Valiant thief, p.1
Valiant Thief, page 1
part #1 of Seattle Crime Syndicate Series
Valiant Thief
Seattle Crime Syndicate #1
Emily Sharp
Contents
Social Media
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
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Valiant Thief
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.
© 2021 Emily Sharp & Elizabeth Knox. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
Published by Knox Publishing, LLC
Cover Design: Charli Childs, Cosmic Letterz Cover Design
Editing: Alecia Rivers Goodman, Knox Publishing
Proofreading: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing
Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Published in the United States of America
Created with Vellum
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Chapter One
Owen
Taking a deep breath of fresh, Seattle Bay air, I lean over the railing to stare down into the depths below. The ships dotting the horizon look so small, and I lift my hand to pinch them between my fingertips.
“This is gonna be big,” I murmur against the salty breeze, and a giddy grin twitches my cheek and down my neck. Twisting at the sharp whistle that cuts through the air, I wave my arm when I catch sight of my cousin. “Joshua, here! I wasn’t sure you were gonna make it!”
He sweeps back his thick, black curls as he hops onto the sidewalk lining the water. I back away from the railing to meet him. Relief eases my strides, and I hold out my hand for him to shake. “So, how’re you feelin’ about this merger Rowlan’s doin’? I was kinda surprised when I heard about it. He really was the one that approached the Wendells?”
“You should know better than to believe anything Rowlan says, Owen. He either takes this merger and downsizes, or he gets fucked in the ass and thrown out the door,” Joshua grumbles unhappily, and his face twists in stressed misery as he rubs his mouth and jaw harshly. “It’s exhausting trying to get everything into place, and God only knows Rowlan never keeps proper books. I wanna drop dead.”
“Yeah, that sounds like my brother,” I chuckle sympathetically, and Joshua casts me an impatient look before I reach to rub the back of my neck. “You know, I could do this without you. You can just give me whatever info you have on the thefts, and I’ll figure it out from there.”
“No, I can’t, and you know it. If I gave it to you and left you alone and you fuck up . . .” he trails off as irritation roughens his voice, Joshua shakes his head viciously. I feel for the guy, I do; he has bags under his eyes and is kinda pale, and I lick my lips predatorily. “He’s overworking everyone with unreasonable expectations, but it’s not gonna be his fault when we can’t get it done in time, yeah? I’m sorry, I’m just tired.”
“It’s no problem, man. So, what can you tell me about the thefts? What’s gone missing? When? Precautions? All that stuff,” I ask, changing the subject before Joshua shuts down on me completely. He and I walk back to the water’s edge, and he sits on the ledge with a low grunt. Sitting next to him, concern worms through my veins as the silence stretches, and I turn my gaze out to sea. The Pacific Ocean is vast and magnificent, but thankfully, my brother’s business partner’s ship is already making for port.
And in just a few days, I am gonna pull off my biggest heist, my most spectacular ‘fuck you’ to my brother. For all the bullshit he’d put me through. Makes me sound petty and bitter.
“Jo—” Glancing over when he says nothing, surprise raises my brows, and I lean back on my arms to smile. Hanging over the lower rail, Joshua’s breaths are deep and even, but the tiredness etched into his face barely softens. “That’s fine, I guess.”
I almost feel bad for Joshua. All the effort he’s putting into this merger is going to be for nothing. He should’ve taken my offer to break off from Rowlan when he had the chance, but he didn’t wanna rock the boat. Whatever that means. Lying down on my back, I pull my jacket under my head to stare at the cloudless, blue sky.
Closing my eyes to enjoy the beautiful weather, I take deep, calming breaths through my nose. Memories flood my mind’s eye, playing behind my eyelids in the abyss, and my fingers twitch against the concrete below. Blood drums in my ears, the sounds of soft lapping waves disappearing while my memories suck me in to the deep, dark crevices of my mind.
Reaching into my jeans pocket, I pull out a little, green, toy soldier and crack my eyes open to gaze at it proudly. Even after twenty years, the toy is in the same condition it was in when I had pilfered it from my brother. Rowlan had loved those stupid soldier guys, and this . . . this one was the first. I feel the molded plastic with tingling fingertips, my cheek twitching as memories flash behind my hooded lids.
Second grade—it was a Tuesday; I could remember vividly. There was snow on the ground and a blizzard on the way. Standing against the schoolyard fence, I didn’t hear my brother stomping his way over. The air was so cold. I wore gloves the same color as the soldier.
But when Rowlan knocked me to the ground, it fell out of my hands and into the gutter outside the chain link. He’d been overweight then—a big kid with a big kid ego and sentiments. Anyone smaller than him, which was everyone, was in trouble if we didn’t get out of his way. The problem was . . . we lived together, and I touch my cheek as a phantom sting ripples down my face. I’d ended up burning my face on the cold grate trying to get this thing back.
