Free Jump The Line (Toein' The Line Book 1) by Mary McFarland Page A

frisk.
    “ Oops, sorry ,” I say.
    “ Watch what the fuck yo u’ re doing ,” she snarls, giving me a shove. 
    Have I startled my lady?
    I glance toward th e“ ladie s” sign to the right of the door.  I tremble thinking what my daddy would say.  I like ladie s— cooked.  Maybe sau té ed.  Mostly, I prefer them raw.  
    “ Sorry ,” I say, stepping directly back into her air space and patting her shoulder like w e’ re besties.  “ You okay ? ”
    “ Back off, you fuck ! ”
    “ Sure . ”   Obliging her, I head back to my post in the dining room, park my ass behind the faux ficus, and resume watching His Lordship, Detective Hawks.
    Nick LaFiglia finally ambles to the cash register.  He would n’ t hurry even if I gasolined his ass and set a match to it.  Now ther e’ s a real bastard, Nick LaFiglia.  I’ ve no taste for male meat.  Too raunchy compared to female sweetmeats.  One day, though, I’ d like to chop up Nicky and serve his ass as pa té to his patrons.  I check my urge to laugh out loud.  Daddy would love that idea, and who knows?  For his part in my mothe r’ s death, I think LaFiglia will eventually end up in Dadd y’ s stewpot.  Ha!  Kidding.  Anyway, Dad does n’ t cook anyone.  He likes his meat raw.
    “ Detective Hawks ,” LaFiglia says ,“ how was everything today ? ”
    “ I t’ d be better if yo u’ d get your ass moving, Nick ,” His Lordship says ,“ so people like me can go do our jobs and take bastards like you off the street . ”
    Ha-ha.  What humor.  Gotta love Detective Hawks, who knows Nick y’ s rap sheet like the back of his hand.  Gotta fear him, too, though.  H e’ d make a wicked-badass criminal.  Man never stops once he locks on to his quarry, which is why I watch him at a distance.
    Feeling the delicious little niggle of fear tugging at me, I slide back, snugging myself deep into my favorite spot behind the leafy ficus, and wait.
    * * *
    “ Hey, Detective Hawks, wha t’ s up, bro ?” Wes Gillam says, thumping me on the back.  “ Missed you for breakfast . ”
    “ Blame Meyers ,” I say, still pissed the captain socked me with mentoring DeeDee Laws, busting up me and my former partner. 
    Wes checks to make sure DeeDe e’ s nowhere in sight and then lowers his voice.  “ You need any more help, let me know . ”
    “ Sure thing ,” I say, thanking him for helping out last night and wishing I was heading out with Wes this morning, instead of with DeeDee.
    Wes, happily married but as dirty minded as the next guy, says ,“I’ d be happy to help you sweat that little hottie from Oma r’ s . ”
    I do n’ t laugh.  Wiry Wes, o r“ Tiger ,” swung by Oma r’ s last night.  I told him to get there early, before I arrived, and keep an eye on Oma r’ s dancers.  I was going to go warn them about the murders in the alley, so I asked him to hang around for a drink afterward and meet me.  His leer tells me he mus t’ ve liked watching Alaina dance, that and the fact that when DeeDee and I walked in, I saw him salivating.
    “ You fit in with that crowd of lechers ,” I say, dragging his prurient mind off her.
    “ Heh ,” Wes goes.  “I’ d like to fit in a few orifices on he r —”
    “ Lay off ,” I warn, jokin g— maybe.  If I have my way, Wes is getting none of that .  Not that I’ m worried.  When I go over for Saturday night barbecues, i t’ s like the old woman who lives in the shoe at the Gillam s ’ house.  Kids pour from the rafters, and Delila h’ s like a baby-making factory.
    “ Glad to help out ,” he says.  Not big on conversation, he gives me anothe r“ Heh . ”
    “ I can handle it, Tiger ,” I say, feeling jealous as hell and clueless as to why.  I’ ve only seen Alaina one damn time.  Sure, she was naked, mostl y— reason enough to get excite d— but the effect she had on me was immediate.  Intense. 
    Maybe I’ ll call he r —
    The hell?  Did I just add Alaina Colby to my