GRACE
_________________
" Which club?" James asks, this time I made a regretful mistake by looking up at him too quickly on his question, I shake my head slightly and hand him the card back the second he walks closer to me, I sigh and take a few step away from him.
" I don't know, but my brother say it's one of the underground, access-only club near SoHo," Wanda says, finally turning around from her laptop, " And he also mentioned there are at least three of them around with that same looking metal card access," She continue with a nod," Yeah? How did your brother know?" James's eyes narrow as he cock a look from Wanda to my direction, I look away from him and chuckle bitterly," Her brother happened to have access to one of them," I say without any intention on saying another word as I lean my back against the bookshelf. " Which is why I've been asking him to find out if he could get us access to the other two," Wanda says more to me than to James.
" Send me the video," James says more at Wanda, she nods and within seconds his phone dings, " Do you happen to keep any pictures for the ring?" Wanda says looking up over James, asking him the question so casually like they knew each for more than ten minutes, jawline twitch in one of his cheek when I look over him, " Yeah, why?" He says under his breath, " I've been tapping into some underground broker for Grace's necklace, chances are whoever stole your ring might also put it into the black market," Wanda continue, I shot a look over her by the time she mentioned my necklace right before James's phone ring for the second time, taking all eyes on him.
" Look if you need to go, just go," I say flatly as soon as he declined whoever has been calling him," Just leave this one out to me," I pause, crossing my hands over my chest," Besides it's not like we're gonna get any more lead here until we got access to those clubs," I continue as I walk away to grab another drink on my corner bar, I can feel James's eyes following behind me before I lean my shoulder against the wall with a glass of white wine in one hand.
" Well, it's obvious you don't seem to trust Grace by the slightest but trust me when I say that she's right," Wanda says as she getting up from her chair right before she circle the round table.
" Here, send me pictures for the ring, I'll look it up and let you know if anything comes up," She wave her phone toward where James's been standing not far from her, he looks at me for a moment, probably thinking over what to do, I smirk to my amusement,
" I guess you just have to trust me on this one," I say grinning, enjoying the fact that he seems most likely have no other choice but asking for my help for leads, and as much as I hate every part of his presence, I really been trying to use every little win as a reminder of the big time commission I would be making him pay.
James eyes darken before he nods once with a tight expression, but at least it appears that he accept the situation now. " Fine, but one of you better call me once something comes up," He pause before he look up, considers me for a moment," Pretty sure you already have my number or hacked your way into my computer," He says coolly but there's a slight of grin affixed on his face.
" Oh I haven't done that yet," I shakes my head slightly as I laugh," I'd be taking my payment off your account by now if I did," I continue before I take a sip of my wine to hide my grin behind it.
James regards me silently as he walk closer to Wanda and take the phone off Wanda's hand, not until he open the dark brown leather case that I realized that he is holding my phone.
He looks down at the screen for a moment, I can easily tell he's reading the book quote I had for my lock screen from where I'm still sticking my feet on the ground. " The lovers aligned with the stars, stained by the burgundy of the maroon sky," marked with a red underline.
There's a flicker of light in his eyes right before he sigh out a subtle of breath and continue taking his phone out with another hand, my phone ding with the file he just send me right before he look up.
" Let me know if something up," James says as he handed my phone back to Wanda, and when I thought he was going to leave, he turn around at me, his face remain unreadable as he drags in a long, slow breath.
" You shouldn't stay here, it's not safe," James pauses and I chuckle as I look away, " I didn't realize my safety is in your concern," I say lazily as I look down to my feet," I'm more concern about my name if anything happened to you since I'm the last person your colleagues saw who you were last seen with tonight." He snarl before I turn to face him.
" Just say I've seen enough clients reports, most break in could hit the same place twice, more chances when you didn't report it to the police so you better out off here for awhile." James says more demanding, " Noted," I say as I roll my eyes away from him.
" And send me the bill for the damage from last night," He continues, taking me by surprise and against my better judgment I turn around, facing him with the look in his eyes completely captivates me." Deals are deal, take it as down payment for the video and that on going search into those websites you mentioned about," James says looking from my direction to Wanda as he reaches for his coat right before his phone buzzes again in his pocket.
" Will gladly to send it your way," I say with a grin on my face, James nods before he walks to the door and I can hear his footsteps fade as he rushes down the stairwell.
" Now what was that," Wanda's voice fills around my quiet room as she walks to stand next to me, I glance over her for a second before I walk away. " Yeah right," Wanda chuckles when I turn around to look at her, " What?" I sigh a rush of breath," How many years have I known you, and I still can't figure out what goes on inside your head," She crosses her arm over her chest as she stares at me, " What's that supposed to mean," I chuckle as I sink myself to the emerald velvet couch in my living room.
