Page 2 of Wizard's Spitfire
“I will,” he says with a smile and a wink.
I bite back a retort. I need that ride and a hefty retainer.
“I’m on my way to Daisy Dukes for a breakfast meeting.”
“What a coincidence. So am I.”
“I don’t have a second helmet with me. Mine will be a little big, but let’s get you strapped in.”
“Let me grab my satchel and put the spare key out.”
Wizard
I’M TOOLING DOWN THEhighway on my way to Daisy Dukes to meet with Charlie Caruso. I have a thumb drive with everything I found so far on Lola Biaz. It’s plenty to get him started. I spot a vehicle in one of the empty parking lots. Not far off the road. A woman is outside. The way her head is hung. She must be having issues.
I pull in behind her, immediately stunned by her beauty when I get closer. Her long dark hair is pulled back into a braid. She’s a tiny thing. Around five feet.
Piercing blue eyes meet mine when I get closer. After she agrees to let me give her a ride, I watch her walk to her car whileI text Crab. He’s working in the garage today. Damn, she has a nice ass.
She fishes a satchel out of the car. Then I watch her put a small magnet key holder under the right front wheel well. I add that info to a second text and shoot it off to Crab. When she is ready, I strap my helmet on her head and mount my sled. Offering her my hand after I’m seated. She throws a leg over and settles with ease. I wonder if she’s done this before.
An invisible hand clutches at my chest. I don’t like the idea of her riding on the back of someone else’s bike. The thought gnaws at me the whole way to the restaurant. I park out front, helping her off before putting down the kickstand and getting off after her. I hurry after her, opening the door.
“Hey before your meeting, can I get your name and phone number? For the garage?”
“Oh, that would help, wouldn’t it?” She says with a smile.
She offers me her hand. “Charlie Caruso.”
I almost swallow my tongue.
“Private investigator, Charlie Caruso?”
She smiles. “One, and the same.”
I point to the patch on my chest where my club name is stitched. Her face lights up with recognition.
“You don’t look like a Wizard.”
I smile. “I’m the club’s tech guy. Our sister club dubbed their tech guy Bug.”
“Wizard is better. You were expecting a guy?”
I nod my head. “My dad wanted a boy. Mom named me Charlotte. Dad called me Charlie and it stuck.”
“Let’s find a table and get some food.”
She nods her head. I point out an empty table and follow behind her. Once we’re seated, a server comes by and drops off water and menus.
“I’ll be right back with coffee,” he says.
The server comes back with coffee and takes our orders. I get the ultimate meat lover's omelet, hash browns, and a full stack of pancakes. Charlie orders a veggie egg white omelet, whole wheat toast, and fresh fruit.
“Everything I have on Lola is on here. Do you think you can figure out what happened to her in the last year?
“I can find out. A delve like that will take a few weeks to a few months. That’s a lot of billable hours.”
“I can have your ten grand retainer transferred as soon as we’re finished, if you’d like.”