“So how did you find her if the picture was so crappy?” Nobu asked, and Haiden saw that the man has relaxed a bit.
“At first, I didn’t see her, I saw her movement. She moves like Jezebel.”
“I beg your pardon?” Imani asked indigently.
“Sorry, Jezebel is my cat. That is to say, you moved smoothly, cat like. I didn’t notice it at first, but then, when I saw you again, my subconscious picked up on the movement. I watched as you moved, walked. I was following Davisson and watching those around him. I’d not seen any faces that struck a chord, but on the second day I followed him, I picked up on your movements. You have an unconscious grace about the way you move. Were you a dancer?” he asked and heard Nobu snort and then begin to snigger. Imani shot him a filthy look and then punched Nobu.
“Ow, shit, that hurt Imani. Fuck, hurt.” Nobu said rubbing his arm.
“I guess I need to change up my stride.” Imani said darkly.
“I meant no offence, honest, it was a compliment. It was just how I picked up on you. You move like a predator, that’s all.” Haiden assured her.
“I’m going to jump on the net, start seeing what I can find out and put out feelers. We got to get this fucker first.” Nobu said, getting up from the couch, still rubbing the offended arm.
“Fine, and let me know about the van.” She said, not taking her eyes off Haiden. He studied her face, she was actually very pretty. No beauty certainly, but she was very intelligent, very direct. He liked that.
“Van?” He asked.
“Side project.” She said.
“Waukegan?” He smiled.
“How the hell did you know about that?” She snapped.
He shrugged, smiling, his eyes crinkling with humor.
“Yeah, since you know so much. You know, you’re sure a nosey nelly. Have you been following me? Are we going to have problems?” She asked, her eyes nearly glowing.
“Look, I’m not here to rattle your cage. I had to see who you were. What I was facing. You know as well as I do, coming up on another hitter is dangerous to say the least. I have a lot of respect for you, and in that, I know you are as deadly as I am.” He cajoled.
“Don’t try that flattery crap with me buddy. I’m not naive.” She said evenly.
“Look, I’m just trying to be a straight shooter, no pun intended.” He grinned when he saw her lips twitch.
“Idiot.” She said under her breath.
“I take it the van transported the women? I also take it that you’ll be taking out the van, or should I say driver?” he grinned.
“I might.” She said cautiously.
“I’d like to help, if you don’t mind.”
“I do mind, I don’t need help.” She said, her tone darkening.
“Look, I did a little investigating on the past local crimes. I’ve seen your handy work and I like what I see. Taking out those scumbags, well, that’s some damn fine work. Makes me ashamed that I didn’t do my own little vigilante dealio. Besides, I’m sure if you can get the driver, you might have an inside line on others of their ilk. It’d be a shame not to have a little back up, maybe make a nice little project cleaning up that element for good, or at least until the next batch of rodents raise their heads.”
Imani sat back and extended her legs to rest on the coffee table, her fuzzy pink slippers tapping together. She stared at him, and he saw the wheels turning, her eyes had gone back to hazel. She was a thinker, she wasn’t quick to respond and he liked that. She was methodical. You had to be in this business.
“So, you want to team up, is that it?” She asked, her voice neutral.
“Yes, actually I do. Look, I know you have your own thing going. I see you have a great tech working with you. I don’t want to get in your way, and you know I’ve got some good creds, because I did actually find you. I’ve never met another one like us. I know they are out there and we are essentially an eremitic lot. I don’t know. I guess I’m just kind of tired of being alone.” He said and shrugged.
He wasn’t sure why he was pouring his guts out. Maybe he saw this as a once in a life time chance to know someone like himself without eating a bullet. He had no one, and that was damned tiresome. Jezebel was great, but she didn’t hold up her end of a conversation. Here in this apartment, not eight floors away, were two people who he could actually connect with. He could talk shop with, and not have them run screaming for the hills. Or hold up a cross to ward him off.
Haiden could not remember the last time he actually had a friend. A live, breathing, walking and talking friend. He’d had women, but those were one-night stands. The breath almost left him when he realized he’d not had an actual conversation with another person, a real conversation in years, maybe well over a decade.
Ϫ
Imani watched the man’s features, he seemed earnest enough. When he’d mentioned Lawbreaker, she’d almost shit herself. Then when he’d told her that he’d been sent to kill her, she was pissed and even more so at herself. At least she wasn’t going crazy during that Dallas trip. She’ had been followed, she’d felt it and it made her feel better. Now all she wanted to do was hunt down that little fucker and blow his brains out. She hoped Nobu could get
