Landlady clearly hesitated.
"Why is that?"
In high-end apartments like this, leases are usually strictly enforced. After all, tenants are mostly kids from wealthy families, so security and privacy are taken very seriously.
But Lawson still managed to convince her.
"Ma'am, I have some personal reasons. However, I'm willing to bump deposit up to $50,000, and raise rent to $2,000 month."
Landlady eyed Lawson suspiciously. While making extra money was definitely good thing, some money brought trouble with it.
Right then, Mia leaned into landlady's ear and whispered something. Woman's face instantly lit up with sudden realization, and she nodded, agreeing to Lawson's terms.
Even without formal lease, they still needed basic agreement drafted up, otherwise collecting deposit would be complicated.
Landlady hand-wrote simple agreement outlining basic terms. Lawson then signed his alias, Jack Cole.
After arranging time to drop off deposit and first month's rent, Lawson and Mia left building.
"Mia, what did you just tell landlady?"
Lawson was highly curious about what Mia said to completely flip landlady's attitude.
"I told her you were son of some major VIP in China, and needed to keep your identity strictly confidential. Didn't think she'd actually buy it!"
That explanation made Lawson's expression turn weird. Mia just made up random excuse on spot and landlady actually agreed. Meant situations like that had highly likely happened before.
Whatever, wasn't Lawson's problem anyway.
With new home sorted out, Lawson and Mia headed back to Toretto's Cafe.
"Why is cafe closed? Did Dom head out?"
"Probably not. Dom's been prepping for underground street race lately. Probably in garage messing with cars right now."
Mia unlocked front doors and reopened cafe. She was usually one running front counter.
Right then, Lawson noticed strange glint of light again. Highly likely Brian spying on them again.
Lawson found this deeply confusing. Even though Dom was called "Boss," his crew was basically small-time operation.
Including Mia as peripheral member, his crew only had four people. Their main hustle was just hijacking trucks out in suburbs.
One score netted them maybe few hundred grand, million max. How did small-time hustle like that compare to street-level drug rings?
Did they really warrant deploying deep-cover cop to investigate?
So Lawson felt there was definitely deeper motive behind this.
"Where's Dom's garage? I need to talk to him."
"Right behind cafe. I'll take you."
Mia led Lawson through back of cafe into garage. Three grown men were inside modding Mazda RX-7 FD3S.
It was classic Japanese sports car with massive horsepower. Highly likely vehicle Dom planned to race with.
There was also 1970 Dodge Charger R/T parked in garage. Heirloom left behind by Dom's father.
Even though it was classic muscle car, just like Lawson's Dodge Viper, basically only shell was original. Internals had definitely all been swapped out.
"Hey Lawson, how's new place?"
"Not bad, pretty satisfied with it! Dom, I got something I need to talk to you about in private. You got minute?"
Seeing Lawson's serious expression, Dom immediately set down his wrench.
"Vince, Jesse, keep at it. I'll be back in bit."
Two men walked to front of cafe. Mia pretended to be busy behind counter, but her eyes stayed locked onto Lawson.
Lawson pulled out '15' cigarette and handed one to Dom. Two men sat by window, blowing smoke.
Glint of light appeared again. Someone was definitely watching Toretto's Cafe.
But this time, Lawson didn't try to spot reflection's source. He knew Brian was highly alert; moment Lawson made move, guy would duck back into cover.
Maybe because Lawson stayed quiet, Dom got weird idea in his head and cracked joke.
"Lawson, if you're trying to ask permission to date Mia, you really don't need to ask me."
Not far away, Mia—who was pretending to work while eavesdropping—instantly turned beet red.
"Dom, what are you talking about!"
"Huh? We can't talk about this? I figured you guys were practically at that stage!"
How could Dom not know his sister's little crush? Ever since she first met Lawson at Sangiovese, Mia had constantly been asking about him.
When Lawson asked Mia to help find apartment last time, she was incredibly proactive, practically turning San Gabriel upside down.
She was never that proactive when helping her own brother. Was blindingly obvious what that meant.
But Dom had zero issues with Mia liking Lawson.
Lawson might look like pretty boy, but he was incredibly reliable, handled his business, drove like pro, and could drink anyone under table.
In traditionalist Dom's eyes, that made Lawson textbook stand-up guy. He wasn't going to stop his sister from dating solid, tough guy.
Lawson was definitely leagues better than certain blonde pretty boys!
Brian: ???
Lawson was honestly pretty speechless too. Mia was definitely great girl. She had that unique, fiery Latin figure and passionate, outgoing personality. Who wouldn't like that?
But with Dom just blurting it out, he made their relationship completely awkward.
Unfortunately, Mia couldn't handle her brother's terrible assist. She slammed down whatever she was holding and stormed out of cafe.
"I'm ignoring you!"
Dom grinned as he watched his sister run off, then turned back to see Lawson's expression.
"Lawson, what's with..."
"Dom, I didn't come here to joke around."
Those words wiped smile off Dom's face, replacing it with serious look.
"Did something happen?"
"Dom, next question I ask, I need you to be completely honest with me."
"Ask."
"Do you have some kind of connection to Bonanno family?"
That was most likely scenario Lawson could come up with.
Brian and Donnie were both undercover cops working under Vincent Murphy. Donnie was sent to infiltrate Mafia through Phil and Dennis. Highly possible Brian was trying to use Dom to infiltrate Bonanno family too.
Why else would small-time hijacking crew warrant deploying undercover cop? Every undercover agent is highly elite asset!
LAPD had no reason to send promising young cops on suicide missions unless it was dirty cop like Vincent Murphy pulling strings.
So, unless it was massive case, department definitely wouldn't authorize deep-cover op.
Dom clearly hesitated. Even though he considered Lawson friend, this question obviously crossed line past normal friendship.
"How do you know that?"