“Hey, guys,” she called, fluttering her eyelashes and speaking in that higher pitch again. “I drank...a lot tonight.” She ran a hand up her side. “I’m Stephanie. What are your names?”
“I’m John,” one of the men offered.
“Kendrik,” the other chimed in.
Shay leaned forward and took a deep breath. A low-cut dress rather than a T-shirt and leather jacket might have been helpful right about then, but acting would have to make up for it. She locked eyes with Kendrik.
John shrugged. “We can do the other thing tomorrow. Not like the girl’s going anywhere.”
You’re damn right Alison’s not going anywhere.
Shay sashayed into the alley, and the two grinning men hurried after her.
When they were out of view of the street, Shay reached into her back pocket and gestured for John and Kendrik to come closer.
Both men stepped forward, eager for what she was offering.
Shay pulled out a stiletto switchblade and pressed the button, and the blade extended with a click.
A minute later, she pulled out a small case. She considered leaving her card on the bodies, but decided not to.
“No. They’ll just have to wonder.”
Chapter Seventeen
Shay tossed the cell phone she’d recovered in Hokkaido on Peyton’s desk. “That’s my present for you. I went all the way to Japan to get it.”
Peyton eyed her with suspicion. “I already have a phone. I like my phone.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s the phone I grabbed from those assholes on the Ainu job. You said you could crack it.”
“Oh, almost forgot. Yeah, that’ll be easy.” He snorted. “Give me something hard to do.”
“Do you need something harder? Wouldn’t want you to get bored and start ordering more random shit for the warehouse. Maybe I can send you after Snegurka.”
“What about Snegurka?” Lily came in, busy sticking a pen inside of her cast, trying to scratch an itch. “I can’t wait to get this thing off. What about the Ice Witch? Has she been spotted again?”
“Easy, Lily. I haven’t forgotten about your quest. Peyton thinks cracking the phone is too easy for him. You want to take a stab at it?”
Peyton grinned and waved his hands in front of his face. “No, no. It’s fine. I love it when things are easy. I’ll do it.”
“Good. Now that Brownstone’s not going to be attacked for five seconds, I can concentrate on being a tomb raider again.”
“Can you believe what happened? The guy took on an entire building by himself.” Peyton shook his head. “If I was on his bad side, I think I’d just shoot myself rather than face him. That guy’s like a force of nature.”
Shay snickered. “Yeah, the man does kick a lot of ass when he wants to, which seems to be a lot lately.”
“When do I get to meet the myth?” Lily sat on the couch, crossing her legs underneath.
“Not yet.”
“Let me do the Shay to English translation for you,” said Peyton. “He doesn’t know you exist yet.”
Shay flicked the side of Peyton’s head, eliciting a yelp. “Soon-ish.” Shay bit her lip, trying to figure out how to ease a teenager into a new idea. Blurt it out might work. “What would you think about going to a fancy boarding school for kids your age with magical abilities? Fresh air, no danger, hone your skills, make friends.”
“No, no and no.”
“Well, at least she thought about it carefully,” said Peyton, who ducked at the sight of Shay’s cold, steely glare. “Backing out of conversation now.”
“You would make an even better tomb raider.”
“Adult lie number one. I’ll make a better tomb raider hanging out here. This is my trade school.”
“What if I ordered you to go?”
“I’d run away and become your competition a little earlier than planned.”
Shay let out a snort as Peyton rolled his eyes and slowly backed across the room, finding something to do around the pizza oven.
“You’re years away from giving me a run for any of my money.”
“Still running away and we’d see. I’m not going. This was the deal we made and either you abide by our agreed terms or you made a deal in bad faith.” Lily set her jaw, standing up from the couch and her one good arm on her hip.
But Shay saw the tears in her eyes. The kid thinks I’m done with her. “Forget I mentioned it. It was a half-baked idea. You’re right. Trade school.”
Lily wiped her face with her sleeve, her jaw still set.
That probably set us back a bit, thought Shay.
“I wonder if Brownstone uses any sort of magical items?” Peyton furrowed his brow, walking back into the fray, doing his best to change the subject. “You’ve worked with him. What kind of equipment does he have?”
“Not really sure.” Shay shrugged. She glanced over at Lily and even took a step toward her to try a hug, but the girl backed away. Maybe tomorrow.
It was a half-truth. She didn’t know much about the amulet. She knew what it did, but she didn’t know the nature of its magic or the source of its power.
Brownstone had his reasons for using the item in front of her, and it spoke to the trust he had in her. The existence of the amulet wasn’t her information to pass along to anyone just yet. If Peyton got pissy about it later, she’d tell him as much. It wasn’t like she was going to Brownstone and telling him Peyton’s life story.
“And that Marine thing!” Peyton whistled. “Damn. How does a guy even plan something like that? Would you have thought of something like that?”
Shay smirked. “I doubt I could have gotten a bunch of Marines to help me, but it doesn’t matter. It looks like we got ourselves a Brownstone fanboy.” She smiled and looked at Lily, but she had wandered into the office and her back was turned.
Shay patted the phone. “Get this unlocked, and maybe I’ll get you his autograph.”
“Ha-ha. Very funny. I’m just saying I respect his skills.”
“Not saying I don’t.” Shay shrugged. “Just keep in mind, Brownstone’s a bounty
