Partners Read Free Page A

bragging up a storm about how him and his friends are gonna
score big-time with some new shit they’re putting on the streets.”
    Her head felt like
it would blow apart from the inner noise. “Let me get this straight. This Ross
character is Rhondo’s friend? How did Debbie know about him?”
    “That’s easy. She
asked me. I told her.”
    “And you didn’t
think to tell me?” Anger hardened her voice.
    “Hell Lady, you
never asked!" Cocky at first, he tempered his tone with the truth.
“Anyway, I thought you two were partners?”
    “Yeah, I thought
so too. Okay, where can I find this Ross character?”
    “He’s in an
apartment over on Alexander, the one beside the Chinese restaurant. I heard him
say the food is great and he goes to sleep at night smelling chow mien and
flied lice. Thinks he’s funny.”
    “He’s a hoot!
Okay, scram and remember our deal.”
    The look said it
all. Luke was a snitch with morals.

Chapter Four
     
    “Ham, you busy?”
Aurora sat in the car around the corner from the Chinese restaurant, her phone
held to her ear.
    “Not if you need
me.”
    “I’ve just run
across a known peddler who’s been lippin off about some new shit on the
streets. Luke says he’s tight with Rhondo. Thought I’d bring him in, ask him a
few questions. You up for it?”
    “I’m your guy.
Give me an address and hold the fort. I’ll be there pronto.”
    She gave him what
he asked for and went back to the computer on her car dash that provided access
to information on Johnny Ross. He wasn’t a big player, but he did have a record
for misdemeanors a mile long. And he likely knew where she could catch up with
her main prey. If for no other reason than that, she wanted this guy. Real bad!
    Being that she
wore jeans and an ordinary black fitted jacket, she felt comfortable enough to
go into the Chinese joint and pass under the radar. She sauntered over and
stopped to look in the window. The image reflected back was of a slender woman
with dark hair, long, tousled and messy, and a face trained not to smile.
    With a quick
fluffing of her hair, and a fake grin, she sauntered inside and checked the
menu. She knew from reading the report that this Ross character liked to pierce
his body and had enough tattoos to belong in the freaking circus. Shouldn’t be
too hard to pick him out if he happened to be there. But he wasn’t.
    A younger Chinese
girl came to ask if she wanted a table and showed no signs of placing her for a
cop. So she went into the act she’d taught herself when she was young and being
nice kept her alive.
    “Hey, I wonder if
you could help me. I have a friend who lives next door, Johnny Ross. He was
supposed to meet me here tonight. Have you seen him? I’m a bit late.” She
smiled and made sure to look worried.
    “He not here.”
    “No, I can see
that. Was he here earlier?”
    “No, we delivered.
To his place...” A slight hesitation followed and then she continued.   “…apartment forty-three.” The slight twitch
of the left eye could have been a wink. In fact Aurora was sure of it. Casually
she thanked the girl, but this time she also smiled with her eyes.
    The hostess nodded
and turned to the people coming in behind her.
    The black sedan
that pulled up soon after she’d stepped outside had her breathing a sigh of
relief. She waited for Detective Hampton to park and join her. No way she
wanted to miss out on this guy Ross. The lead was the best she’d had in months.
But she knew she’d have gotten her chops busted if she’d gone in alone.
    Ham, mean and
burley, a cop who’d seen it all, came to stand beside her. He nodded when she
shared her information, and they moved forward together. She double-timed to
keep up with his long stride and hated feeling so small. Feeling inadequate
next to some of the bigger guys on her team pissed her off. Guess it’s why she
favored boots with heels, kept her back straight and walked tall. Still, her
head only came up to the shoulder of his