Clenching her tongue in a mouth gone dry, she stiffened as he ran his hands suggestively over her body, running them down her legs to poke at her sandals, and bringing them back up to pat down her breasts. “Whoa, it’s freezing in here,” he taunted. But his hands actually moved impersonally, intent on searching.

“What were you expecting?” she asked through her teeth.

“Just making sure missy here hasn’t seen too many cops and robbers movies. You probably like them prissy foreign films, though.” His search done, Grayson returned to her purse, plucking out the envelope and ripping it open. He chuckled when he saw the first bills but his face quickly went thunderous. “What’s this? I told you $25,000 in 100 dollar bills—these are ones!”

“They’re there,” Matilda quavered. “Keep looking. Do you have the necklace and canteen?”

“I just brought the canteen, that’s worth the twenty-five grand alone. I got a better offer for the squash—hey!” he snarled. Two things happened at once. The passenger side door was thrown open and a lanky form grabbed Grayson out, both tumbling to the ground. A revolver clicked and Emory Enditto stood at the hood of the car pointing his weapon at the wrestlers. “Avery, you moron, give it up. I told you what would happen the next time you got too greedy.”

The fight went out of the man and Jim Mulligan grabbed the villain’s arms, bending them back to snap on handcuffs with a very satisfactory click. Enditto came round Matilda’s open window and grinned in at her. In response, she drew out the thin cashmere sweater she’d draped over the headrest of her seat and extracted the small black microphone she’d concealed in the garment’s folds. She handed it daintily to the fed while Grayson’s curses filled the air.

She remained motionless in the car while they dragged Grayson off to a black sedan. He was unceremoniously stuffed into the back seat and Mulligan emerged with a set of keys dangling from his hand. The two agents then proceeded to search a dusty red pickup truck in another corner of the lot.
When they finished their work, both returned to her. Mulligan got into the seat vacated by Grayson, while Enditto, still grinning, came back to her open window. “Well, I will need to take a statement soon, get you to sign some paperwork, but that can wait. I’ll bet you didn’t eat much this morning, am I right?”

Startled, she nodded up at him.

“Why don’t you get something to eat with Agent Mulligan here and get back to the office in about two hours? I can run this clown to the station and they’re waiting for him with glee. Grayson’s made some nice enemies in law enforcement over the years…”

Bewildered, Matilda just nodded again. “I am hungry,” she said in a little voice.

Enditto marched off with a wave of his hand and she started up the car’s engine.

“I know a nice place for Mexican food,” Jim said with a smile.

“Shouldn’t we go back to Earl’s and tell Juanita about all this?”

“Naw, we can do that later on once Grayson’s fully processed.”

We. Matilda liked the way he made that sound.