Gabriel Read online

“Sang,” Gabriel said quietly. He didn’t like his tone. It wasn’t like North, but he could understand his agitation for being in the dark.

  North picked his hands up in frustration and waved them in the air. “I don’t give a shit, just what’s going on? We can make friends with people later.”

  They got distracted for a second as Silas’s voice carried over. They couldn’t hear what he was saying, just that he was talking to someone.

  “Oh great,” Gabriel said. “He gets to call? I want a turn.”

  “You were just there,” Victor said. He turned to North, twisting in his seat and throwing the engine off. He motioned around them, at the empty lot. “I’m glad we caught you all, anyway. If it’s a new recruit somewhere near here, Mr. Blackbourne wants us to try to help.”

  “It’s what I said,” North said. “We’re shorthanded. Any help would be better. Silas says we don’t have the time.”

  “Sang might be in trouble,” Victor said. “There’s signs of abuse at home.”

  North’s face darkened. “Hmm.”

  “But that’s going to take time. Kota thinks we can handle it. He wanted to give up on this job, too.”

  “We could use the favors,” North said.

  “Mr. Blackbourne wants us to take it,” Victor said.

  “But he doesn’t know about Sang yet,” Gabriel said. “They want to keep it a secret for a bit.”

  “I don’t like that,” North said. He twisted around to check on Silas, who was still talking and walking away further. “We’re supposed to be checking out that building on Kota’s block. Uncle opening a diner right now is really bad timing. Now we have an abuse case, getting ready for the school, two of our team dead on their feet from being overworked...”

  “Which means we do need more people,” Victor said. “That’s the point.”

  Gabriel scanned the parking lot they were in. “This job is a bust, I think. No one’s here.”

  “Maybe not right now,” North said. “Someone’s around. They wouldn’t have given this address otherwise. A few of us should camp out here, figure out who they are talking about. It must be a special case to use the mail system and only call a few of us in. Not even the recruiter is showing their face. So whoever it is, maybe they’ve caught on that someone’s watching. We should be careful.”

  Silas came back, getting into the Jeep, slamming the door shut. “Sang had to go. Kota was calling.”

  “Good,” North said. “Let Kota handle it. Now stop getting out of the car.” He made a shooing motion to Victor and Gabriel. “And you two should get out of here. We’ll set up a schedule. We’ll take care of this until dark then come get you. We might have to swap cars or get creative. Whoever this Sang is, let Kota handle it if he thinks he knows how. Who knows, maybe he’s thinking it’s a new recruit, too. Two at once if we find the person here.”

  Gabriel lifted an eyebrow. Somehow, the way North was talking, it was clear he wasn’t quite sure what to make of Sang.

  He had a thought though that wasn’t far off the mark. They’d been good candidates for the Academy because they were grounded, thoughtful and eager to learn. Sang had all the same qualities, at least she showed them so far. If she could show good empathy, any special skills and a willingness to use them for the right causes, she’d be a sure bet.

  Only, they’d want her on a girl team.

  And what about this other person? The potential one they were talking about? Gabriel scratched at the back of his head, surveying the location while Victor turned the BMW around and headed out. “I don’t get it. Why the empty lot?”

  “It’s probably the buildings nearby,” Victor said. “I bet it’s the motel. Someone’s there they want.”

  Gabriel turned to look at it again. It was still in operation, a few work trucks and vans parked in the lot. Low rate, run down, severe cracks in the pavement around it. He couldn’t imagine anyone their age staying there.

  When they were too far for him to look anymore, he corrected himself in the seat. “So we just watch. See if there’s an option for us there.”

  “Maybe that’s all it is,” Victor said.

  “What if they want us to get involved?” Gabriel asked.

  Victor shook his head. “Then we’ll say no when we get to that point. If it takes more than monitoring, we can’t do it. We wouldn’t be able to, anyway. We’d be at school. This is pretty far from there.”

  Gabriel rocked his head back. “And Sang...”

  Victor took his cell phone out while they were waiting. “Speaking of...” He started typing a message.

  Gabriel went to make a grab at his phone. “Nope. Kota would kill you. Texting and driving.”

  “I wasn’t drive-ing, I was stop-ing.” Victor tucked his phone away. “I’ll text her later, though. You’re right. If she messaged back, I might not be able to respond quick enough.”

  Gabriel scratched absently at his chest. “How do you do it?”

  “...Text her?”

  “I mean how do you just start talking to her?”

  “What are you talking about? You talk to people all the time!”

  “I mean...I do it when washing hair. We’re supposed to get to know her, right?”

  Victor laughed and shook his head. “Just pretend you’re washing her hair.”

  Gabriel didn’t say anything, only looked out the window. Victor didn’t understand. That was different.

  He’d have to call Luke. He’d know. Luke would know exactly what to say to a girl they were supposed to become friendly with.

  Maybe he’d have some advice for him on asking her out...if she was interested.

  Next Up—Meeting Sang: LUKE, free for newsletter subscribers.

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  Also by C. L. Stone

  Charleston's Leading Ladies

  Evelyn

  Celeste

  Meeting Sang - The Academy Ghost Bird Series

  Kota

  Victor

  Silas

  Nathan

  Gabriel

  North Shore

  Melody

  The Academy

  Ghost Bird: The Academy Omnibus Part 1

  The Academy - The Bird and the Beetle

  Ghost Bird: The Academy Omnibus Part 2

  Scarab Beetle: The Academy Omnibus Part 1

  The Academy - Bonus Materials

  The Academy - Touch of Mischief

  The Academy - Sound of Snowfall

  The Ghost Bird Series

  The Academy - Introductions

  The Academy - First Days

  The Academy - Friends vs. Family

  The Academy - Forgiveness and Permission

  The Academy - Drop of Doubt

  The Academy - Push and Shove

  The Academy - House of Korba

  The Academy - The Other Side of Envy

  The Academy - The Healing Power of Sugar

  The Academy - First Kiss

  The Academy - Black and Green

  The Academy - Love's Cruel Redemption

  The Scarab Beetle Series

  The Academy - Thief

  The Academy - Liar

  The Academy - Fake

  The Academy - Accessory

  The Academy - Hoax

  The Academy - Tempest