Page 13 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

I had come in, ordered a small coffee, and seated myself at the next table over. I hadn’t picked out a target yet…until I overheard their very loud conversation. I knew then one of them had to be the one for today.

She was his mistress. His family was at home, waiting for him to return. It wasn’t hard to convince my already shaky morals to decide that she deserved my sticky fingers. When he got up to buy her a cake pop, I couldn’t stop myself from sliding into the now-vacant chair.

For a minute, she stared at me, and then a clueless smile crawled across her vibrant pink lips. “Hi, sorry. Do I know you?”

“No.” I fanned my face a little. “Sorry! I just had to come by and tell you how cute you and your husband are.”

I could see the wheels working in her head, but thankfully it must've been a short circuit, because a second later she leaned across the little tabletop, Gushing, “I know! Isn’t he dreamy?”

“So dreamy,” I responded, eagerly eyeing the tiny little wallet she had hanging on the back of her chair. It was almost too easy sometimes. She opened her mouth, probably to gush further, when the man reappeared at her shoulder once again, a sprinkled pop in one large hand.

“Who is this? A friend?” He looked me over, a smarmy smile on his average-looking face. I could see him taking in my diner uniform. Something about his careful surveillance began to set off alarm bells in my mind.

Clueless leaned over, patting my arm. “A new friend. She just stopped by.” She turned her attention completely back to me. “Can you believe he’s a detective? Such a great guy.”

Alarm bells weren’t just ringing now. They were tolling in my head, dulling everything else as I glanced back up at him. But I couldn't back down now. Not when I was so close. If I didn’t have rent, there was no telling what my landlord would do. I couldn’t leave that up to fate.

“I always wanted to date a cop,” she confessed, leaning into me. “You know, I’ve got a thing for men in uniform.”

“Detective, honey, not a cop,” he corrected her, setting the cake pop down in front of his date.

Adrenaline made my fingers tingle as my opportunity lurked. Now, my mind screamed to me. Hurry.

“I don’t want to ruin your date. I just had to say something.”

“Nice to meet you,” Clueless said, waving at me.

I moved past her, one hand sliding her wallet into my armpit under the thin jacket I’d thrown on this morning, the other sliding over her shoulder in a friendly looking pat.

“Nice to meet you too.”

Get out, get out, get out. My mind was screaming at me to get out of here. Hesitating, as if I were finishing the last of my coffee, I slid the credit card and her cash out of her wallet and straight into my pocket. Then I let the card fall to the ground. She would find it when she got up to leave, assuming she'd dropped it. I only needed cash, and thank God she’d had several neatly folded bills tucked in.

And it wasn’t like she was going to be paying for anything with this guy around anyway.

With my head held high, coffee cup still in hand, I strolled casually out of the coffee shop. Taking in a breath of the rapidly cooling air, I cut down the one-way street just behind, adrenaline still coursing through my blood.

I was so close. Just a few more feet. Just a few more steps now until I could duck away. I squeaked in shock as a thick, heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I twisted away, shock making me stupid as I turned to stare up into the face of the detective from inside. My coffee cup fell to the pavement.

“You spilled my coffee,” I said, my lips numb with fear.

His face was mottled with fury, big splotches of red appearing across his cheeks as he hauled me closer. His girlfriend was nowhere to be seen.

“You think I don't know that play?”

“What play?” I scooted away, trying to keep as much distance between us as possible. His grip was like iron, halting any thoughts of an escape.

“Try again, sweetheart.”

I bristled at the nickname, my hand going to his and trying to detach him from me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Let me go!”

His grip was moving, resetting until his fingers were digging into my bicep in a way that I knew would make him even harder to shake. “You whore. I know what you did. Not give it back.”

Masking my nerves, I raised my eyebrows. “Let me go. Now.”

“Not a chance.” He began to walk. “My car is back here. We are taking you in. Your sticky fingers aren’t getting the best of anyone another second.”

My calm slipped, and panic throbbed in my throat. I leaned back. “You can’t.”