probably saw every disreputable type come in there, so why not? What better way to

as more right

the regulars. The customers cut a broad swath: truckers, lots of blue collar workers, and a h

e a damn about tips; I was there to e

en wide when

d I was half-dead from staking out

e most incredibly attractive

s, clean-cut face with incredible cheekbones, six foot one, body like

s cold exterior made him off

aaaa

llywoodian style. (Not Hollywood; Hollywoodian. It’s a thing, go look it up. And l

He had piercing blue eyes, dark brown hair, suntanned skin, broad shoulders, a muscular frame, and a face that could have

tly. The barest hint of swagger, but nothing ostentatious. The way a man would walk into a

the beginning of the shift, because they didn’t have a trace of oil or grime on them – yet. The 30-something dude was dressed in navy pants and a navy shirt, like he was management

re. His eyes crinkled in a friendly manner as he smiled, and he e

to seeing pretty boys all the time in LA. It took me a

rders. The blond Viking was still cold and aloof, but the brown-haired guy was courteous, if not exactly talkative. Once t

The leader (that’s how I thought of the older guy, and that’s how the younger guy treated him)

ckly turned away like I was back in 7th grade and the popular boy had caught m

t any Midnight Riders club members to spy on, and any oth

ho was currently irr

he drawled, “gimme

uman species. This particular Neanderthal was an overweight trucker with greasy hair and a nose redder than Rudolph’s, probably from rotgut whiskey. He smelle

fee pot off the burner. “My name’

ith his mouth open. “Where’s a g

life, he was inquiring where he coul

n’t know

me like something cold and slimy. “I’m

’d give a dog licking its

hat you see,” he said, some of his over

th this coffee pot, I wanted

filling his cup. I was about to move on whe

a good time,

Maga is a martial art invented for the Israeli army and Mossad (Israel’s equivalent of the CIA), and it was designed to be fast and lethal. T

t on the PI job – but

e able to overcome his gorilla-like grip. But when I put my arm against my body and used my upper torso as leverage, I was able to break against his fingers – w

nd spun. Came out of his grasp like a newl

I said, and

ntly bruis

up on the other side of the counter. “Think you

d me the See You

douse him with 150 degre

nidas was al

as soon as I turned around, he

is presence was overpowering. Like the Grim Re

riend. Time t

that

powerful. Autho

ice of

as

mpt. He was a good hundred pounds heavier, if an inch

an, silent. A pin drop would have

the blond mechanic

and without looking

gh he focused on the trucker like a Secret Service agen

loud. My voice was calm, though adre

idn’t take his eyes off the trucker. “But nobo

nk anybody’s ever called me a lady unless they were twelve years

– was like, Don’t call me ‘lady

half was l

trucker. Without looking, he pulled a fat wad of bills wrapped in a rubber ba

as ice. “You’re all pai

cker spat. “I’ll leave wh

king said, and put one h

did

ared his arm b

y and punched the trucker

ay his eyes bugged out, it seemed like h

n’t the end

easy hair, spun him around, and SLAMMED his hea

BAM

cap came off in

oor. As a final send-off, Leonidas kicked the trucker right in the ass and sent him sprawling onto the

around and headed inside to raucous applause from

oval but tacitly letting them know Show’s over. Everybody t

napkins out of the dispenser, and wiped his hands l

coolly. “But I cou

t the corner of his eyes – the slight smirk i

idn’t make m

ve,” he said, not mock

iding his two twenties tow

ily, and turned to the door. By now th

ch,” I calle

ssholes,” he said, throwing me o

a

skipped

his right-hand

e trucker scrabbled away from them across

aaaay more turned on

id at my elbow. “When life goes handin’

. “What the hell

ps up like a white knight, don’t

’s Jack Polla

shook her head as she walk

and looked back at Vera.

who just stepped up fo

S

her voice. “So he’s probably the

ot and one-story building filled with mechanic’s bays. All around the parking lot was a chain-lin

coffed. “That g

at guy’s the head of the Midnight Riders motor

y s

ck

ping hand – had put me in exactly

as figure out how to