Operation London by Elle Hansen Read Free Book Online Page B

Joseph St. there’s some apartments that house only the lowest people. They’ve been spreading drugs and guns and disease. It’s time your people got on them,” Shelly huffed, primping her considerable coif with gaudily manicured fingernails. Finding the pen meshed inside she pulled it out and used it to point at Ava. “You need to find the thieves?  Those idiots didn’t even know what they were stealing, so I’m pretty sure they just carted it all back to those filthy apartments.”
    “Ms. Harte, I can’t tell you how helpful you’ve been . I can have these people behind bars in no time, but I’m going to need a list of the names every person who had a prescription stolen.”  Ava looked with her gray eyes fixed. Shelly could sense this was something that she should be wary about, but that only seemed to make her more certain that she should do it.
    “Sure. We keep everything in a drawer, all alphabetical . They stole the “D, E, F” drawer. I’ll write you up a list.”  She turned to the computer and picked up the ringing phone. “Sterling Optical, Shelly speaking.”  There was a pause as she typed away.
    “What?  Why not?  Well, tell her she wasn’t needed here anyway!  Trash!”  Throwing down the phone in a huff she turned to Ava with the printout . “That little idiot. More of that waste from those apartments. She up and quit on us. And I just taught her the filing system and the formatting in the computer. I should be reimbursed for my time!”
    “What was her name?” Ava asked . An employee leaving just after a store robbery?  It sounded suspicious.
    “Lucia Espino . If you meet up with her tell her to bring back her damned smock!  That’s Sterling property, and we’ll hold her last check til we get it back.”  Shelly crossed her arms over her chest and tapped on foot.
    “Ms. Harte, you’ve been incredibly helpful . Thank you for your work,” Ava said honestly. The woman had definitely helped her to grid out some serious leads. “If I meet Lucia, I’ll be sure to let her know about the smock.”
    The black Audi raced downtown, heading towards the apartments when Ava felt something in her stomach . It resembled a cramp, but it was so severe that it startled her into pulling over.
    “When did I eat last?” she asked herself out loud . Thinking back, she realized it had been hours since she had put any proper nourishment in her body. At her pace she could be dead by dinnertime. Cruising down the strip Ava watched the men in women in sharp, dark suits moving in and out of fancy eateries, gripping lattes and daintily nibbling on croissants. A steak and beer woman herself, she was about to give up and search another locale when she spotted a sign that made her stomp on the breaks.
    " Arbor," she said, smiling smugly. She did have to eat, so what was so wrong with eating and spying on an incredibly good looking man at the same time?  Pulling into a nearby space she yanked on the rearview mirror and applied an extra coat of red lipstick, checked her breath and ran her long tanned fingers through her hair before stepping out of the car and making her way into the eatery.
    At the door, she was met with the delicious aroma of roasted chicken and tomatoes . The walls were painted a dark green, the tables intimate and cozy. A small man with a moustache rushed in to greet her.
    "How many, madam?" he asked.
    "Just myself, thank you," she smiled.
    "That is a shame, a woman so beautiful eating alone," he said, shaking his head as he led her in.
    "It's alright with me," she grinned. "I have a big appetite, and I don't really like having a man distracting me from my food."
    He closed his eyes in excitement, mumbling a prayer under his breath . "A beauty who appreciates good food. You are an angel!" 
    Ava ordered a red wine from California and took a look at the menu . Her thoughts were focused on the delicious assortment of foods in front of her. The hand that settled on her arm shocked her