Free 16 Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich Page A

the time we reached the dirt road, it was black as pitch out. No moon. Overcast sky. Connie pulled off to the shoulder and parked on Lower Bucks Road just before our turn-off. We all piled out and waited while Connie loaded the rocket launcher up with a stink bomb.

    Its a big house, Lula said. How many of these bombs do you think we gotta fire off?

    One will probably do it, Connie said, slinging the Uzi strap over her shoulder. But we could do an upstairs and a downstairs if we want to be sure of covering the whole house.

    Whats it smell like?

    The one I made today smells like a combination of cat pee and diarrhea fart, Connie said, handing me the box with the extra bombs. And maybe it has a hint of throw-up.

    We walked about twenty feet down the road and had no idea where we were.

    I dont know if Im in the middle of the road or the middle of the forest, Lula said. I cant see nothin. Theres no light here. Theres . . . Whoops!

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    No, Im not okay. Im on my ass, and I found the edge of the road on account of Im in a bush. Where the heck are you?

    Everyone stay still until our eyes adjust, I said.

    How longs that take? Lula wanted to know.

    A couple minutes, I think, I told her.

    Its been a couple minutes, Lula said, and Im not adjusted. I think that adjusting is a lot of hooey.

    Give it a minute more, I said.

    We waited a minute more, but we still couldnt see.

    Ill show you adjusting, Lula said. And she flipped her flashlight on.

    So much for the stealth approach.

    We followed Lula and her flashlight until we reached the grassy area around the house. Once we were out from under trees, we were at least able to differentiate structure from sky. Light blazed from several windows. A television flickered in a downstairs room. A figure moved from one room to the next. The SUV was still parked by the door.

    We need to get closer, Connie said. Someone should run across the lawn and look in the windows.

    Someone? I asked.

    Yeah, Connie said. You.

    Why me?

    Its your job. Im the office person, and youre the sneaking around, chasing down bad guys person.

    What about Lula? Why cant Lula be the sneaking around person?

    Yeah, Lula said, what about me? I could sneak your ass off.

    So let me get this straight, Connie said to Lula. Youre the one wants to get thrown under the bus.

    Since you put it that way, it occurs to me Stephanie has the skill sets needed for this operation, Lula said.

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    I struggled to get out of the azaleas, and I moved around the house, peeking in windows, listening for conversation. I got to the kitchen, and there was a tray on the kitchen counter with some dirty dishes and a can of Coke tipped on its side. There were also a couple dishes, some silverware, and two glasses on the counter by the sink. It could be that someone was served on a tray and two people ate in the kitchen. Not conclusive proof Vinnie was being held in the house, but it was worth considering.

    I jogged back to the woods and told Connie and Lula what Id found.

    I say we rocket a bomb in there and see what comes out, Lula said.

    Suppose only the guys watching television come out? I said. Is someone going in to make sure Vinnie isnt there?

    That would be you again, Lula said, since youre so good at finding people.

    No. I shook my head. No, no, no. I already did my thing. Someone elses turn. Im not going into a house that smells like cat pee and diarrhea fart.

    Id be happy to do it, but I got asthma, Lula said. I might have an attack in there. It could kill me.

    We were standing at the edge of the woods arguing, and headlights appeared on the dirt road. The car was traveling at a good speed, coming in from Lower Bucks Road, almost on top of us before we saw it. We dove for cover, flat on our stomachs, hidden in shadow. The car roared into the circular driveway, stopped in front of the brown-shingle house, and Bangfired off an object that broke the foyer window. Banganother