Undercover cop Dan Hudson is framed for blackmail and kicked off the NOPD force. Enraged about that, and the fact that his lover refuses to stand by him, Dan moves to Denver, where he becomes Dirk Steele. He finds a job working for the Powells, who are pawnbrokers ... and fences. When he proposes to them that he put together a team to steal on demand for the Powells’ less than legitimate clients, a deal is struck and the team is formed. The team consists of Maverick, a thief; Tripp, a street kid who shoplifts to survive; and Fey, another street kid who is an excellent pickpocket and petty thief. Now the question becomes, will the team succeed? And, equally important, will the attraction between Dirk, who has sworn off love, and Maverick -- whose credo is only down and dirty sex -- grow into something more? Or will they remain just 'friends with benefits'? Time will tell as the team takes on increasingly difficult jobs and a man from Dirk's past shows up who could possibly throw a monkey wrench into the works.

Wrong Side of the Law

Finally he signaled it was time to get out of there. When they got to the rear fence, he glanced at the back of the house and hissed in a breath. There was a light on in the kitchen. Through the bank of windows facing the patio, he could see a young man, perhaps in his late teens. The kid went out of view, coming back a moment later with something in his hand. The light went out a minute later.


Neither man spoke until they were back at the car. Then Dirk said, “I saw the display cabinet in the living room. Not enough to tell what sort of security it has, unfortunately.”


“I’m sure your toys can deal with whatever it is,” Maverick replied. ‘‘


“Better, because unless the kids see something during their surveillance, we’re taking the job.” 13


It took three days for Tripp and Fey to establish the pattern of comings and goings at the house. When the group met the third evening, Fey handed Dirk the schedule she’d written up, explaining it at the same time.


Chapter 33