Page 56 of Be Very Quiet

“Here, I grabbed one of these for you.” Shesurreptitiously handed Audria a taser.

“Thanks.” Audria slipped it into her purse beside her Sig. It might be the best option since they wanted to take The Mortician alive. When she used a gun, she was trained to go for the kill shot.

Her mind briefly flashed back to the grieving mother she’d been forced to shoot, but she ruthlessly shoved the images into a box and mentally locked it tight, tossing away the key like one of the therapists had suggested. Though the event had traumatized her, she was confident she could pull the trigger again, if necessary, to save a life.

The change in Kelli was shocking as they neared the street. Her walk was different, as was her body language. Audria didn’t think she could pull this off, but she added an extra swivel to her hips and loosened her shoulders.

“Hey, what do you two think you’re doing here? This is my corner.”

Audria turned to see a brittle-looking woman in a cut-off tank top and frayed denim skirt. She was smoking a cigarette, and her bleached blonde hair was stringy and scraggly. She’d literally been around the block more than once. Even though she probably hadn’t hit thirty yet, she looked at least twenty years older.

“This is a free country,” Kelli snapped. “You don’t own the sidewalk.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “Move along.”

“Who do you think you are, bitch?”

Kelli straightened and stared down at the woman. “You really want to do this?”

The woman frowned and turned away as a car slowed.

“Showtime,” Kelli murmured.

The glass was tinted, so it was impossible to see who was driving the black sedan with a dented back fender. Audria was sure the window was about to lower when the car suddenly sped off, practically laying rubber in his wake. What would make him—

“Tango coming up from behind,” she heard Christian warn through her comm device.

She turned to see a large man approaching them. He no doubt scared the would-be john away. The man was at least six-two and a solid three-seventy-five or four hundred pounds, wearing a silk polo shirt and several gold chains around his thick neck. He stopped in front of Audria and looked her up and down.

“You new here?”

Kelli glanced over at him and rolled her eyes. “Go away, Rolland. We have representation.”

“Does this one?” He jerked a thumb in Audria’s direction, and his eyes roved over her body again. “With your looks, doll face, I can double whatever you’re making now. Dump your guy and let me rep ya.”

Audria could not believe an actual pimp was courting her. “How do you know it’s a guy?”

That seemed to intrigue Rolland, and he wagged his brows. “A chick. That’s hot.”

Gross.“Not interested.” Audria turned away and focused on the cars slowly creeping by. Her pulse quickened when she recognized the same black sedan as before. Something spooked him, probably Rolland again, and he screeched away.

“Look, you’re killing our business,” Kelli chastised. “Go work your girls and leave us be.”

“But I’m having such fun chatting with you two gorgeous babes. What are your rates? Maybe I’ll hire you both to service me.” He grabbed his crotch. “I’ve got a huge . . . appetite.”

“I’m pulling out the taser,” Audria growled.

Kelli stepped in front of her before she could light Rolland up and pushed his chest. “Go away before I call my pimp. You might have a couple hundred pounds on him, but he doesn’t fight fair.”

Rolland glanced between them and shrugged. “Your loss.”

Audria watched him leave, waiting until he disappeared from sight before she turned back to the trolling vehicles. An expensive red sports car screeched to a halt, and the driver, who didn’t look a day over eighteen, waved at Kelli.

“That’s my cue,” Kelli whispered. “Keep in contact, and good luck.”

She shimmied to the car and leaned into the window to speak with the driver. Apparently, they agreed on a price, and she scurried to the passenger seat. An unmarked police car trailed behind to keep tabs on Kelli. Audria didn’t know how she did this for a living and hoped she would be promoted to a better assignment soon.

The back of Audria’s neck began to tingle. She was being watched. Was it Rolland? Some low-life degenerate looking to pick up a hooker? Or The Mortician?

“Now that your guard dog is gone, how about we discuss a joint partnership?”

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