Page 24 of Three
Lori moves his lithe torso to the music, bumping Sari’s shoulder to invite him to dance with him. Shockingly, my brother does it, and not in a timid, stiff way. Sari follows with sinuous smoothness every move Lori makes. I didn’t know he could dance like this—or at all.
“You should definitely come clubbing with us,Angel.”
Sari smiles while Michael places some crudités, dips, and a pack of pretzels on the coffee table. “I want to come to!”
“I’ll take you, babe.” Raph walks out of the elevator directly into the penthouse and goes straight to a smiling Michael. They exchange a PG-13 kiss and then sit one on top of the other on the armchair.
“Fourteen minutes and fifty-two seconds. I won.” Sari walks back to the kitchen and grabs the bet money we left on the counter.
“I have a new development in the Hunter Bear case,” Serena suddenly says.
“Potential donor?” Raph asks, using his uninterested tone.
“He wishes Magnum P.I. would donate somefluids,” Lori teases.
Oh, he will.“Tell me everything, Serena.”
From my crouched position behind a four-foot fence, I’m keeping an eye on the old townhouse and small backyard where Malcom Bindy, a low-life drug dealer supposedly is. August’s phone contained Malcom’s name as his next hit. I’m pretty sure it has no connection to Phoenix, but being the meticulous and scrupulous person I am, I came to check him out—and to use this situation as bait.
“He’s arrived,” Serena’s voice resounds clearly in my ear.And he bit!Hunter Bear is here. My body starts filling with fire and excitement. My lips curl up.
I can’t believe I’ve been stalked.I feel strangely flattered.
Lori fucking screamed like a banshee when Serena let us know this morning that Grizzly has been following me. For almost two days. Ihave to say, Hunter Penn is good at his job. I didn't notice his tailing. I know he’s a skilled P.I. with a ninety-eight percent success rate, but I’m surprised he’s capable of being almost invisible with his oversized body.
“Where?” I ask her.
“Two blocks east, he’s getting off his motorcycle. Soon I will lose sight of him, there aren’t other cameras around this area.”
“Expand the search. There’re a couple of parked cars, check if they have dash cams.”
“One, but it only operates with the car’s ignition system. I’ll look for moving cars passing by.”Atta girl!
I’m suddenly energized at the thought of seeing him.
And I can’t remain still much longer. I’ve surveyed the quiet, creepy neighborhood. Not many people living here or cars driving by.
I wait a few more minutes to be sure Hunter is close enough and has a clear view…of me. Then I straighten up, take a couple of steps, and smoothly vault over the fence, placing my hand on the flat top and pushing into it as my legs swing to the other side.
I studied the blueprint of the house before coming here. The best point of entry is through the exterior basement door. The chain is rusty; a pair of tongs, and I’d be in. But that’s too easy. I’d rather try the open glass door on the second floor. Showing my parkour skills to a certain grizzly makes that decision very easy.
I run toward the house, and using the momentum, I jump on the brick wall and climb Spiderman style. Just a few steps before twisting my body to the right to grab onto the metal rail of the small balcony with both gloved hands. I fluidly pull myself up, corded arms popping, and haul my feet up to the rail. I ease myself silently onto the balcony with the perfect mix of force and agility and pushmyself flat to the wall, only peeking for a second inside the room through the open glass door. It’s empty, and I slowly walk in. Apart from an unmade single bed, the room is bare, musty, and dirty.
I reach the ajar door across the room and pause. There are no noises coming from inside the house.
“Hunter Penn is entering the house at the front door.” Serena must have found a cam.
The front door? Ballsy. I like it. “Only one body heat signature on the first floor. Not moving. Heart rate stable.”Sleeping, perhaps?
“Got it. Let me know if that changes,” I order her.
“Will do.”
I slide into the corridor and check the other room. It’s rank, the air stale. The ratty furniture is covered in what look like rodent bites. The small television is ancient and broken, with a thick layer of dust on it.
I turn down the hallway, at the top of the stairs, my feet halt when I see a shadow moving slowly on the first floor. Large brown boots enter my line of vision followed by a pair of strong thighs and a wide chest before Hunter’s rugged face comes into view as well. Fuck, he’s so damn handsome. And ripped.
And mine for the taking.
