Read Gina Cresse - Devonie Lace 01 - A Deadly Change of Course--Plan B for Free Online

hundred dollars.  He swore it was worth twice that much, but he was such a great wheeler-dealer, he talked the shop owner down to his price. 
    Jason had introduced me to Joe.  He cringed at some of my horror stories.  The actions of his low-life peers appalled him.  Joe was always honest with me.  Sometimes he’d let me sell things on consignment.  He had gotten me some very good prices for many of the items I’d picked up.  He knew a lot of people— people who dealt in all sorts of things.  I knew if he couldn’t tell me anything about the gun, he would know someone who could.
    “Hey, Joe.   How’s business?” I asked as I stepped into his shop.
    “ Devonie .   Good to see you,” he said as he gave me a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.  “Business is good.  In fact, I just sold that ruby and diamond ring you brought in here last month.  I have a check for you in my office.”
    “Great.  How’s Sarah doing?” I asked.
    “She’s fine.  She’s on some new health-craze kick now.  Gonna sell vitamins and minerals or something.  All I know is, it’s gonna cost me a fortune to get her started.  I’m gonna have to expand my business just to support hers.”
    “Vitamins and minerals?   Why don’t you have her send me a brochure.   I’ll be her first customer.”
    “Sure thing, Dev.   What’s in the case?” Joe asked, pointing to my very nice brief case, strapped with six feet of duct tape.
    “It’s something I picked up at that self-storage auction yesterday.  It kind of threw me for a loop.  Do you know anything about guns?”
    “Guns?   I know a little.  I know I can’t sell them.  I don’t have a license.”
    “I’m not interested in selling it, at least not yet.  I just want to find out more about this particular one,” I said as I peeled off the duct tape.
    A customer came in the door to look around. I quickly taped the case closed again .  “Can I show this to you in your office?” I asked, uneasy about letting any strangers know what I had.
    “Sure.  I’ll get Margo to watch the counter.  Go on back.  I’ll be right there.”
    I held the case under my arm and made my way back to Joe’s office.  I sat the case on his desk and peeled the tape off again.  After a few minutes, Joe came through the door. 
    “Let’s take a look at what you’ve got here,” he said as I lifted the lid.  Joe’s eyes widened and he took a full step back.  “Oh my.   You weren’t kidding.  That’s some gun.”
    “Can you tell me anything about it?”
    Joe picked up the weapon and checked to be sure it wasn’t loaded.  “You know, this looks like a serious set up here — I mean with the scope and the silencer and all.  I have a friend who knows everything there is to know about this sort of thing.  I could call and ask him to come take a look.  Would that be okay?”
    “Do you know him very well?  I’d like to keep this as quiet as I can.  I’m a little nervous about having it.”
    “You can trust Tony.  He and I go way back.  We were in the war together — he saved my skin more than once.”
    “Okay.  Let’s give him a call.  I’m really curious about this thing.” 
     
    Tony Marino — a tall, slender man with salt and pepper hair and a meticulously groomed mustache— arrived shortly after Joe called him.  He wore a very expensive Italian suit and the sharpest shoes I’d ever seen, at least on a man.  I admired his taste in clothes.
    “How ya doing, Tony?” Joe said as he held out a hand to his friend.
    “What’s this handshake business?” Tony asked as he wrapped his arms around Joe and hugged him.  “I’m just dandy — you old codger.  When are you and Sarah going to invite me over for dinner?  It’s been too long since we’ve gotten together and told all those exaggerated war stories.”  Tony grinned at me.  “Every time we tell them, they get more exciting and death-defying.”
    “How about Saturday night?   I’m