And that’s when I saw her.
Another car pulls into the lot and parks in the front. Three men get out of the vehicle, and based on the way they are scanning the area, I’m going to bet they will go in the same door as Nelson.
“Just go back to my place. We’ll talk when I get home, all right?”
“Okay.” I need to end this call, and agreeing with my brother is the only way.
“I’ll grab dinner. See you then.” He ends the call.
The men go in the same door as I slowly get out of my vehicle. There are many cars in this lot, so I can’t be certain how many people are inside. I walk toward another door farther up that is propped open. Casually, I walk past it and glance inside. The interior is one big room and not sectioned off as I suspected it would be. Leaning against the wall behind the door, I focus on the voices inside. They echo and carry far enough that I can make out what is being said.
“He’ll be here. Stop worrying,” a man says.
“He’s late. That’s unacceptable.” I know that second voice. Nelson.
“Nelson, relax. He probably got stuck in traffic.”
The cock of a gun puts me on high alert. “Never tell me to relax.”
“Okay!” the first man says. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Metal hits metal. If I were a betting man, I’d guess Nelson tossed his gun onto a tabletop of some kind.
“The area is ready,” a third man says.
“Good,” Nelson says.
Damn, I need to see inside to know what’s going on.
Another car pulls into the lot, and I shove my hands into my pockets and walk parallel to the warehouse. Fortunately, I’m near the end of the building.
Two car doors close behind me, but I know better than to glance back. Once I get to the end of the warehouse, I cross the street. If I’m being watched, hopefully, they’ll think I walked by the warehouse only as a shortcut.
On this side of the street is an apartment building. I step into the parking lot, then turn back to the warehouse and spot the two men going in.
“Duke!” one yells.
Duke? I didn’t see him go in there. I run back to the warehouse and step up next to the propped-open door.
“Where’s Duke?” one of the men asks.
“You’re dealing with me today,” Nelson says.
“We have the money. Where’s our stuff?”
“Over here,” Nelson says.
The men are silent for a moment.
“Looks good. Here’s your payment,” a man says.
The sound of a zipper opening carries outside. A duffle bag, likely.
“Nice doing business with you,” Nelson says. “Come on, guys, let’s go.”
Footsteps grow louder as I realize they are coming toward the door I’m standing behind. I run to the end of the building. When I peek around the corner, Nelson and another man are getting into one car, and the three men I saw arrive earlier get back into their car. The man with Nelson must have already been here.
Okay, although I didn’t see anything, I feel certain Nelson just did some kind of major drug deal. If only I could get a look at what he sold the other guys. Maybe they will carry it out in the open. Not the smartest thing, but I can hope.