“Maybe, I am petty and bitter,” I mumble to myself, taking a huge breath and hold it as I sit up to stick the toy soldier back in my pocket. Shaking my head, I exhale slowly reaching to touch Joshua on the back, and he tenses as his head bops up. Barely managing to avoid hurting himself, he gasps in surprise when I cup the top of his head before it connects with the metal pole. “You wanna come over for a bit? Take a really good nap on my sofa?”
“No . . . no, I’m okay,” Rubbing his face roughly with both hands, my cousin clears his throat and pushes his knuckles into his eyes briefly. “What were you sayin’? Oh, right, about the sticky-fingered bastard makin’ my life Hell. You know Rowlan has me going through years of unorganized documents to find out what’s been stolen? And the deal is supposed to go down in less than two weeks.”
“Sounds like you got the raw end of the churro there, Joshua,” Guilt sloshes up my throat, but I beat it down. I’d given him the chance to walk away years ago, but no, Joshua wasn’t going to become like his father. Nope. No sir, not him. “What’d you find out?”
“He’s supposed to have a classic car, but I can’t find it,” Joshua’s tone dips incredulously as alarm blazes in his eyes trained squarely on his hands. “Who the fuck gets a whole car stolen from them and doesn’t notice?”
“I wouldn’t put it past my brother. He’s known for his cruelty, not his intelligence, Josh,” I say dryly, and nudge him with my elbow to keep him on track. “If you haven’t found everything that’s already been stolen, what’re you doin’ about the deal that’s comin’ up? What kinda security is in place? Did you scope out the site yet?”
“Rowlan wants me to find whoever’s been stealing from him, because he thinks that person will come after something during the deal. But so far, from what I could find, everything that’s missing can be washed and fenced easily, so that guy’s probably long gone. There’s definitely plenty of people that aren’t happy about this deal, though. Rowlan himself included. He’s so upset this new family is coming in and dethroning him, but there’s no way even his dense ass didn’t realize the steep decline the past couple years,” Interest sparks in my chest when Joshua casts me a curious look. “What do you think? Should we be worried?”
“I mean, you said it yourself, that the guy’s in the wind, and there are enough suspects to keep you busy. I think it’s safe to say whoever stole from Rowlan wouldn’t stick around. Once he catches on, Rowlan’s not the most negotiable guy,” I reply in agreement, resisting the urge to grin as excitement and greed bubble up against my ribs like a thick, sticky tar. Joshua frowns under tightly knit brows, his eyes glistening with acceptance as I take a discreet, hot breath through my nose. “So these guys, the Harmons, are taking over security and stuff for the site? If there’s enough turmoil, does that mean it’s happening on the ship where no one can really interfere?”
“Yeah. Rowlan tried to object, but these guys . . . they’re so out of his league. He’s a little fish in a big pond, but I don’t think he ever realized it. We never had prime real estate or routes, but they finally decided we weren’t worth the effort to put up with.” A thrill shoots through my system at the notion of stealing a whole fucking ship, and my throat tightens as I struggle not to smirk. Joshua’s crestfallen expression deepens as he sighs, sweeping back his hair roughly. “We’re basically a backwater organization being absorbed into a bigger, more powerful operation. The past thefts, I don’t think these guys care about it so much as it’s a test or somethin’. I have a feelin’ your brother’s house is gonna be on the market soon, Owen.”
“You always got a place with me, Joshua.” Clapping him hard on the shoulder, I grin huge. I can’t help myself. This is fucking perfect! Bristling happily as Joshua snorts a laugh and nods sheepishly, I shake him loosely. “You’ll finally be free, huh! How ‘bout that! The Harmons seem like reasonable enough people, and there’s some management shuffling gonna happen. As long as you keep your head down, you’ll be fine, yeah? And if there’s one thing you’re good at, Josh, it’s makin’ yourself small. That’s a good thing, by the way.”
“You know what, you’re right, Owen.” Straightening his spine as his words develop some heft, Joshua purses his lips thinly with determination glittering in his eyes. “I will be free, and Rowlan won’t be able to boss me around anymore.”
Sounds like we’re twelve again. And that was the thing I loved about my cousin. No matter how awful a situation is that he’s in, he just quietly gets through it. Joshua is a good guy, a sweet guy even, and he doesn’t deserve all the horrible shit my brother puts him through. I just wish he’d figured it out earlier.
“So, what’d’ya say we go get some steak and lobster?” Perking up at my offer, Joshua nods eagerly, and I grin broadly while we stand to head away from the water’s edge. “I gotta say, though, Joshua . . . are you gonna be okay the next two weeks? You sat down and knocked out, like, instantly. If you need a place to sleep, you can always come over. I bet Mike would love to see you.”
“Can we just not talk about my dad, please,” he grumbles uncomfortably quiet. My smile strains, but can’t disappear completely. Even as sympathy squeezes my heart, a roiling joy tightens my gut and spreads down my legs and arms. Sticking my hands into my pockets, I fish out my phone as a somber silence engulfs us.
