The Lost: Book Two, The Eddie McCloskey Series (The Unearthed 2) by Evan Ronan Read Free Book Online

expenses. That covers the first week. Additional time is billable at five hundred a day.”
    Eddie enjoyed watching Kindler as the man’s eyes went heart-attack wide. Miffed, Kindler reached into the pocket of his track suit and removed a gangster wad of bills and peeled off ten Franklins.
    “Here’s a retainer. I’ll get you the rest in three days, after you’ve got something to report. You’ll have to take care of your team with that also.”
    Team? “It’s me investigating and Ana interning. There’s no team.”
    “How about her boyfriend and Tony?”
    “It’d be better to pay them to stay out of my way. If that doesn’t sit with you, here’s the money back.”
    It pained Eddie to hand the cash back. One grand was a ridiculous amount for this job. Eddie had never expected to get it.
    Kindler gave Eddie the hard stare, then suddenly bleated like a sheep. Literally. Bleated like a sheep.
    Eddie waited for him to actually say something but he didn’t.
    They eyeballed each other for awhile.
    There was no way Eddie was taking on three amateurs. It’d be difficult enough trying to do this job while training Ana on the spot.
    Kindler still hadn’t taken the cash. He just looked down at it and back up at Eddie. Then he said, “I’m on a drug. You know what it’s called?”
    “I’m guessing it’s a little stronger than cough syrup.”
    The corner of Kindler’s mouth smiled. “It’s called Marty Kindler.”
    “This is my investigation.”
    “ Bah-ah-ah-ah-ah .”
    Eddie just held Kindler’s weird stare until finally Kindler nudged the money back toward Eddie.
    “Like I said last night, I like you Eddie. You don’t back up like most of the sheep in this town. We’re going to get along just fine.”
    “Yeah,” Eddie said. “As long as we do things my way.”
    Kindler clapped Eddie on the shoulder. “Sure, Eddie, sure. Listen, why don’t you start at my house tonight. Ms. Anders and Lori won’t be around.”
    “I’ll let you know.” Eddie steered Kindler toward the front door. Eddie was just doing what Tim would have done. He never let the client dictate the plan of action.
    As he approached the electronic doors, Ana’s VW pulled into the lot. She waved at them through the windshield after she parked.
    “That one’s got some fire in her.” Kindler licked his lips. “I wouldn’t mind slipping—”
    “I’ll let you know where I’m starting tonight,” Eddie said, wanting to throw Kindler off the store’s porch for eye-fucking Ana.
    Kindler winked at him and bounded to Ana’s car and got her door for her. She let him help her out of the car.
    Kindler said, “My dear, if you ever want to live at Mach-3, you let me know.”
    Ana giggled but she looked like she wanted to throw up.

Sixteen
     
    “So , Kindler has a wife and kid?” Eddie asked.
    He was making sure all the labels on the canned goods faced out. He’d already stocked, cleaned shelves, and did the ever popular dumpster-diving. He’d done the same kind of work years earlier in high school. It beat shoveling shit.
    By a paper-thin margin.
    Ana gave him a sideways look. “Not that I know of.”
    She was dressed by committee again: billowing sundress, black stretch pants, and non-matching Eisenhower jacket. She gushed incongruity.
    Eddie slid a can of tomato paste out and spun the label. “Wife and a sister?”
    Ana chuckled. “You actually think Kindler’s married?”
    “Alright, so who are Ms. Anders and Lori?”
    “His girlfriends.”
    Eddie almost hurt his neck his head snapped around so quickly. “Come again?”
    “Yeah. The three of them live together.”
    “Must be cozy. But how does it work?”
    “Lori is my fifth or sixth cousin, I can’t remember. She’s weird.”
    Eddie left that alone. “So here’s the plan. This afternoon I want to watch what you recorded at the lake, then I want to go to Colin’s. We need to set up the feeds.”
    “Only one camera,” Ana said.
    “We need more than one.”
    “And