Page 53 of Rebel

“That’s great news, lassie. We just need to be one hundred percent sure,” Celt said with a friendly smile.

All her hesitation evaporated, and she nodded. “Alright, I’ll get you the other server’s contact information. And in case I forget to tell you, please let Gracie know that we’ve been missing her since Dusty went off to college. Tell her we’ve got a new dessert menu.”

Celt teased her, “I can’t do that, Jean. My Gracie will want to come here every night.”

The middle-aged server grinned, “That’s what I’m counting on.”

Storm spoke up, “Jean, what we’d really like is a copy of the security footage from that night. Do you think it’s still available?”

She shrugged, “I know it gets recorded over every month, but the footage from that night might still be there. I can pull the recording and let you check it while you wait for your order. But I’ve gotta have it right back, okay?”

Celt nodded, “Of course. We’ll have it back to ye within an hour.”

When she finally walked off to put our order in, I told them both, “That was a real clusterfuck. I can’t believe we are danglingcarrots in front of desperate women to get intel on the break-in. How are we gonna check that disk?”

Storm frowned at me. “Quit bitching. My cousin has an ally willing to do us a solid. I don’t see the problem. As for the security footage, I’ve texted one of the prospects and asked them to bring my laptop here.”

And so we drank coffee and ate crappy pizza that the kids of this town coveted so much—and I managed to keep my clown phobia under control. It was all worth it because, in the end, we got the security footage and confirmed that Mark Shepard and his family were here on the date of the break in. They were also here last Friday when Lacey’s parents’ home got broken into as well. Which was good for him, but for me? Well, I was up shit creek without a paddle, now that I’d pretty much exhausted all the potential culprits.

Chapter 19

Lacey

At some point I realized that I needed to go to the restroom badly. I couldn’t remember exactly how many drinks I’d had or how many times Rosie had decided to make me doubles. I just knew I was about to burst, and I was also more than a little bit tipsy.

While I was in one of the stalls, I heard footsteps as two women entered. They were giggling and talking about which single brother had the best ass. I smiled to myself because they were happy and clearly just as drunk as me. I didn’t think much about what they were saying until I heard them say Rebel’s name.

“Of course Rebel’s ass fills out a pair of jeans nicely too.”

The other woman’s voice became disapproving, “Tonya, you can’t talk about him anymore. He’s got an old lady now.”

The one she called Tonya chided her. “God girl, when did you turn into such a stick in the mud?”

“I’m not,” the second girl said defensively. “Benny was my favorite prospect for a long time. He’s a demon in the sack and buys the best gifts, but we can’t keep acting like he’s single when he’s not.”

“Yeah, but it’s hard not to because the club girls talk about it all the time. They say he gives the best orgasms,” Tonya said wistfully.

“I can attest to that part being totally true.”

“Damn it, girl, I knew it! The worst part is, I thought we were going to be a thing the night he got patched in, but he sent me away in favor of some dog-faced bitch from the outside. That girl was nothing to write home about.”

Her friend responded, “He might have been too overwhelmed by your beauty.”

Tonya snorted a laugh, “Yeah, lots of men are. I just wanted a little sample of that man because I heard he was a real sweetheart and gave outstanding sex.”

“Not only that,” her friend commented. “He gives nice gifts too. I’m wearing the gold bracelet he bought me. I’ll let you see it when we’re finished,” she said from the other stall.

“I’ll bet it’s really pretty. If so, I’m gonna be jealous. He gave Jenny expensive perfume once and Brea a new cell phone. I just joined a few days before he was patched in and really missed out.”

“Well Tonya, he’s off the market now. We don’t wanna be caught talking about him like he’s single when he’s not.”

I froze, taking in their conversation from both sides, since I was in the middle stall, and they were on either side of me.

Tonya, who’d talked about his fine ass and all the amazing gifts he’s given the other club girls replied cheerfully. “He’s not taken yet.”

Her friend gasped. “He is, and you’re playing with fire to claim he isn’t.”

Tonya’s voice turned smirky. Maybe voices couldn’t be smirky but hers sure sounded that way to me. “Do you see a property cut on that bitch? Because I sure as hell don’t.”

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