Poe Read Free

step forward, as if he were going to take advantage of the situation and run again.
    But Alex shouted, “Not another move!”
    Wright jerked in surprise and looked back. She was ten feet behind him, her inoperable Taser once more in her hand.
    “On the ground,” she said.
    He hesitated for a moment, then, with a sigh, lowered himself onto his knees.
    As Alex moved behind him and secured his wrists, she glanced at Deuce. “You all right?”
    He turned his chin toward her. “You think it’s gonna bruise?”
    She shrugged. “Maybe.”
    “Cool.”
    Deuce wasn’t like other people.
    But then neither was Alex.
    * * *
    Baltimore, Maryland
    T HE RIDE HOME was uneventful. By the time they got to the station, it was nearly nine p.m.
    Artie Cashman, aka Max Cash of Max Cash Bail Bond, was waiting in the lobby when Alex and Deuce escorted Wright inside.
    “Well, well, well,” he said. “The giant takes a fall. What did I tell you about trying something stupid?”
    Wright, not meeting his eyes, shrugged.
    “Come on, Charlie, what did I tell you?”
    Alex nudged her prisoner. “You’d better speak up.”
    The big man frowned, and mumbled, “That you’d always find me.”
    “That’s right.” Max beamed. “And guess what? I did.”
    Alex could have argued the point, since the only thing Max had provided was an address that turned out to be bogus, but in the grand scheme he was close enough. Charlie had gone rabbit and gotten his tail clipped. And Max was just lucky that Alex and Deuce had been available to do the clipping.
    “Let’s get you checked in,” Alex said.
    Max seemed to notice her for the first time. “I see he put up a fight, huh?”
    Alex glanced down at her muddied shirt and pants. “No, I always dress this way. Helps me blend in with the losers.”
    “I think it’s working,” Max said.
    He had already briefed the police before Alex and Deuce arrived, so the transfer of the prisoner went smooth as silk.
    Once Wright was off their hands, Max told them, “Come by the office tomorrow and I’ll write you a check.”
    Deuce chuckled, but Alex narrowed her eyes.
    “Don’t even try,” she said.
    Max spread his hands. “What? You can come first thing in the morning.” He looked at his watch. “That’s less than twelve hours from now.”
    “Max.”
    “Come on, Alex. You think I carry my checkbook everywhere I go?”
    “You know the rule.”
    It was simple: payment on delivery. No exceptions.
    He huffed as he pushed a hand into his pocket. “Fine, here.” He pulled out a check, and handed it to her. “Buy yourself a garden hose, spray off some of that crud.”
    She wasn’t surprised to see it was already filled out. Max was a notorious skinflint, and more times than not Alex had to play this little game with him.
    She nodded at Deuce, and they turned to leave.
    “Hey,” Max said, “I still want you to come by tomorrow. There’s a hearing in the morning and I have a feeling my guy isn’t gonna show. If that happens, I want to jump on it right—”
    “We’re busy tomorrow.” A lie, but Alex wasn’t in the mood to pick up Max’s trash twice in a row. “Come on, Deuce.”
    Deuce clapped Max on the back. “See ya, dude.”
    “I’m serious,” Max said as they walked away. “Tomorrow, okay?”
    Without looking back, she said, “Not gonna happen.”
    “Come on, Alex, is that any way to treat one of your best—”
    “Alexandra Poe?”
    She had reached the door and started to push it open, but that stopped her. She turned toward the voice.
    Smiling at her from a dozen feet away was a well-groomed man in a dark gray Armani suit. Mid to late thirties, possibly forty, but not much more, and in decent shape. She wouldn’t have called him attractive, but he was passable.
    A lawyer , she thought, or something along those lines.
    She smirked, then went outside, Deuce trailing behind. She was tired and just wanted to take a hot shower and crawl into bed.
    She heard the door open behind them