Page 27 of No Mercy
Mandy flicks her hand dismissively. “Fine, fine. But don’t be surprised if I start suspecting that Jimmy is running a secret cat mafia or something.”
I chuckle. “Could be. He’s probably got connections we don’t know about.”
She checks the file again, then says, “Okay, so here’s the kicker—her husband suspects she’s here with someone else. So Rachel’s out here living her best life while her husband is sweating back home. Total soap opera stuff.”
I smirk. “I’mdefinitelynot tuning in to that drama.”
“You’re no fun,” Mandy teases. “But hey, at least she has some spice in her life, unlike us.”
“I don’t need the spice. I’m good with my regular schedule of ‘wake up, go to work, repeat.’”
Mandy raises an eyebrow. “Sounds boring.”
“Not boring,” I reply. “Just… peaceful.”
She snorts. “We’re in thestalker business,Eva. I think a little spice is basically a requirement.”
I roll my eyes and adjust the volume. “Okay, okay. No mafia drama for you. But the cat’s still the most interesting part of this case.”
Mandy grins and grabs her phone to scroll through the details again. “She’s got a husband who suspects her of cheating and a cat named Jimmy. You’re right—this isrealhigh-stakes.”
I laugh. “It’s basically theReal Housewivesof Providence. But with more cats.”
I quickly turn up the volume before quickly glancing her way, “Isn’t it your job as the passenger princess to be the DJ?” She gives me a look, eyebrows raised. “Passenger princess? Yes. DJ? Absolutely not.” she tells me before going back to the folder.
“Definitely a royal pain my arse,” I mumble as ‘Breakaway’ by Kelly Clarkson thumps through the speakers. Mandy glances back towards me slowly, “Did you say something?”
There is no way, I am repeating what I just said if I want to make it out of this car alive. I point to the Sat Nav in between us, “We’re here.”
Mandy’s phone dings from a notification just as I bring the car to a stop at the side of the road, making sure we have a clear view of the hotel. “Adam’s just messaged, she’s currently booked in to attend a Pilates class in ten minutes.” She says, showing me the message thread on her phone.
My eyebrows raise as I catch the previous messages between them, “Wait a damn minute, did I just see him say ‘I can’t wait to see you sweetie’?” I watch her cheeks flush as she snatches her phone out of my hand. “No, mind your own business.”
“Whatever you say,sweetie,” I reply, reaching under my seat for the camera. I set it up on the dash, angling it to get the perfect shot. My mind flashing back to yesterday morning, imagining the mystery man doing the same, carefully framing his own photo of me.
I glance towards Mandy as she sits forward and starts wiggling in her seat with a smile, “God, it’s been so long since I got in on the action!”
Giving her a grin, I adjust the camera angle trying once more to get the perfect view of the entrance, “Desk duty getting boring, huh?”
She rolls her eyes, also focusing her gaze on the hotel door. “Oh, you know it,” she says, practically bouncing in her seat. “Rachel Jones better put on a show, or I’m filing a complaint.”
Just as I go to respond, the main doors slide open. A woman steps out, looking fresh from a playboy magazine with her blonde hair slicked back in a high ponytail, while wearing a bright pink sports bra and matching yoga pants, completely oblivious to us watching her every move.
Mandy’s face lights up with the thrill she’s missed as we confirm it's the same woman in the photograph clipped on the front of the folder.
“Go, go go!” She shouts as if we’re in a police chase.
Pushing the gear in to drive, I throw the camera in to Mandy’s lap
“Don’t get rusty on me now, get recording.” I tell her with a wink as we drive off after the vehicle Rachel climbed into seconds ago.
Mandy flies backward into her seat, scrambling to catch the camera as it hurtles toward the floor when I press on the gas. “Fucking hell, a bit of warning would be nice,” she gasps.
I make sure to keep my distance as Mandy shouts directions at me.
Finally, the car with Rachel in, comes to a stop outside a studio.?“You are the worst backseat driver.” I say out loud as Mandy passes the camera back to me as we see Rachel get out of the car carrying a bag.
“First of all, I am a great driver, second-she didn’t have that bag before did she?” Mandy asks.
