Troy dragged a hand down his face. “Goddammit, Ruby.” He hung up the phone and turned toward his fellow officers, anxiety searing every part of his body.
“We have to move. Now.”
…
Ruby slipped in through the warehouse door being held only slightly ajar by a bald, stone-faced man with an earring that looked vaguely familiar. Of course, these protection types were almost always bald and stone faced with an earring, so that didn’t mean a thing.
She winked to throw him off a little. One valuable thing her father had taught her was to brazen it out. In situations such as these, when every move you made would be under suspicion, act like you owned the damn place. That kind of behavior tended to distract people long enough to get what you needed. Or annoy them into giving you what you needed if only to get rid of you faster.
Once she confirmed Lenny was indeed hiding out in the warehouse, she could call Troy with the information. He would make the arrest and get himself out of Lenny’s crosshairs where he would be safe.
None of his colleagues would be in any danger, either, something she suspected he worried about constantly since the loss of his partner. She could have given him the address to the warehouse last night but had quickly decided against it. She could get useful information by going in first. Information that would help ensure Troy came out on the other side alive.
She also needed to warn Bowen.
“Who are you?”
“Ah, come on. You don’t remember me?” Mr. Clean showed zero reaction. “Ruby Elliott. Our kids play softball together!”
“I don’t have any kids.”
“Yeah, me neither.” She moved farther into the dusty warehouse, quickly eyeing every possible exit.
“Listen, you mind telling Lenny I’m here? I don’t have a lot of time.”
He grunted. “What makes you think Lenny’s here?”
“A hunch.” She pursed her lips. “A hunch you pretty much confirmed when you opened the door.
Why else would you be standing in this abandoned warehouse in the middle of the day? I’m sure you’d much rather be updating your eHarmony profile or taking a yoga class. Incidentally, I’m thinking of taking one myself.”
Recognition dawning on his face, he pointed a finger at her. “Wait a minute. I remember you. The chick pool player. Jim’s kid.”
Ignoring the pang in her chest at hearing her father’s name, she spread her arms wide. “In the flesh.”
A smile broke out across his face, making him almost handsome. Almost. “Well, come on then. He’s in back.”
“That’s more like it,” Ruby murmured under her breath, following him through the enormous, sunlit room filled with sawdust and empty crates. “You guys really need to fire your cleaning lady.”
“We don’t get a lot of people coming in this way,” he continued jovially, divested of his suspicion. As far as he was concerned, they were cut from the same cloth. A realization that made her feel queasy. “There’s an entrance through the parking garage around back we’ve been using.” He threw a wink over his shoulder.
“It’s like we’re not even here.”
“Stealthy.” Ruby pretended to let the piece of information go in one ear and out the other. “The pizza delivery guys must hate you.”
Laughing, he stopped as they reached a wooden door at the back of the warehouse and nudged it open with his foot. She breezed past him into a dark hallway and continued on toward another closed door with light emanating from the edges. Her pulse began to race as she grew closer, but she refused to consider the possibility that she’d made a bad decision in coming here. She would stay long enough to confirm that Lenny was here and get as many details as she could before hightailing it back to her end of Brooklyn.
Her escort reached a hand over her shoulder to push the door open. Ruby tried not to show any outward reaction to seeing Bowen and half a dozen men sitting at a round table, reading the newspaper and smoking cigarettes. All sporting weapons. As usual, Bowen boasted a black eye and several painful-looking cuts on his face. Quickly, she counted seven other men seated around the room, pausing in their conversation to eye her with interest. Her friend’s gaze widened when he saw her standing in the doorway, then flicked toward Mr. Clean, who’d gone to join them at the table. The other men looked between her to Bowen, waiting for his reaction.
Only a few seconds had passed when his chair scraped back, and he came toward her with open arms.
“Ruby Doo, what’s the haps?” To anyone who hadn’t known Bowen since childhood, he would appear carefree, delighted to see her, but she saw the wealth of worry in his eyes. He threw his arms around her and whispered in her ear. “I didn’t tell them anything, but you shouldn’t be here.”
“Neither should you. I’m sorry, Bowen,” she whispered back. The way his body tensed, she knew he understood her reason for coming. He knew the cops were coming and that she’d come to warn him. Ruby held on tight to her faith that he wouldn’t tell Lenny.
That he’d see this as his way out. Maybe he’d been pulled deeper into his father’s world, but he was still the same boy whose wounds she’d bandaged in back alleys and motel bathrooms. Her best friend. And he didn’t belong here any more than she did.
Bowen sighed shakily against her hair then pulled back, smiling broadly once more, but she could see the conflict in his eyes. He spoke up loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Lenny, I knew she’d change her mind. Ruby’s back. Just like the old days.”
She tensed as Lenny sauntered in from an adjoining room. All confidence and swagger, he nonetheless looked as though he’d had a few sleepless nights. Lenny had always been an undeniably striking man, but his dark blond hair had started graying at the temples, his age causing the skin of his cheeks to sag. He wore black dress pants and a white button-down shirt rolled up to his elbows. Intelligent eyes raked over her, lingering on her face. She didn’t smile, knowing Lenny would find that suspicious. They’d never had anything but a business relationship.
“Took her long enough,” Lenny finally said, his thick Brooklyn accent echoing through the room. He placed a hand on Bowen’s shoulder. Besides a flicker of irritation, her friend’s easy expression didn’t waver.
“But like I’m always telling Bowen, you don’t just walk away from easy money.”
Easy for who? Ruby wanted to ask, but wisely refrained. “I guess you’re right. Here I am. You have a game for me or not?”
Lenny threw back his head and laughed. “You
certainly haven’t changed, kid.”
“Yeah, well. Leopard. Spots.”
He jerked his head toward her. “This girl is fearless.
I think your time away from her might be the reason you’re starting to go soft on me.”
“I ain’t going soft,” Bowen said quietly.
Lenny laughed in obvious delight of having created an awkward moment, but then his smile disappeared.
“You are if I say so, son.” His gaze bored into hers.
“And you’d be wise to learn some respect.”
“Please, just give me a time and location,” Ruby said, bringing the focus back to her. “As much as I’m enjoying your company, I have things to do.”