" I don't know Grace you tell me, because you seems different," Wanda laughs as she continue walking toward my kitchen," Well, we just got a big money client," I say, laying my back on the couch as I look up to the ceiling.
" Right, that's the one thing that made you cave in on him." She says with a laugh as she walks back to my mini bar with an empty glass in her hand, " What? No, I'm not," I say in defense, immediately roll to my side looking over her, " Yes you did," Wanda chuckles shortly,
" I mean seriously, this morning you seems really pissed off about him being the pain in your ass next thing I know you brought him here and somehow you two had a deal? which by the way I get it he seems irresistible," She shrug a shoulder right before I groan and I turn around on the couch, bury my face with one of the cushions.
" You know, you could've kicked him off the door after we showed him that video but instead you offered him to, " just leave this one out to me," and told him to trust you on it," Wanda grins playfully, lifting the cushions off from on top of my face as she leans forward from the back of my couch," Not to mention you're okay with him paying for the damage from last night," She says in whisper as she continue grinning.
" He basically begging for my help at Clover, so might as well get paid by helping him in case Gary fired me," I say, looking up at the ceiling, anywhere but Wanda's green eyes and grinning face staring down at me. " You and I both know that's not the case," Wanda chuckles, " Bottom line is you cave in on him," She says again with a face, I groan as I sit up," Fine," I nod with a rush of breath.
" Tell you the truth I was suspecting his fiancé to be involved with the break in," I say looking over her as I take the half empty gin and tonic glass off her hand," What?" She asks shortly," Well I thought she could have hired some professionals to broke into my place and turned the place around looking for that damn ring." I pause as I finish off the gin,
" Honestly out of all people, his fiancé is the first person I can come up with who definitely knew about the missing ring." I nod as I return her now empty glass.
" At least that was what I thought until this afternoon, because my visit to that hospital just seems to clarify I could be wrong to think it was her," I let out a rush of breath as I look away from Wanda as I shift off the couch to take my phone off the round table." This whole thing would be easier if his fiancé is a horrible one, but she's so nice." I mutter under my breath as I say it like it's the hardest thing I have to admit.
" But again I keep getting this nagging feeling that whoever stole my jewelry box they must have known he lost that diamond, which is why when he begged for us to work together looking for the box I said yes." I shrug a shoulder as I lean by the of the round table, crossing my hands over my chest." You don't have to say it, I know I'm a terrible person." I continue before Wanda chuckles and walk closer.
" So from what I'm seeing, helping him would just made it easier for me to find out more about whoever stole my necklace," I look over Wanda as I say it, " Trust me just because he and I made a deal doesn't mean I'm gonna help him to actually get it back," I scoff," He asked for leads, and that's all he would get." I say pulling the corner of my lips.
" Yeah, right," Wanda nods, " but did you really need to went for that heart check up?" Wanda asks as she stands next to me," You got me worried there," She says as I look away," Oh, I'm fine," I let out a halfhearted chuckle as I glance to her," it was the only way to get closer to her," I continue with the truth part as I unlock my phone.
" What you've got?" Wanda asks, I tilt my phone slightly for her to see it herself, she chuckles," At least it's not a picture of his fiancé wearing it,"
She says before I tap the side of her shoulder,
" Ouch! okay I'm sorry, send it to me," Wanda chuckles as she walks away, " You know, there's a reason why I gave him your phone," Wanda says as she start gathering her things to her bag.
" I didn't know where I should stand before but hey I was right to hide my phone from James," Wanda chuckles as she take her phone out of her pocket, I give her a look when she says his name, she grins before she hold up her phone in front of me. " Pietro texted me two invitation to the clubs, he does still working for the other one, but at least we do have two access now," She says with a big smile on her face," We're going to check them out tomorrow night," Wanda nods," Why not tonight? the sooner we check the club the faster I'm finding my necklace," I say as I take her phone,
" The invitation strictly tight its date, besides I've got something else to do tonight," She shrug for a second before she take her phone off me, " You're not staying over?" I ask," Vis's flight land in an hour so I better get going," Wanda says lightly.
" You gonna be okay?" She asks, turning back to me as she clutching her bag on one shoulder, " Why wouldn't I be? " I chuckle before Wanda shakes her head slightly, " No, seriously though, you'd be okay here? I'm not trying to side with James but he's right, what if they come back?" Wanda says with a more concerning tones in her voice, I sigh, " I'll manage, don't worry," I say with a nod," Besides I have that knife your brother gave me from two season ago tucked next to my bed, I'll be alright," I continue as I walk her to the door.
