How on Earth had I missed that? But I knew exactly how. When I'd hit the record button, I'd been focused on that car.
Oh shit. The car.
That thing was definitely the same car my attackers had been driving. It had to be.
Had Lawton dropped it off? And if so, why here? Why now?
In front of me, Shaggy was licking his lips. "Oh yeah. It's totally him."
I shook my head. "I don't think so."
"Goes to show what you know." He straightened. "I'm a professional. And I'm tellin' ya, it's him." He grinned. "And you know what I say to that?"
Hell, I didn't even know whatI'dsay to that. I shook my head.
"Cha-ching!" Shaggy slapped me on the back, buddy style. "You know what, Betty? Tonight's your lucky night. Because this little video's gonna make my rent."
My stomach was churning. "Yeah. That's me. Lucky."
He grinned. "So, are you ready to take some more?"
"Hell no," I said. "I'm not gonna makethatmistake twice."
"Oh c'mon, Betty," he said. "Don't be that way." He pulled out his puppy dog face and turned it on full-force.
Some puppy. I felt like swatting him with a rolled up newspaper. "No way," I said.
Not eager to be hoisted again, I turned and plunged into the crowd, no longer caring whether there was room or not.
Whatever was going on, it involved Lawton, and it involved me. And, if my hunch was correct, it involved two guys in ski masks who'd attacked me not that awful long ago.
Squeezing between the closely packed bodies, I jostled my way forward, ignoring muttered curses and grunts of disapproval. At least no one threatened to kick my ass. Well, not that I noticed anyway.
Finally, I stood near the front of the crowd. I looked to the spot where Lawton had been standing.
He was gone.
Chapter 9
I scanned the scene in front of me, trying to make sense of it. The police cruiser was parked on the opposite side of the dark sedan. The lights were still flashing, giving the faces in the crowd an odd, disjointed appearance as people craned their necks for a closer look.
Two uniformed police officers stood behind the defaced car. They studied the trunk with expressions that I could only describe as perplexed.
I turned to the guy next to me, a lanky guy in a black wool coat. "What's going on?" I asked.
"Not sure," he said. "Every time I try to get close, the cops tell me to back off."
I glanced at the car. Something near the rear was thumping. The thumping sounded familiar.
"Sweet!" said a voice behind me. "Something's in the trunk. I'm betting it's mobsters. It's always mobsters."
Damn it. I recognized that voice. I turned around, and there he was. Shaggy. He was holding out his phone again, capturing whatever was in front of him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I said.
"Hey, you paved the way," he said. "I just followed in your wake." He grinned. "Nice job with the elbows, by the way. I could learn a thing or two from you."
Suddenly, my fondest wish was for the guy to be gone. "What about your girlfriend?" I said, thinking of the redhead. "Are youevergoing back inside? That's a hint, by the way."
