Read The Chase for Free Online Page B

to be a con of some kind, not a straight break-in. We’re not going to confront these guys in battle.”
    “You will if the con goes wrong,” Jake said. “And you will lose. I suggest you consider a combat option.”
    “Like what?”
    Jake got a couple bottles of beer out of his fridge and gave one to Kate. “Like me.”
    At ten the next morning, Kate pulled into Nick’s Malibu driveway just as a Bentley convertible was leaving. The Bentley’s driver was a bald Hispanic man with tattoos on his arms and neck. He was accompanied by a beautiful dark-haired, dark-skinned woman.
    Kate parked and met Nick at the front door.
    “Looks like you had visitors,” Kate said. “Are you serving brunch?”
    “That was Enrique Montoya, the new owner of this house.”
    “You sold it?”
    “It sold itself. It’s spacious, secluded, and the views are spectacular. It was a steal at fifteen million.”
    “You’re damn right it’s a steal. It isn’t your house to sell.”
    Nick gestured to a bulging gym bag on the floor in the entry hall. “He even left a two-million-dollar cash deposit, which will more than cover the incidental expenses of our heist. How great is that?”
    “You aren’t listening to me. We can’t keep that money.”
    “Sure we can,” Nick said.
    Kate was about to argue the absurdity of his proposal when something else crossed her mind. “Wait a minute. That guy just handed you two million in cash in a gym bag?”
    “I know what you’re thinking. How inconsiderate was that? Who wants to lug that much cash around over their shoulder? It weighs a ton. One of those suitcases with wheels would have mademore sense and been a lot more thoughtful.” Nick led her into the kitchen, where there was a fresh pot of coffee and a platter of pastries on the counter. He held the platter out to her. “Bear claw?”
    She took one. “He’s a drug dealer, isn’t he?”
    “He’s bigger than that,” Nick said, picking out a cinnamon roll for himself. “He’s the point man for the Vibora cartel’s entire Southern California drug distribution network. He’s looking to launder some of his profits in real estate. This is going to be an all-cash deal. The balance is coming on Friday.”
    “When you’ll already be long gone with his money.”
    “That’s the plan.”
    “The Viboras are bloodthirsty, homicidal maniacs. They’ve been known to cut off a man’s arm and beat him to death with it. Aren’t you worried about the Viboras hunting you down?”
    Nick waved off her concern. “I’m already on the run from all sorts of mobsters and countless law enforcement agencies. What’s one more? Besides, I’ve got you protecting me.”
    “We’re about to take on Carter Grove and BlackRhino. The last thing we need is a Mexican drug cartel chasing us.”
    “They won’t be. When Montoya comes back on Friday, one of my associates at the real estate company can be here to handle the sale.”
    “Who?”
    “I don’t know. You tell me. It’ll be whichever FBI agent wants to accept Montoya’s thirteen million dollars in drug money. You could either nail Montoya on the spot for immediate gratification, or you could bug the place, let him live here for a while, and use all the juicy intel you’ll get to bring down the Viboras’ operation.”
    Jessup would like that. A fringe benefit of their secret op. “And what about the two-million-dollar deposit?”
    “Consider it a donation to our operating capital.”
    Jessup would like that, too. She had to admire Nick’s initiative. There was a reason he’d been such a successful con man right up until the moment she’d caught him.
    “I don’t want to ruin the moment for you,” Kate said, flicking bear claw crumbs from her shirt, “but have you given any thought to our rooster dilemma?”
    “I have it all figured out. I was inspired by Montoya when he showed up for the open house.”
    “So you know how we’re going to break into Carter Grove’s fortress?”
    “We