The wistfulness on his face gave Jace pause from replying with the flip answer he’d intended. “Maybe. But you sure you want a motorcycle? Your car suffices. Plus, with the weather down here in Florida, in the summer, you never have to worry about sudden rainstorms.”
For a mere few seconds, he saw contempt flicker in the other man’s gaze. But the sun was setting in his eyes, so Jace rubbed his face and then put on his sunglasses. Must be a trick of the light.
“Sure. You’re right.”
Oscar’s gaze traveled over Jace’s arms and one of the tats inked on his right bicep. “Rise? What does that mean? Like in flour? Or sunrise?”
Jace grinned. “It’s a reminder for me to rise above certain things.”
In truth, he’d gotten the ink shortly after he and Kara broke up. It served as a bittersweet reminder for him to get up each damn day and face the morning instead of wallowing in self-pity.
Kara had smashed his world when she’d left him. Hated to admit the truth, but though he’d told everyone it was mutual, he truly wanted to stick it out.
Work things out.
“Jace?” Oscar pushed up his glasses again. “Did you hear me? What kind of things?”
“Many things. Like rising above a situation, or a person. Especially in my job. Working with the public can be a bitch, but you can’t let it get to you.”
Oscar nodded, as if approving. “I get it. I go through the same stuff in my job.”
He nodded, his mind elsewhere. Few details with this guy or anyone else. Rule of undercover work—it was best to stick as close to the truth as possible.
“I’m thinking about getting one. They make you look bad.”
Jace nodded again. “Well, gotta get upstairs, lots of stuff to do before I go out tonight.”
Oscar brightened. “You have a favorite biker bar you hang out at? Maybe I can join you sometime for a beer.”
They would eat you up in a minute and spit you out in one sip of domestic beer. And then use their boots to kick out what was left. If anything was left.
“Maybe.”
“Great. Thanks, man, really appreciate it.”
With a wave, Jace dismissed his neighbor and raced up the steps to his second-floor apartment.
Even someone as innocuous as Oscar could prove dangerous if he learned too much. Best not to trust anyone.
Jace tossed his helmet and sunglasses on the worn sofa and closed his door. It had been a devil of a day, and he rolled his eyes at his own pun. Suddenly exhausted, he plopped onto the sofa and closed his eyes just for a minute.
He dreamed of Kara, her soft smile, her big blue eyes gazing at him with the love she once felt.
And then they clouded with terror as she gazed beyond him. Something yanked her away with extreme force.
Something dark, hidden in the fog suddenly swirling around them.
He saw her fading, her scream ringing in his ears as she vanished from his sight.
TGIF, but not for her. Today was already proving challenging.
On a bed of black velvet, the diamond necklace gleamed beneath the quartz light. Dylan Moore stared at the gems, his eyes huge in his thin face.
“Kara, what do you plan to do with it?”
Kara paused in checking off an item on her to-do list. So much going on at the Willow Wind Estate Sales that her head whirled. “I have a buyer from New York coming next week. He’s offering the right price.”
“What’s the right price?” Dylan frowned as he set down the box on the glass case. “How do you know?”
“You know from research and experience in this business.” She gestured to the box. “Off the glass, Dylan. You know the rules. Don’t set anything on the display case.”
“Sorry.” He set the box on the ground. “What’s the right price?”
“The diamond necklace is worth about two hundred thousand and he’s offering one hundred seventy-five. Cash.”
Dylan whistled. “That’s a lot of dollar bills. Why the discount?”
“It’s too risky for me to keep it here in the store. If I can sell the necklace sooner, I stand to turn a better profit.” Kara wiped her forehead after setting down the clipboard.
He glanced around the shop. “You’re installing the new security system day after tomorrow, right? Want me to come in early to help?”
Dread shot down her spine as she thought of how vulnerable the store might be, especially with the necklace. She’d purchased a portable safe with a sturdy lock, and planned to hide the safe, but the idea of having such expensive jewelry in her store troubled her.
Even more troubling was that her friend’s husband’s firm, SOS Security, couldn’t guard the diamonds for another three days. Jarrett Adler, owner of SOS, had apologized, but they were short-staffed at the moment.
“No, the men will be here at seven a.m. and you’re working hard enough. As a matter of fact, why don’t you come in later? The security system is going to take a few hours and there’s nothing for you to do until they’re finished.”
A shadow crossed his face. “Sure.”
