Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) by Kaylie Hunter (novels to read for beginners txt) 📕

he was still standing in the alley as Bridget and Trigger’s cams split off into different rooms.

“You joining them, Bones?” I asked. “Or are you going to just hang out in the alley?”

“I’m starting to wonder if they even need me.”

“They don’t. But you standing in a dark alley staring at an open window looks suspicious, don’t you think?”

His cam showed him climbing onto the dumpster, then sliding through the window. I pulled a chair over next to Tech and watched all three monitors with him. Tech turned one of the far screens my way and pointed.

“Jackson,” I called. “Black and white just entered the neighborhood from the north. We can’t tell which direction he’ll go.”

“Got it. No headlights visible yet. Wait. I see them. Looks like they’re working a grid. They’re moving east now.”

“Tech?”

“On it.” Tech slid his chair back to reach for a nearby laptop, which he moved to his lap. After some fast keyboard work, he unmuted his headset, and said, “There’s a man with a beard running around my backyard. I think he’s nude! Can you send a police officer? I live at…”

I stopped listening. I knew from experience, the voice the 911 operator was hearing was being altered by voice alteration software. Tech usually picked the little old lady voice because it tended to get the quickest police response.

“I see blue lights and hear a siren,” Jackson said. “Sounds like they’re moving out of the area.”

“Nice job, Tech,” I said. “Bridget and Trigger, am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?”

“Yeah, Boss,” Bridget said. “We are several days too early for the party. Everything is still packed up or covered in plastic.”

“Do the best you can. We might not get another chance. Bones, you’ll need to help them dig through the mess and then restack everything.”

“What about the power booster for the waiting room camera?” Bridget asked. “Without the booster, the recorder battery only has a three-day shelf life. If we hook it up now, it’ll be dead by the time they’re open for business.”

“Damn,” I said, standing to pace. “Give me a minute.”

I turned to pace the other direction, but saw Whiskey standing next to me. He smiled as he sipped his coffee. He was wearing loud Bermuda shorts, a black tank top, and neon green flip flops.

“Were you listening?”

He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “You don’t need the booster if you hardwire your camera to a direct power source. Want me to walk Bridget through it?”

“How long will it take?”

“Twenty, maybe thirty, minutes.”

I walked over and grabbed another earpiece from the coffee table, handing it to Whiskey. “Bridget, Whiskey’s going to walk you through hardwiring our power.”

“Sweet,” Bridget said, giggling. “On the job training.”

“Bones,” Whiskey said over the mic. “Grab that small desk light in front of you on your right. Cut the cord off for Bridget.”

In Bones’ camera, we saw him reach out and grab the lamp. He looked over at Trigger’s body cam, then down at his own. “This is so weird,” Bones said to the camera before he cut the cord on the desk light and handed the remains to Trigger.

“Trigger,” I said, getting his attention. “Put the lamp by the exit window. You’ll need to take it with you. Best if its owner thinks it was lost during the remodel. Then hurry it up and get the rest of the equipment installed.”

“You got it, Boss.” Trigger said.

~*~*~

Over the next thirty minutes, I watched all the monitors with Tech, while Whiskey taught Bridget some upgraded electrical skills. Bones and Trigger were putting the last of the furniture and boxes back into the room being used for storage. Tech corrected Bones a few times of where to place a box or stand, ensuring everything was put back in its original location.

Bridget finished wiring the front camera with a secondary mini-cam mounted on top of it. The feed was already routing directly to Tech.

Trigger had tagged about a dozen random items for voice bugging, but we had no idea which rooms the items belonged in, so he also placed bugs under a few built-in counters throughout the building, and one more in a backroom office behind an air vent.

“Pack up and check your equipment,” I said over the mic. “Make sure there’s no sign of entry. I want you guys out of there.”

Tech lifted a pad of paper that was sitting beside him. “Bones, according to my notes, you left a Philip screwdriver on the floor in the hallway, your night vision goggles in the back office, and you forgot to flush the toilet when you peed.”

Bones was quiet a moment before he stepped out into the hallway and picked up the screwdriver. “No shit?”

“No shit. Get the goggles and flush the toilet.”

Bones walked down the hall toward the office. “I’m changing my mind on these bodycams. We should talk to Donovan.”

I laughed. “I mentioned the idea to him, but he told me you guys would never wear them.”

Bones snorted. “I can sell it.” I heard the toilet flush.

“I’ll back him on the sales pitch,” Jackson said. “Not that Donovan ever lets us do B&Es, but having a second set of eyes remotely taking screen shots would be super helpful in the protection side of Aces.”

Tech looked over his shoulder at me and shook his head. Turning back to the monitors, he reached over and unmuted his mic. “Kelsey already had me order and program the fifty body cams. They’re sitting on a shelf in the basement, just waiting to be put to good use.”

“When?” Bones asked.

“Two months ago,” Tech answered.

“Unknown bogie entering the neighborhood from the south,” I said, watching the monitor for the perimeter. “Lights out, boys and girl.”

The body cams showed the flashlights being