possible cartel connection. For that matter, he had only Wanda’s assertion that’s what it was. No proof, and he couldn’t give up his source.
He was glad Anson was still on the investigation, though. Maybe he could keep his eye on it through his erstwhile partner. If he was going to be of any help to Wanda, he needed to know where the investigation was heading.
The surest way to get Jimmy clear was to arrest the person who’d actually killed Alvarez. That would give them a day or two before someone else took the enforcer’s place. Without the information, though, the investigation may stall. The other problem with the plan was the cartel was like cockroaches. Take one out of commission, and three others took his place.
He’d had one more idea while he was asleep, triggered by a dream he knew was actually a memory. He never followed up properly on the unusual numbers of motorcycles in town he noticed the night Alex went missing. Too much else was going on, and after she was safe, he’d concentrated on her and on his brothers, since he no longer had to look for his stepdad. It seemed to him that motorcycles and drug cartels were a volatile mix. Maybe he better check out whether these guys were still in town, and whether they were just snowbirds on bikes, or something more sinister.
The day dragged slowly. He barely knew Evans and couldn’t afford to make new friends right now. Their conversation was strained as a result. He was also worried about Alex. She’d want to know how he felt about being removed from the investigation, and he was afraid she’d see through his attempt to pretend he didn’t care. She may be young, but she was observant. It was a good trait to have for someone with her career aspirations, but a bad one for him. He couldn’t put anything over on her, usually. This time it was vital.
By afternoon, Evans had given up trying to make conversation with him, and it suited Dylan just fine. He had too much on his mind to talk about stuff that didn’t matter. The next few days were going to be stressful, and he could only hope it didn’t last longer than that.
If it wasn’t cleared up by Thanksgiving, he’d have to contend with both of the Wards seeing through him, since he was invited to dinner. Ange had told him he might as well have dinner with Alex and her dad. She wasn’t going to cook a big meal, his mother wouldn’t even know he was missing, and his brothers’ case worker had decreed it would be disruptive for them to spend the weekend with him instead of with their foster parents. His only obligation was to bring Ange a piece of pumpkin pie.
THIRTEEN
4 p.m.
Alex was sneaking looks at the clock on the wall above her desk every few minutes. Dylan should be here soon, and she was ready to leave. A few calls came in about the murder story, her second above-the-fold feature, though it was mostly the uninteresting photo of Kevin Thurston. Facts were sparse because she couldn’t print anything Dylan told her, and her dad agreed they wouldn’t fuel the gossip mill by printing anything about Wanda Lopez’ relationship to the deceased.
On an inside page, a short announcement that Wanda had taken a leave of absence ‘for personal reasons’ was going to fool no one for long. The speculation about those reasons was already floating on the wind, thanks to one of the city council members speaking out of turn about it.
Alex made a face at the stock picture of the council meeting room that her dad ran with every story about their doings. At least he hadn’t put the demand for Wanda to step down into the story. He wouldn’t have known about it except for Wanda telling him, because personnel matters were always held behind closed doors.
When she called just before this week’s edition went to print, Alex learned the mayor had left her office. She’d barely had time to call Wanda at home
He was glad Anson was still on the investigation, though. Maybe he could keep his eye on it through his erstwhile partner. If he was going to be of any help to Wanda, he needed to know where the investigation was heading.
The surest way to get Jimmy clear was to arrest the person who’d actually killed Alvarez. That would give them a day or two before someone else took the enforcer’s place. Without the information, though, the investigation may stall. The other problem with the plan was the cartel was like cockroaches. Take one out of commission, and three others took his place.
He’d had one more idea while he was asleep, triggered by a dream he knew was actually a memory. He never followed up properly on the unusual numbers of motorcycles in town he noticed the night Alex went missing. Too much else was going on, and after she was safe, he’d concentrated on her and on his brothers, since he no longer had to look for his stepdad. It seemed to him that motorcycles and drug cartels were a volatile mix. Maybe he better check out whether these guys were still in town, and whether they were just snowbirds on bikes, or something more sinister.
The day dragged slowly. He barely knew Evans and couldn’t afford to make new friends right now. Their conversation was strained as a result. He was also worried about Alex. She’d want to know how he felt about being removed from the investigation, and he was afraid she’d see through his attempt to pretend he didn’t care. She may be young, but she was observant. It was a good trait to have for someone with her career aspirations, but a bad one for him. He couldn’t put anything over on her, usually. This time it was vital.
By afternoon, Evans had given up trying to make conversation with him, and it suited Dylan just fine. He had too much on his mind to talk about stuff that didn’t matter. The next few days were going to be stressful, and he could only hope it didn’t last longer than that.
If it wasn’t cleared up by Thanksgiving, he’d have to contend with both of the Wards seeing through him, since he was invited to dinner. Ange had told him he might as well have dinner with Alex and her dad. She wasn’t going to cook a big meal, his mother wouldn’t even know he was missing, and his brothers’ case worker had decreed it would be disruptive for them to spend the weekend with him instead of with their foster parents. His only obligation was to bring Ange a piece of pumpkin pie.
THIRTEEN
4 p.m.
Alex was sneaking looks at the clock on the wall above her desk every few minutes. Dylan should be here soon, and she was ready to leave. A few calls came in about the murder story, her second above-the-fold feature, though it was mostly the uninteresting photo of Kevin Thurston. Facts were sparse because she couldn’t print anything Dylan told her, and her dad agreed they wouldn’t fuel the gossip mill by printing anything about Wanda Lopez’ relationship to the deceased.
On an inside page, a short announcement that Wanda had taken a leave of absence ‘for personal reasons’ was going to fool no one for long. The speculation about those reasons was already floating on the wind, thanks to one of the city council members speaking out of turn about it.
Alex made a face at the stock picture of the council meeting room that her dad ran with every story about their doings. At least he hadn’t put the demand for Wanda to step down into the story. He wouldn’t have known about it except for Wanda telling him, because personnel matters were always held behind closed doors.
When she called just before this week’s edition went to print, Alex learned the mayor had left her office. She’d barely had time to call Wanda at home
Similar Books