Chapter Two
Owen
“I wonder how long it’d take Rowlan to realize if you disappeared.” Stilling at my musing, Joshua laughs heartily with a tail end of scorn as he shakes his head across the table. “You think he’d notice before the deal went down?”
“No, but I don’t wanna make a bad impression on the Harmons. They’re real . . . I guess the best way to describe it is family-oriented. They’re Seattle’s most prominent family. If it were me, I’d be flattered they thought we were a thorn in their asses.” Cutting into his steak, Joshua licks his lips excitedly, and I smirk as I lift my beer to take a drink. Glancing around, I can’t deny that it is nice to come to a fancy place and eat some fancy food every once and a while. “They asked about you, too. Why you left. I told them that basically it wasn’t my story to tell, and if they wanted to know, they needed to ask you.”
“I haven’t been approached about it, yet.” I set my beer down as a twinge of worry pierces my chest, and Joshua grunts lowly in acknowledgment. “I assume they asked about my father?”
“No,” No? Joshua’s quick answer only intensifies my unease, and I pick up my fork to dig into the lobster as a grave weight settles on my shoulders. “He’s dead, I guess, so it doesn’t matter. I did give them the rundown, but they didn’t seem to want details after I explained how he died. The representative I talked to seemed really disgusted that he’d killed himself.”
“It’s insane to me that it only took ten years for Rowlan to dismantle what it took my father his entire life to build. The old man deserves it, but . . . even if he’d offered everything to me instead of Rowlan, I wouldn’t have taken it. Or, maybe I should’ve, but then dismantled it all and sold it off piece by piece.” I chuckle lightly at my own maliciousness, and Joshua points his fork at me as he swallows his bite heavily.
“Don’t act like you didn’t expect Rowlan to crash and burn, Owen.” A dark amusement tilts his tone, and Joshua sighs as I shovel a beautiful, perfectly cooked bite of lobster into my mouth. Groaning softly in pleasure, my mouth waters, and he sits back to pick up his beer. “I’m not gonna lie. I wish I went with you all those years ago. I mean, it’s stupid to regret it now, but I feel like I’m fifty, not twenty-eight. It makes me wonder how much I could’ve enjoyed my life if I wasn’t cleaning up after Rowlan.”
“Hey, hey.” Covering my mouth to finish chewing, I glare playfully at my cousin as he grins over his beer glass. “You’ve got plenty of time to enjoy life. You’re getting a decent payout on top of what you already have, and the best part is no one’s gonna be able to tell you not to go a little wild. You earned it.”
“I appreciate that, Owen. Enough about that. Whatever happens, happens, and Rowlan can’t stop it. What about you, huh? You’re still running that bar, right? You breakin’ even?” Joshua probes pointedly, and I nod in satisfaction as the subject changes smoothly. Lies, so many lies I can barely keep track of them. Not that I could tell Joshua that I am the reason he’s being worked into the ground. “I remember you’re not on the main bar drag, right? You don’t get a lot of people wandering in during a crawl?”
“I wouldn’t say business is booming, exactly, but we’re doing well enough. We do some parties and events and stuff. Last month, we had a bunch of girls come in who were tired of the regular bar scene, and they’ve come back a few times, so I guess they like the place,” I reveal, and Joshua arches a brow quizzically as I smile broadly. “One of them’s really cute. I’ve met up with her a couple times—just running into each other. I was thinkin’ of asking her on a date, but not until after the merger happens and everything calms down.”
“A date, huh? I think it’s smart to wait. This kinda thing could get real fucked real fast.” Nodding in agreement, I lift my loaded fork into my mouth to savor the food in front of me. My food tastes better now that I’m not talking about my brother, and Joshua sets down his beer to sigh, satisfied. “Thank you for takin’ me out, Owen. I really needed this. Only thing that’d make it better is if I could go home and pass out.”
“Come to my place,” I demand without thinking, and Joshua’s face twists in discomfort before I roll my eyes. “Dude don’t complain about wanting to do something if you’re just gonna brush off all my suggestions. It’s simple, Josh. Do you wanna have a good night’s sleep or not? I even have NyQuil you can abuse if you really wanna go hard.”
“What if I just wanna complain about something?” he snaps back briskly, and I frown at him as I point my fork at him accusatorily.
“This is the millionth time you’ve brought it up. Just screw Rowlan and his asshole expectations and take a damn nap. He’s not gonna kill you for catching up on sleep, but he will kill you by workin’ you too hard,” We glare at each other, and Joshua’s eyes swirl with guilt as he sluggishly sits back in his chair heavily. Holding my breath in anticipation, I only exhale when he nods with a jerk of his head. “Good. You’re comin’ home with me, and I’ll pull out the couch for you.”
“Mike’s not gonna give me a hard time, is he?” Goosebumps blanket my arms under my button down at Joshua’s tentative, almost scared tone, and I shake my head mutely. “He still doesn’t understand why I stayed though, right?”
