Heathens & Hold Ups (Book 2 of the Heathens Duet)

Chapter 29- Callie

"She will be," Nicole responds back confidently.

The rest of the day passes easily enough with Nicole backing me up silently with just a look. It made the waffling thoughts about confiding in her that much easier. While I might not be able to tell my best friend everything, I don't have to for her to give advice. Nicole isn't dumb and can read the situation just as much by what isn't said. That skill is what I'm counting on. I'm completely out of my depth with these guys and this is her area of expertise. Mine starts and ends with Colt and I really don't want to let him color all of my interactions with the opposite sex.

I'm counting down the minutes as the clock gets closer to five when a woman rushes in. Something about her makes me blink through the customer service haze and actually pay attention though I can't quite put my finger on it. She looks the same as most of our customers. She's probably late twenties to early thirties. Average height, roughly shoulder length brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, mud and muck crusted work boots, well-worn jeans, and a cotton t-shirt with some ranch's brand on it. Her head darts around like she's looking for something before her eyes zero in on me and she starts marching forward like a woman on a mission.

"Callie Danvers?" Her voice demands no bullshit, but I don't know this woman from Adam. Despite the nametag with my first name on it, I don't confirm a thing. I haven't had to deal with too many crazies, just a few reporters who wanted to run a story after my abduction last year. Given the high profile of Friday's incident, I expected to have to deal with the same kind of circus again. I planned to just pass them Mr. Hughes' way with the excuse that it was all above my pay grade anyway. Under the radar is where I want to stay and where my guys need me to remain.

Nicole pushes me aside and steps up to my window with the fiercest smile I've seen from her. "How can I help you?"

The woman's face dips to Nicole's name tag and she blows out a breath between her teeth. "Look, I promise I'm not here to start trouble. I'm just looking for Calista Danvers. I saw the paper and I know she works here. I just need to ask her a few questions."

"If it's about banking, I'd be glad to help you out. Anything else and I'll have to ask security to escort you out," Nicole tells her easily. Her icy smile never leaves her face while she defends me.

"Look," she starts but cuts off when Nicole continues staring her down. She grabs one of the deposit slips and starts writing. "My name and my number. I just want to talk to her about some mutual friends," she says while looking pointedly at me. Her green eyes are striking and unflinching.

Nicole raises her head and opens her mouth to do just that, but the woman gets the hint and heads for the door, shaking her head even as an amused smile tilts up the corner of her mouth.

If I squint and tilt my head, I think I see it. "This have anything to do with why you wanted a box?" Nicole asks smugly, waving the deposit slip in front of her. "Because I was thinking reporter and now I'm thinking it's a man," she teases.

I don't blame her. With the not so subtle hints she was dropping and the way she stormed in here like a bat out of hell, I'd probably form the same conclusion Nicole's likely got swimming around her head. Pretty sure she's wrong though. At least I hope so.

"Give me that," I say snatching the paper out of her hand as she giggles at me.

"Never a dull day, huh," Nate chimes in.

"It'd sure be nice if there was. I like it when the busiest day we have is tax refund checks coming in. That's a level of crazy I can deal with," I tell him. "It's not normally like this," I promise.

"Steady hours and it pays above minimum wage. I can deal with this level of crazy, just don't want to be dealing with cop interviews every week. Even when you haven't done something wrong, it tends to make me nervous. Like I'm being called into the principal's office or something. Probably just me feeling guilty for going five over on the way in on Friday, but I don't want to make it a regular thing. It's not is it," he asks Nicole.

"It really isn't. The gas station on First sees the cops more than we do. You just got lucky. Besides, it was probably a system error and it's being blown out of proportion. Rich people like the Hamiltons probably have a ton of different accounts and I doubt he manages it himself. Someone probably got fired over it, but because of the name on the side of the building everyone's freaking out. They just want to make sure they're not the ones looking stupid at the end of the day."

"Yeah, I get it. I think I was just a bit panicked since that stuff usually only happens on tv. Sorry for being weird today Callie. Glad to have you back," he nods his head awkwardly at me before turning back to his computer.

"Somebody's got a crush," Nicole whispers while elbowing me in the side, her eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

"I hate you," I roll my eyes at her.

"Nope. You love me. I'll remind you later when I show up with some General Tso's," she sticks her tongue out at me like the brat she is.

I roll my eyes as I get the chance to look over the deposit slip the woman left.

Katelyn Walker.

The bullish attitude, brown hair, and green eyes all make sense. She looks just like her brother.