Free Royal Flush (The Jake Samson & Rosie Vicente Detective Series Book 6) by Shelley Singer

bar.
    Thanks?
    “Those boys are sure excited about that Harley-Davidson,” I said.
    Red laughed. “Yeah. Rather have a truck, myself. But kids, you know.”
    “That Skink must have money to burn— aren’t those things expensive?”
    “Yeah, they are. But the kid works. And he’s got friends.”
    “Friends? No friends of mine ever gave me a motorcycle.”
    “He earns it.”
    I wondered how.
    The “friend” he’d thanked was good old Steve, the man who had also had enough money to open this very swank establishment. Maybe it came from Steve. Maybe just through him.
    Zack and his friends got their beers and headed for the hallway, swaggering.
    To the back room, I supposed. I really wanted to get a look at that back room.
    “They’re something, those kids,” I said, smiling after them.
    “Hope of the world,” Steve snarled. I couldn’t tell whether he was serious or not. I didn’t think I would ever be able to tell, with Steve.
    Zack seemed like a smart enough boy. He apparently had a great future as a leader of creeps.
    “These warriors,” I said. “I bet they’re very loyal to each other, aren’t they?” Would Zack stand by Royal if he found out he wanted to leave the Command? I doubted it. I thought the Command would come first.
    “To the death,” Red said. “To the death. That’s the whole point. One of them gets jumped, his buddies fight alongside. That little guy?” He jerked a thumb in the direction of where the kids had gone. “Saw him take on a couple of big guys once. Washburn, he don’t look tough, but he is. They all are. Have to be. A real pleasure to work with.”
    “But isn’t it Ebner who works with them? Isn’t he their leader?”
    Suddenly Red was less affable. “Hey, I am too. Those kids look up to me. When it hits the fan, it’s me and them. And don’t forget it. You can’t always tell who’s really in charge.”
    “Sorry. I’m new here. Can’t see the forest for the trees, maybe.”
    “Yeah. Well. Got to go have a few words with the boys now, matter of fact.” Red slid off his bar stool, his belly jiggling, and followed the warriors to the back.
    Steve leaned on the bar. “You meeting Royal here?”
    “Just thought I might run into him. Hey, I’m confused. Isn’t Ebner in charge of the warriors?”
    His lip curled in a smile. “Everybody wants the good jobs. You want another coffee?”
    “Yeah.” He poured me one. I sat and nursed it until Red and the three warriors came back and sat down together at a round table near the front door. They were talking low and grinning and looking edgy.
    A couple of seconds later, she came in.
    The woman I’d seen the night before. The beautiful one with the warm gold shoulder-length hair.
    Steve wiped the bar in front of her. “What’ll you have, Gilly?”
    “Club soda.”
    Gilly glanced at me and smiled. I smiled back.
    “Afternoon. I’m Gilly Johns.”
    Steve handed the woman her club soda. “This here’s Jase. He’s a cousin of Royal’s, just moved here, right, Jase?”
    “Right, Steve.”
    Gilly picked up her drink and moved down to sit beside me. Her eyes were hazel, her hair fine and soft-looking. She had perfect teeth too. I could see that when she smiled.
    “I’m very pleased to meet you, Jase.”
    I noticed that Steve was grinning and shaking his head.
    “You’re something, Gilly, you know that?” he said.
    “That’s right.” Gilly winked at me. “I am.”
    There was nothing subtle about the hormones the woman was shooting at me, but they hit the mark anyway. I leaned away from her, trying to escape those estrogen rays. The last thing I wanted was to actually be attracted to one of these people. And how could I be? Brainless lust.
    “What do you do, Jase?”
    I couldn’t say it. Couldn’t tell this woman I rang up canned goods. I opted for mysterious. “Oh, lots of things. I’m looking for work now.” She nodded. “You?”
    “I’m a bookkeeper. I balance the books. Credits, debits,