Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 35

There was no one waiting for Halstead and Lindsay this time when they pulled up out front of Bayley Martinez's house. In fact the gates were closed.

"I assume we're not supposed to break in," Halstead quipped as they got out of the car.

"Would give us a chance to show off some skills. But would probably also get us killed. I think it'll be safer to use the intercom," Lindsay said, pointing to a metal box on the wall beside the gate. They set off towards it.

"That's why you're the smart one of the two of us," he said.

Lindsay eyed him up in his very nice black suit, clearly liking what she saw a lot. "You look pretty smart to me."

"I'm sensing something else in the house might get destroyed tonight," Halstead said, thinking of their recent record of trashing the place during sex.

Lindsay smiled at him. "I think we could quite easily have the shower curtain down."

"Hold that thought," Halstead said as they reached the gate, and its intercom. He was about to press the button, but the gate started opening without him needing to. They had likely been spotted on a camera somewhere, not that he could see one.

"Well, there we go," Lindsay said.

"We don't need an escort this time. Aren't we privileged?"

Walking up the driveway, Halstead noticed the gates closing behind them. As before, there were several cars parked on the driveway. The house was going to be full of suspect people in suits again. Before they got to the front door, it opened and a man stood in the doorway.

"Ms Martinez wants to see you in her office. Come with me."

"We know where it is," Lindsay said.

Halstead had to make himself avoid smiling. 'Sophia' couldn't help backchatting people.

The man didn't reply. Much like Rodrigo, he seemed like a man of few words. Martinez probably liked that about them.

Halstead saw several other people walking about on the way up to the office, but he didn't recognise any of them. Shortly, they arrived at the office, where the man left them to it. Halstead took it upon himself to knock on the door.

"Come," Martinez called from within.

He opened the door and walked into the office. Martinez was sitting behind the desk. In front of it was the tall, hard-looking woman who had done the money counting the day before.

"Ah, Jesse and Sophia," Martinez said. "Nice to see you own some clothes worthy of the description after all."

Even 'Sophia' resisted having a quip at that, which was probably to her credit.

"Tell me, why didn't you break Angel Garza's legs yesterday?" Martinez asked. She leant back in her chair, keenly awaiting the answer. The other woman just glowered at them.

Lindsay said, "Your instructions were to go and get fifty grand out of him. You said we should break his legs if he didn't pay. He paid. If you wanted us to go over there and break his legs, that should have been your instruction."

"We did do what you asked," Halstead said a little more diplomatically.

"Yes, I suppose you did," Martinez said thoughtfully. "But you're no good to me if you're going to shy away from getting physical if it's needed."

"Getting physical isn't a problem, if it's needed," Lindsay said. This time there was no attitude in her voice.

Martinez considered that for a moment before coming to a decision. "Alright, here's the way things are. The two of you are clearly determined to work for me. You're in luck because I happen to need a couple of competent people. This is Raquel Gonzalez. She's in charge of security around here. You're going to work for her. I don't want to see or hear either of you unless I choose to speak to you. You do what Raquel says, when she says, how she says. To you, she speaks with my authority. Is any of that unclear?"