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The Gaines women ended up moving out.
Mrs. Gaines returned to the house in San Gabriel, and Blake went back to Caltech to continue her studies.
Between her parents' fighting and her twisted ankle, Blake had already taken over a week off.
Blake's departure left Lawson feeling a bit hollow. Even though they exchanged numbers and basically talked on the phone every night, not having her around felt like something was missing.
So, Lawson headed to Sangiovese to kill some time.
Walking into the bar, the stunning owner was as welcoming as ever.
First, she slid Lawson a glass of whiskey. Then, she leaned over the bar, pressing her massive airbags right in his face, giving him a strong urge to drink milk.
"Lawson, you pulled that Pacific Standard Bank job, didn't you?"
It had been three days since the Pacific Standard heist, and the LAPD still had zero leads.
Thanks to the clash between Vincent and Megyn, the heist hadn't caught the public's attention, giving the LAPD plenty of time to investigate.
But Vincent was screwed. The media was clearly pissed about his enforcement tactics , and feminist groups jumped in, instantly making his reputation radioactive.
Even though the department wanted to protect him, they couldn't afford to go to war with the media and feminist organizations.
Those groups had massive social influence, and nobody was going to risk their own career for someone else.
So, Vincent was placed on paid administrative leave. When he could return depended entirely on when Megyn decided to let it go.
"What makes you say that?"
Lawson didn't answer Svafa directly. He wasn't stupid enough to just admit it.
"Hehe, you buy intel on Pacific Standard's Head of Security a few days ago, and then the place gets hit. Is there really any other possibility?"
Svafa blew a smoke ring right into Lawson's face.
Whatever she was smoking, it had a faint, sweet scent that made Lawson narrow his eyes.
"Ms. Svafa, you aren't going to tell anyone about this, are you?"
"Of course not! Sangiovese operates on professional ethics. We never reveal customer information to anyone. You can count on that!"
Lawson took that with a grain of salt. He didn't believe Svafa would keep a secret if someone put a gun to her head.
It sounded like villain logic, but the truth is, only dead men keep secrets.
Still, considering Svafa's background, it probably wouldn't be a major issue.
"Well then, I truly appreciate it, Ms. Svafa!"
Svafa winked at him.
"Lawson, skip the verbal thanks. I'd much rather you show your gratitude physically!"
Lawson's mouth twitched. The Nordic woman's aggressive flirting was always a bit much to handle, especially with those airbags resting right in front of him.
Just then, two more customers walked into Sangiovese. A rugged, serious-looking middle-aged man and a young blonde woman.
Lawson glanced over and was instantly stunned.
Isn't that the Scarlet Witch? Wait, is this a superhero universe?
No! Lawson hadn't seen the name Tony Stark anywhere. This definitely wasn't a superhero universe.
Looking closer at this version of the Scarlet Witch, she didn't have red hair; she was blonde. This had to be a different character.
Hiss! Was it from that movie where Thanos fights the Scarlet Witch?
Was the Scarlet Witch blonde in that movie?
Lawson couldn't remember clearly. He was too focused on the action scenes.
Maybe Lawson was staring too intensely because the Scarlet Witch looked annoyed and glared back at him, snapping him out of his daze.
Svafa suddenly leaned close to Lawson's ear, her breath warm against his skin.
"Lawson, are you interested in that blonde girl?"
"Huh? No way! I just thought she looked familiar."
"Little Lawson, that pickup line is ancient. Please don't ever use it!"
Lawson looked at Svafa helplessly. She really misunderstood.
He could even detect a faint hint of jealousy in her voice.
After all, the Scarlet Witch looked genuinely young and vibrant, probably early twenties. Her skin was so full of collagen it looked like it would burst with water if you pinched it.
And while Svafa took incredible care of herself and had a smoking hot body, her skin just couldn't compete with a girl that young.
Time is the most terrifying weapon. Nobody escapes its true damage.
"Cough! Ms. Svafa, I really didn't mean anything by it! As far as I'm concerned, little girls like that don't have half your flavor!"
Lawson's words made Svafa beam with joy, causing her airbags to bounce in a highly distracting manner.
"Little Lawson, even if you're lying, that still makes me happy! But listen, those two aren't regular customers. You might want to grab your drink and sit somewhere else."
Not regular customers?
Lawson activated his Hostility Sunglasses and checked the middle-aged man and the blonde woman again. No hostility. That meant they weren't here for him.
But now, Lawson suddenly noticed their vibe was off. They didn't fit in with the rest of the bar patrons.
The way they scanned the room was like cats looking at mice. That specific feeling instantly made Lawson think of one possibility.
"Cops?"
"Little Lawson, you really are smart! They're here for me. Why don't you make yourself scarce?"
Lawson's eyes flickered, though nobody could see it behind the sunglasses.
That was the beauty of shades. Nobody knew if Lawson was looking at a face or looking at cleavage.
"Ms. Svafa, no need to go through all that trouble. I can just slide down a bit. I won't get in the way of your business."
"Alright then. But remember, some things you hear, you need to pretend you didn't!"
Svafa guessed Lawson's angle and didn't push it. She turned her attention to the rugged middle-aged man approaching the bar.
"Mr. Sean Archer! It's truly been a long time!"
"You too, Ms. Svafa. You're looking younger and more beautiful every day."
Sean wore a standard, professional smile.
"Hehe! Mr. Archer, even with the flattery, I'm not giving you a discount!"
Svafa's words made Sean wince slightly, clearly having been ripped off here before.
"Ms. Svafa, all jokes aside, I'd like to buy some intel."
"Oh? FBI agents need to buy intel from me now?"
Lawson felt like Svafa said that specifically for his benefit.
Lawson honestly hadn't expected the man and woman to be feds. He assumed they were LAPD.
"The FBI's intelligence division isn't omnipotent."
"Alright. Tell me who you're looking into."
"The General Manager of the Pacific Standard Bank branch, David Abbott."