Diner Knock Out (A Rose Strickland Mystery Book 4) by Terri L. Austin Read Free Book Online Page A

middle of my back and guided me out of his office, toward the door of the showroom. “No problem. It’s a big commitment.”
    He held the door open for me, but before stepping through, I turned back. “By the way, a friend of mine works here. Maybe he’s on the lot today.”
    His smile was indulgent, humoring even. “Who’s your friend?”
    “Rob Huggins.”
    The smile gave way to a quizzical expression. “How do you know Rob?”
    “We take classes at the same dojo,” I said, proud that my lie sounded so plausible. “Is he in today?”
    “No, but now that you mention it, I haven’t seen him in a couple of days. He works sporadically, though.”
    “Well, I thought I’d ask. Thanks for all your help.”
    “Of course. Nice to meet you, Rose.”
    So far, I hadn’t learned much from either Q&A session. So there was only one thing left to do.

Chapter 4

      
    The sun was sinking faster now, and the streetlights glowed in the dusk. Soon it would be dark. And you know what they say: nighttime is the right time for a break-in. And by they , I meant me.
    I climbed behind the wheel with my phone in hand and dialed Roxy. I knew she and Sugar had plans, but she might be free by now. And since Roxy was an expert at B&E—a long story that involved a difficult childhood—she was the perfect choice for this little excursion. But after five rings, the call rolled over to voicemail, and I hung up without leaving a message.
    As I started the car, my phone vibrated. It wasn’t my partner in crime calling me back, though. Instead, Axton Graystone’s mug lit up the screen. I’d taken his picture on St. Patrick’s Day, which explained the plastic shamrock hat. The crossed eyes and goofy grin were the result of too many green beers.
    “Hey, Axman.”
    “I need your help. Fashion-wise. Like, pronto.”
    “Okay, but if I scratch your back, you have to help me break into a guy’s condo.”
    “For fun or profit?” he asked.
    “A little of both.”
    “Excellent. Did Hardass finally come to his senses and give you a case?”
    “No. Not exactly. I’ve broken ranks, and I’m out on my own.”
    “Good for you. Sometimes, Rosie, you got to buck the system.” This from a man who’d been toking up since he was fifteen and could navigate the Deep Web like a professional hacker. He’d been bucking the system for years.
    “See you in a few.” I hung up and drove a few miles to Axton’s tiny two-bedroom house. Ax and I had both started life with a silver spoon, but traded down for plastic. Although we hadn’t been childhood friends, we’d been classmates from the jump. When I ran into Ax after leaving my parents’ nest, we sort of found each other and have been friends ever since.
    Ax shared his house with Joe Fletcher. We referred to him as Stoner Joe for reasons that should be obvious to even the most casual observer: consistently glassy eyes, a wheezy laugh, and the purple tuque he never took off.
    I parked in the driveway, jogged up to the front door, and knocked. Joe answered. For a guy with a constant case of the munchies, he remained a stick figure. Today, he’d tried his hand at a new hairstyle—braids. Two greasy plaits hanging on either side of his face mirrored the braids forking his beard. It was a look. Not a good one, but A for effort.
    “Rosalita Margarita. You keeping it cubed, man?” I had no idea what the hell he was talking about, but when he held up his hand for a high five, I slapped his palm.
    “Totally. You?”
    “Ah, you know me.” He stood there, nodding.
    I stood there, staring at him.
    “Can I come in, Joe?”
    His eyes widened. “Yeah. Sorry.” Then he turned and walked toward the living room.
    I stepped inside and shut the door with my back. The house smelled like it always did—skunk weed and boy funk—which was why I avoided coming over. Well, that and the unfortunate bathroom situation. Hygiene was not always a big priority for these two.
    I walked down the short hallway to