Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
My mom let that thought trail off, probably hoping I’d fill the void. But I just sighed and looked out the passenger window at the motorcycle to our right. The rider flashed me a familiar grin, and I realized it was Gavin. Although there was no chance he knew we’d been talking about him, my cheeks heated anyway.
I was worried about what we’d find at the warehouse, but I was relieved when the loading area came into view, already lit and secured.
My dad let out a low whistle. “The Black Crowns have a reputation for not messing around, but I never expected to see them in action for myself.”
There were plenty of rumors around Sable Canyon about the local motorcycle club, but I’d never paid them much attention. Now I wished I had… I had… and not just because we needed their help.
Gavin was already off his bike when we parked in the spot next to him. When he tapped his knuckles against my window, my dad rolled it down. “Stay put.”
He didn’t wait for me to respond to what couldn’t be mistaken as anything other than an order. I watched him go as he strode toward the loading bay, only stopping to say something quick to the men guarding it before he disappeared inside with three other Black Crowns right behind him.
Staying in the car felt worse than standing in the lot, so I got out. Mom and Dad followed, but none of us approached the warehouse.
Filled with nervous energy, I paced the painted line marking the parking spot. Eight or nine steps in either direction, over and over again, while I waited to be told it was safe for us to enter our own building. I checked the time on my phone more than once, as though that would hurry the process.
“Put this on, sweetie.”
I took the jacket my mom had pulled from the trunk of their car and shrugged it on. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She gently patted my cheek. “Keeping your temper cool is one thing, catching a chill is another.”
“You’re one to talk,” I mumbled. “The red in my hair came from you.”
“Sure did. Which is why I know how much it’s taking you not to run in there right now.”
She was right. I had to keep reminding myself that an unsecured warehouse full of pyrotechnic material that had already been broken into was not the place to win an argument, no matter how badly I wanted to see what had been taken.
The door finally opened, and Gavin came out first. “Clear.”
I headed straight for him, but before I could pass, he caught the back of my jacket just enough to slow me down. “Behind me.”
“You just said it was clear.”
“Which is why you can come inside.” He didn’t let go until I was where he wanted me. “With me in front of you.”
“You’re impossible,” I muttered.
“Like I said before, you’re learning.” He sounded entirely too pleased, but I followed him inside anyway.
5
TAMSIN
The storage cage lock was the first thing I checked while my parents headed to the office end of the building. The hinged metal plate was bent back far enough that whoever had done it couldn’t have cared about the damage they were doing. I moved down the row and started matching empty floor marks against the sheets on the clipboard I grabbed from a hook near the door.
“That case was here this morning.” I pointed at one of the empty painted squares on the floor along the far wall. “An igniter crate should be on the second shelf.”
“This it?” one of the Black Crowns asked from just outside the cage.
Before I made it close enough to check, Stu crouched down to peer inside. “Yup, igniters.”
He’d worked here for almost ten years, so I wasn’t surprised when he looked at Gavin after I called, “Stop. Leave it there for now.”
Gavin crossed his arms over his broad chest. “You heard her.”
“The last thing I need is to accidentally double count something because it was moved before I’m done,” I explained. “So everything stays put until I know what’s missing.”
Stu nodded. “Got it, Tamsin.”
Only after I walked the whole cage and compared every item against the printed inventory did we start putting stuff back where it belonged so I could count it all over again. “Okay, now we can clean up this mess and hopefully find some of the missing items.”
Gavin stuck close without interfering with my work, making sure I had the space needed to do my job. His confidence steadied me, and employees who’d previously questioned my leadership took their cue from him, following my orders without question. I appreciated that, except it would’ve been nice if they’d done it on their own.
By the time I had a decent picture of what had been taken, my stomach was in knots.