" Oh by the way, someone's left a takeout in your kitchen," Wanda says with a wink, " Catch you tomorrow," She continue as she walks out, I glance toward over my kitchen island and groan the second I notice the takeouts bag sitting on my kitchen counter, " So much for best apple tart," I mutter as I lock the door behind me.
________
JAMES
________________
" I guess you just have to trust me on this one,"
It's the way how Grace said it with her mischief, playful grin on her face that made think twice of leaving her place, not that it was much of a hard choice I made to trusted her with leads to find my ring, that part was easier now at least I know exactly where and how to find her, but again I would be lying if I say I didn't wished I could stay longer to find out more in case they might've hide something after I walked out, but between all the text and calls I've been getting tonight it's only best I call it off for the night, hoping Spector could enhance the video Grace's friend, Wanda have sent me before.
It's been an hour since then, and still no update from any of them, an hour and I just finally escaped the traffic between Manhattan and under Brooklyn rainy night, just few miles outside before the highway exits.
There's an old orange Chevrolet truck parked in front of my garage door when I start pulling my beamer, even under the heavy rain the color really feels out of place, why the hell there is an unfamiliar old truck parked on my driveway?
Thunders echos from the distance just before I cross the street, trying to shield my eyes with a hand as I lock the beamer behind me, right before I notice Sam's Rover parked just next to Sharon's car.
" There he is! Dude, where have you been? " Sam cheers, turning around from the stool chair by my home bar the second I step into the room, still partly wished I could just cancel on tonight's round I almost forgot about. But between Steve's wedding and his honeymoon trip this is the first time we all had a free schedule for a game night.
I give Sam a nod before he tap my half soaking shirt,
" You know how Brooklyn's traffic at this hour, Sam," I chuckle as I try to take off the shirt," Babe, you're home?" Sharon's voice fills the room as she walks down the stairs, her expression turns slightly the second she sees the pooling water under my feet," Sorry," I say under my breath when she walks closer," It's fine, stay here I'll grab some towel," Sharon says with a nod as she walks away,
" Oh by the way, anyone care to tell me who drives the orange truck outside? " I say, glancing between Sam, Joaquin and...
" Lang," I sigh with a nod as soon as he walks to the living room from the kitchen," Yeah that'd be me," Lang says raising a beer in his hands." Someone forget his car keys so he rented that old truck for the night," Sam laugh from his seat," Hey, you said you guys need an extra player tonight I'm here didn't I?" Lang says in defense as he walks to the empty seat by the couch.
I look away from Lang and let out a rush of breath when Sharon walks back with a clean towel, " Hey," I say in whisper when she wraps the fabric around my neck," You're in a good mood tonight," I say with a nod just loud enough for her to hear," I just finished a thirteen hours shift and I'm taking a day off tomorrow, so why shouldn't I be?" Sharon chuckles teasingly, brushing my wet hair with the towel,
" Besides our friends are here," She says in whispers before I pull her waist closer as I lean foward, just enough to make sure she's not touching my half soaking clothes.
For once Sharon let out a grin as she pull the towel, making me leaning closer to her, close enough for the warmth of her body slowly replacing the cold on me from the rain, " Get a room you two," Sam says from the living room before one of them turning the volume on the TV higher, Sharon and I chuckles in the same time before I lean closer and take the warmth on her lips.
" I'm sorry," I say after a good ten seconds, looking over her eyes it's obvious I'm not just sorry about the puddle around the marble floor." Don't worry about it," Sharon chuckles as she looks down to the floor.
" Come on, they've been waiting, you should take shower first and we can start this game night," Sharon pauses," Oh maybe you should clean up that floor first before you go," She says before she climb the stairs, I watch her stop halfway and turn around," I'll let the shower running," Sharon says with a grin before she run back upstairs, " Yes, ma'am," I say under my breath as I turn around, dropping the towel I used before to cleaned up the floor.
Not until I'm done with the floor that I realized I've been half grinning by myself, " Right, I'll go clean up first," I say as I walk to the living room, Joaquin gives a thumbs up but he stays focus on the TV while both Sam and Lang are talking.
Lang, shit- out of all people Lang definitely the last person I'm looking forward to see tonight, at least not after what I asked him to do earlier this morning.
" Hey can someone please call Steve," I say before I notice the footsteps approaching from the hallway leading from the back garden, " Maybe if you've picked up my calls you'd know I've been here for an hour ago, Buck," Steve chuckles as he walks into the room.