Read Online Fire Water by Jaye Wells - Free Book Online

through them, I saw Lanky and Shorty arguing next to a long table set up with a variety of glass tubes and flasks. “A floating lab,” I said. “It’s kind of brilliant.”
    â€œHow you figure?”
    I handed the binoculars back before answering. “Labs on dry land are tricky. Lots of wizards cook in their kitchens or bathrooms. But it’s dangerous because if the fuzz puts pressure on you it’s hard to move a lab. It can be done, but usually only in deep night. Putting a lab on a boat, though, gives you the ability to move it in broad daylight without anyone questioning you.”
    He nodded. “Sometimes I wonder what boys like that could accomplish if they put their ingenuity to good uses.”
    I smirked at him. “For a criminal it’s not about getting ahead, it’s about the thrill of getting away with it.”
    He shot me a look, but I ignored it. “How do you want to play this?”
    He pursed his lips and looked over the boat with his naked eyes. “We gotta go in hard and fast so they don’t have a chance to shove off. You enter through the aft and I’ll come in stern side. We’ll meet in the middle.”
    I nodded. “A little shock and awe, huh, Cap’n?”
    He grinned. “You look way too excited about this.”
    â€œDamned straight.”
    He nodded and his smile faded a little. “Just don’t get shot.”
    â€œYes, sir.” I saluted him.
    We split up, with each of us using the tree line to disguise our approach. By the time I was even with the front of the boat, my heart was racing ahead of me. I palmed my Glock and swallowed to try to dispel some of the adrenaline. “You’ve got this,” I whispered.
    I glanced back and saw that Cap’n had taken position near the boat’s stern. He nodded and counted down three, two, one.
    I burst forward from the trees. Before I knew it, I was jumping from the shore onto the deck. My boots landed on the wood with a thud. Inside the boat, the argument cut off. “What the fuck was that?” a male voice yelled. I ducked against the wall of the structure where I couldn’t be seen from inside. A loud noise came from the other end of the boat, signaling Cap’n was making his move. I took a deep breath and prepared to kick in the door next to me. But before I could, it flew open. Shorty ran out.
    â€œBPD,” I yelled. “Freeze, asshole!”
    Shorty stumbled to a halt and turned slowly. His arms came up instantly. “Shit,” he spat.
    I moved toward him, but behind me the sound of a scuffle and male shouts reached my ears. I was torn between helping my partner and cuffing my own catch. Deciding quickly, I jumped toward Shorty. My hand was reaching back toward the cuffs on my belt when Cap’n shouted something. A loud thump echoed from inside the boathouse.
    I grabbed Shorty’s wrist and slapped a cuff on. Holding on to him, I turned to look into the boat. Cap’n was lying on his side on the floor. He was way too still. “Fuck!”
    Yanking Shorty’s other hand behind his back, I made quick work of applying the second cuff. Using my foot, I swept his legs out from under him. He slammed onto his back. “Ow, bitch!”
    â€œStay,” I commanded.
    I ran back toward the house and barreled inside. “Cap’n!” Fear made me drop the nickname as I slid into a crouch next his body. He flopped over, cupping a hand on his bum knee.
    â€œGo get him before he shoves off!”
    â€œAre you okay?”
    He nodded quickly. “Go!”
    I jumped up, my breath panting in and out of my lungs, ran the length of the house, and burst through the second door. Something bit into the side of my face a split second before I heard the sound of a gun go off. My heart stopped and it was only instinct that made me duck. I put a hand to my face and realized the pain was from splinters of wood that broke off when