Free SERIAL UNCUT by Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn J.A. Konrath

perhaps, you wouldn't mind doing
your thing when someone else was there to watch."
    Taylor smiled. "Aren't you the dirty old
man."
    Donaldson smiled back. "A dirty old man who
doesn't have the same distaste of sloppy seconds as you apparently
have. I see no problem in going second. As long as there's
something left for me to enjoy myself with."
    " I leave all the major parts
intact."
    " Then perhaps we can come to some sort
of arrangement."
    " Perhaps we can."
    Donaldson's smile suddenly slipped off his
face. He'd noticed the same thing Taylor had.
    A cop had walked into the restaurant.
    Woman, forties, well built, a gold
star clipped to her hip. But even without the badge, she had that
swagger, had that look , that
Taylor had spent a lifetime learning to spot.
    " Here comes trouble," Donaldson
said.
    And, as luck would have it, trouble sat down
right next to them.

    -4-
    After filling my gas tank and emptying my
bladder, I went in search of food.
    The diner was surprisingly full this late at
night. Truckers mostly. And though I hadn't worked Vice in well
over a decade, I was pretty sure the only women in the place were
earning their living illegally.
    Not that I judged, or even cared. One of the
reasons I switched from Vice to Homicide was because I had no
problems with what consenting adults did to themselves or each
other. I'd done a few drugs in my day, and as a woman I felt I
should be able to do whatever I wanted with my body. So the scene
in the diner was nothing more to me than local color. I just wanted
some coffee and a hot meal, which I believed would wake me up
enough to get me through the rest of my road trip and into the very
patient arms of my fiancee.
    I expected at least one or two catcalls or
wolf whistles when I entered, but didn't hear any. Sort of
disappointing. I was wearing what I wore to court, a brown Ann
Klein pantsuit, clingy in all the right places, and a pair of three
inch Kate Spade strappy sandals. The shoes were perhaps a bit
frivolous, but the jury couldn't see my feet when I took the stand.
I left for Wisconsin directly from court, and wore the shoes
because Latham loved them. I had even painted my toenails to
celebrate our vacation.
    Maybe the current diners were too
preoccupied with the hired help to know another woman had entered
the place. Or maybe it was me. Latham said I gave off a "cop vibe"
that people could sense, but he assured me I was still sexy. Still,
a Wisconsin truck stop at two in the morning filled with lonely,
single men, and I didn't even get a lecherous glance. Maybe I
needed to work-out more.
    Then I realized I still had my badge clipped
to my belt. Duh.
    I quickly scoped out the joint, finding the
emergency exit, counting the number of patrons and employees,
identifying potential trouble. An absurdly dressed man in expensive
boots and a diamond studded John Deere cap stared hard at me. He
gave me a look that said he hated cops, and I gave him a look that
said I hated his kind even more. While I tolerated prostitutes, I
loathed pimps. Someone taking the money you earned just because
they were bigger than you wasn't fair.
    But I didn't come here to start trouble. I
just wanted some food and caffeine.
    I walked the room slowly, feeling the cold
stares, and found counter space next to a portly man. I eased
myself onto the stool.
    " Coffee, officer?"
    I nodded at the waitress. She overturned my
mug and filled it up. I glanced at the menu, wondering if they had
cheese curds--those little fried nuggets of cheddar exclusive to
Wisconsin.
    " The meatloaf is good."
    I glanced at the man on my left. Big and
tall, maybe fifteen years older than I was. He had a kind-looking
face, but his smile appeared forced.
    " Thanks," I replied.
    I sipped some coffee. Nice and strong. If I
got two cups and a burger in me, I'd be good to go. The waitress
returned, I ordered a cheeseburger with bacon, and a side of cheese
curds.
    " Never seen you here
before."
    The voice, reeking of alpha male,