Page 79 of Hidden Ties

“Would you hide a key to a storage unit unless you didn’t want someone to find out what was in it?”

“We’re about to find out. Make a left. Don’t park out front. Park at the donut store. I have a couple of my buddies waiting for me.”

Following his instructions, Camy parked at the donut shop. “You didn’t tell me you brought some of your friends into this.”

Kyler ignored her worried frown. “Trust me, okay? I don’t want us to be seen on camera emptying out that unit. They brought their own van and can empty it out in ten minutes. I’m not going to lead that motherfucker to our door. Lou and T.J. aren’t from here. They were my roommates in the halfway house. They’re going back home after this job.”

Camy wasn’t satisfied with his answer. “And they are only doing this out of the kindness of their hearts?”

“I plan to take care of that.” Kyler reached for his backpack, which he had flung to the floorboard when he got inside the car.

Her head fell back to the head rest when she saw what was inside. “Where did you get the gun?”

“I stole it from a bozo who was drunk off his ass.”

She turned her head to stare at him. “You don’t know who he was?”

“No. Better yet, he doesn’t know who I am, either.”

“This was supposed to be me and you. I wish you hadn’t involved so many people. He’s not going to take his shit being stolen lightly.”

Seeing her shiver, Kyler laid a hand on her arm. “I promise he’ll never figure out it was us.”

Camy didn’t seem reassured at his insistence. Raising her head, she gave him a sad look. “I can count on both hands how many promises you have broken to me. You just don’t get it.” She sighed.

“What don’t I get?”

“This time, if you screw up, we’re both dead.”

ONE

Shutting the door, Sage made her way back to the small cubicle where she worked in defeat. What was she going to do? Dispirited, she stared at her computer monitor while thinking over what options were left available to her.

“What has you looking so glum?”

Sage raised her eyes from the computer to see a co-worker peering over the partition separating them. “Nothing, Livvy,” she lied, refusing to give the woman any ammunition to gossip about her and hoping she would take the hint and leave. “I need to concentrate on a document I’m reading.”

Coming around the partition, Livvy sat down on the edge of the desk. “I take it asking for more hours was shot down by Bree?”

Since Livvy wasn’t buying that she wasn’t upset, there was no need to keep pretending. The best way to deal with the gossipmonger was to act as if the disappointment didn’t hurt. Clearly, the head of HR hadn’t waited to text Livvy about what the meeting she had asked for was about.

“Bree reminded me that I was hired for part-time employment. There isn’t any room in the office budget to giveme more hours.” Keeping her voice even, she didn’t show any anger that her request had been denied.

“If there isn’t room in the budget, why is the company hiring another record clerk? Why not give you more hours?”

She picked up an ink pen to check off a box on a list she was working on. She wasn’t about to walk through the imaginary door Livvy had opened in an attempt to get her to say something negative so she could repeat it back to Bree.

“I didn’t ask.” She sighed. She was so sick of the toxic atmosphere that was allowed to flourish in the big law firm where she worked. “I’m sure if Bree were able to give me more hours, she would.” Patting herself on the back for getting the words out without choking on them, she checked off another box.

Livvy’s lovely pansy-colored eyes shot her an angry glare, unaware Sage was watching her through her lashes. The look was gone when she raised her eyes upward to one of indignation.

“If I were you, I would quit. Why put up with the hassle of working here if they’re not going to make it worth getting out of bed for?”

Because I wouldn’t want to make your day by quitting, she thought snidely.

“Grab your purse. I’m taking you out for lunch.”

She wanted nothing more than to get out of the office for an hour but shook her head. Lunch out was not in her budget for the foreseeable future, thanks to Bree’s refusal to give her more hours. Even if she had money to burn, the last thing she would spend it on was eating lunch with Livvy, who was a conniving snake, luring people in with her beautiful eyes, only to strike when you least expected it.