Leopard 03 - Burning Wild

his hat. “We’re here to keep an eye on lover boy. How the hell did he slip by us that we haven’t checked him out?”
    “I hope you’ve got more money. I don’t have a cent. This is great. I really did want to see this movie.”
    Joshua was patting his pockets. “I need popcorn.”
    Drake shoved him, scowling darkly. “Will you keep your mind on the job? You keep it up and I’ll leave you out here.”
    “Quick! They’re going in,” Joshua pointed out hastily. “We’ll lose them. Get in line, will you?”
    “Shh,” Drake admonished, allowing several couples to go in front of them. “And I’m not getting you popcorn. We’re working.”
    “Don’t be such a cheapskate. I’d like popcorn. You just can’t watch a good movie without popcorn. If he doesn’t stop at the snack bar, you follow them and I’ll catch up after I get us some popcorn. I’ll need money though.”
    “Forget the damned popcorn,” Drake ordered.
    “You just don’t know how to have a good time,” Joshua sulked.
    “Just keep your eye on her. What got into her anyway? Is she mad at the boss? They have a fight?”
    “She said he told her to go out,” Joshua said. “And if I know anything at all about Emma, it’s that she doesn’t lie.”
    “The man’s a damned idiot.”
    “Either that or he was a misunderstood idiot.” Joshua ducked behind a pillar. “They’re getting popcorn.
    It smells so good. Come on, Drake, buy some popcorn.”
    “Will it shut you up?” Drake demanded furiously.
    “I promise.” Joshua folded his arms complacently over his chest.
    They hung back, waiting for Emma and her date to be seated in the darkened theater, before finding a space two rows behind her.
    Joshua was enthralled with the comedy, laughing so heartily the girls seated next to him kept giggling together.
    Drake dug elbows into Joshua’s ribs. “He’s making his move.”
    “Who is?” Joshua’s eyes were glued to the screen.
    “The guy, her date. He put his arm around the back of her seat.”
    Joshua sat up, glaring daggers. “Wanna break his arm? We could make it look like an accident.”
    “Oh, shut up. You’re no help. Just watch the damn movie.” Drake sounded totally exasperated.
    “Fine.” Joshua managed to look hurt for all of five minutes, until the movie had him doubling over with shoulder-shaking chuckles.
    They had a few bad minutes when the lights went up, finding themselves trapped by the people leaving.
    They had to pretend they were looking for something on the floor to allow Emma and her escort to pass. Drake sent up a silent prayer that Emma would go straight home, but it wasn’t answered. They were forced to follow her to the Chateau, a very expensive French restaurant.
    Drake looked down at their work clothes and boots. “She’ll spot us for certain. Maybe we should wait outside.”
    “If we wait outside, and we have to tell Jake about this evening, he’ll beat the crap out of us. And I don’t feel like taking a beating because Emma is feeling frisky.”

    JAKE allowed the talk to flow around him. The scent of conspiracy was heavy in his nostrils and betrayal reeked at the table, but everyone there smiled and played their high-stakes games. Dean Hopkins, the manager for his small, seemingly failing business, was all for the sale, laying the advantages out carefully while the circle of investors nodded their heads and tried to convince him they were helping him out. Jake kept his face expressionless, watching them all closely, wanting to sniff out the underlying reason they were so set on buying a failing business.
    The man who interested him the most was Bernard Williams, a lawyer for the firm known to represent his old enemy, Josiah Trent. Williams knew Jake was poised to take over Trent’s business. One false move and everything would come tumbling down. Yet here the man sat, prepared to sell Jake out and make him an enemy for life, over what? What did they know that he didn’t?
    The small real estate chain hadn’t turned a profit in three years. Jake intended to keep it that way. He could afford the loss, but it shouldn’t have garnered any real attention, not from men like those seated around him, and certainly not the kind of offer they’d made. Hopkins must have discovered his plans and sold him out, or maybe he was a pawn. That was the question. Who had betrayed him? To find out, he would endure sitting through this boring charade, because once he found the man, he would destroy