Chapter 6
LOCKE
The air inside the Treasure Trove Pawn Shop is thick with stale cigar smoke. Sebastian slouches against a glass countertop, letting me take the lead while he idly scans a case of overpriced vintage cameras. He’s just here for the show.
I brace my hands on the counter before me. “I’ll make this easy for you…” I trail off, giving him an opportunity to introduce himself.
“Milo,” he reluctantly mutters, lifting his chin and exhaling a puff of smoke into the air. “And what are you yappin’ about?”
I pull out my phone and place it gently on the counter. When Milo glances down, it’s me staring up at him, smiling and holding a glass of whiskey. I zoom in on my wrist, giving him a clear view of what I came here for.
“You’ve seen this watch today, correct?”
Milo’s poker face is shit.
His eyes flicker, just for a second, but I see it.
“Can’t say I have,” he mutters, his eyes shifting as he takes another long drag of his cigar.
Sebastian lets out a quiet chuckle. “That’s weird. Because every other shop we visited said you’re the only guy in town with the balls to even look at something that pricey.”
Milo shifts on his feet, setting his half-smoked cigar in a nearby ashtray.
“Look,” he sighs, lacing his fingers together. “Let’s say, hypothetically, someone did walk in here with a watch like that. That would be a very hot item. The kind of thing you don’t just flip overnight.”
“Exactly.” I shoot back. “Which means you still have it.”
He stiffens instantly. “I don’t —”
I raise my hand, cutting him off. “Don’t lie to me, Milo. It’s insulting.”
He stares at me for a moment, narrowing his eyes. I don’t move. I don’t blink.
Milo sighs, letting his shoulders sag. “Fine.” He reaches into his coat and sets the watch carefully on the counter. “Here it is.”
I pick up my watch, turning it over in my hand and holding it up to the light. Just how I remember it. “I’ll give you twenty grand for it.”
“That’s it?” Milo bellows, throwing his hands up in disbelief. “That’s not even enough to cover my cut!”
Sebastian raises his eyebrows and steps toward the counter. “It’s cute that you thought you’d get one. Better luck next time.”
Milo taps his fingers against the counter, his mouth pressed into a tight line. “Why even pay? Just take it.”
I lean forward slightly, lowering my voice to a near whisper. “Because you’re going to call her. Now. Unless you want her thinking you pocketed more than your share.”
The color instantly drains from his face.
Sebastian lets out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head as he moves again, joining me at the counter’s edge. “What’s wrong? Suddenly have morals?”
Milo shifts again, like he’s weighing his options. Protect the thief or risk facing whatever consequences we decide to hand out if he doesn’t do what we say.
“Look,” he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “She’s gonna be pissed. If you bump it up to thirty grand, it might go over a little better.”
Seb barks out a laugh. “She’s lucky she’s getting twenty. Have her here in the next fifteen minutes or it goes down to ten.”
Milo exhales sharply. “Okay. I’ll call her. Just don’t turn this place into a crime scene.”
He grabs the shop’s phone and turns his back on us to dial.
I slip between two shelves stacked with dusty stereo equipment, keeping a clear line of sight to the front door. Sebastian drifts toward the other side of the store, plopping a ridiculous cowboy hat onto his head as he makes his way to a crate of old vinyl records.
The shop is silent, aside from the hum of the cheap fluorescent lights overhead and Milo’s uneven breathing. He keeps glancing toward the back storage room like he’s considering hiding in there until this is over.
Sebastian breaks the silence first. “Relax,” he says coolly, still flipping through records. “We’re not here for you.”
“That’s what worries me,” Milo grumbles.
Time drags on. A minute. Three. Five. Ten.
When the bell over the door finally jingles, Milo startles, the ashtray rattling against the counter.
She bursts through the door like she owns the place. Confident, quick, absolutely no hesitation. Her pitch-black waves hang loose around her shoulders, with sunglasses pushed up on her head.
She glances around, her eyes snagging on Seb, who keeps his back to her. She doesn’t seem to notice me behind the shelves.
When she spots Milo at the counter, her expression sharpens.
“There better be a great reason for you calling me back here so soon,” she snaps.
Milo clears his throat, then mutters, “Watch sold.” He hands over the envelope of cash I just gave him.
“I thought you said it would take a while,” she says, suspicion creeping into her voice.
“Yeah, well… things changed.” He nudges the envelope toward her like it’s a bomb ready to explode.
She picks it up, flips it open with one hand, and counts. She’s quick, efficient; I can tell this isn’t her first rodeo.
“What the fuck is this?” She spits. “I know that watch sold for more than this. Don’t fucking play me, cabrón.”
Her eyes never leave him as she moves behind the counter, jabbing the envelope into his chest. “?Tú crees que soy estúpida? You think I don’t know what that thing is worth? I work too hard to get ripped off!”
Milo holds up his hands slowly, expression calm, voice steady. “Easy, sweetheart. Trust me, that’s all I’ve got.”
She snorts in disbelief, stepping closer. “Don’t make me laugh.” She turns away from him and mutters, “Pinche pendejo!” mostly to herself.
From behind the shelves, I can’t help the grin tugging at my lips. Oh, she’s a firecracker. She’s hot when she’s mad, too. Somehow, it’s even hotter that she doesn’t know I’m watching. My eyes linger, dragging up and down her body as she peppers Milo with more Spanish insults.
She walks back around the counter, heading toward the door as she shoves the envelope in the back pocket of her skin-tight jeans.
Milo doesn’t make much of an attempt to defend himself. Maybe he’s feeling guilty.
But just as she reaches the door, he calls out, “I swear I didn’t take a cut. That’s all I got for it.” He waits for her to glance back at him, eyes narrowed, before adding, “Just take care of yourself.”
Then, she walks out the door.
I send Seb a quick text before following behind her.
Me
I’ll take it from here. Grab a car and wait for my call.
Seb
Better watch your back. She’s vicious.