. Though to be fair, almost every address in Orlando was within a mile or two of a shady part of town.
“What kind of security does she have?” He glanced up at her. “Alarm? Locks?”
“She doesn’t have an alarm. I don’t know what kind of locks she has, but I doubt it’s anything out of the ordinary.”
Okay, that would make things a lot easier. “Does she have any nosy neighbors who might call the cops on us?”
Dorcas shook her head. “I don’t think so. Besides, I’ve been around enough times they should recognize me.”
Nate studied her for a few long moments, as if mentally deciding whether to help, but in reality his mind was already made up. In all likelihood, it wouldn’t take much effort to get into her sister’s house. Also, it wasn’t as if he had any plans for the rest of the day, and the favor just might soften Dorcas’s attitude toward him.
“All right, let’s go. I’m driving.” He stood, pulled out his wallet, and set enough cash on the table to cover the bill plus the tip.
“You want me to come with?” Luther asked, and Nate shook his head. The guy just pulled his life back together after being homeless for more than a year. If things went south, he’d rather not drag Luther down with him.
“No, we’re good, but thanks anyway.”
Luther tipped his head back. “Cool. That’s probably for the best. Cops get called, y’all just get arrested. If they see a black dude, the odds of an officer-involved shooting go through the roof.”
RITA’S HOUSE WAS LOCATEDin a subdivision full of cookie-cutter houses in muted earth tones and small, well-manicured lawns. There weren’t any children playing in the street, or people out walking dogs. It was the kind of neighborhood where everybody minded their own business and didn’t know the name of the guy who lived next door. And if that neighbor turned out to be a serial killer, they’d all say, “But he seemed like such a nice guy.”
Perfect for what Nate was about to do. The fewer witnesses, the better.
Nate parked his truck in the driveway, cut the engine, and gave the property a quick inspection. Unlike the house next door, there was no alarm company sign in the yard. No visible security cameras. The blinds in the front windows were drawn, making it impossible to see inside.
