Read Online No Honor Among Thieves: An Ali Reynolds Novella (Kindle Single) by J.A. Jance - Free Book Online

held up her hand. “Stu Ramey isn’t just anybody,” she said. “He’s High Noon’s information guru. Let me give him a first and last name and see what he can come up with.”
    “What kind of information guru?” Joanna asked.
    But Ali was already back on the line. “Yes, first name is Hans. Last name is spelled H-O-L-Z-M-A-N-N. He may work for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”
    There was another long pause when the only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock. While they waited, Joanna went back to fuming in silence.
    “I’m sure that’s the one,” Ali said at last, turning to Joanna with a smile lighting up her face. “Hans Dieter Holzmann—that is the son’s full name, isn’t it?”
    “I’m sure it is, but how did you do that?” Joanna wanted to know.
    “Our resident magician just accessed the U.S. Customs employee database. Turns out, there’s only one employee named Holzmann on their list: Hans Dieter Holzmann. And guess where he works? The cargo ship terminal in Long Beach where that LEGO shipment just happened to come ashore late last week.”
    Ali returned to the phone. “Yes, Stu. Do some data mining and send us everything you can find on Mr. Holzmann, including whether or not he’s at work today. If he’s involved in this operation and has somehow learned that his shipment has gone horribly awry, he may be trying to do some troubleshooting from his end.”
    “Before you hang up,” Cami said, “may I talk to Stu for a minute?”
    “Sure,” Ali said, giving her the phone.
    “Stu, I just sent you the coordinates of where the truck was going: the intersection of Holzmann Road and U.S. Highway 92. The ranch belongs to Hans Holzmann’s father. Now might be a good time to check out our new time-share access to satellite imagery.”
    Ali silently nodded her agreement. Months earlier, during a serious crisis when High Noon had needed real-time satellite imagery, Stu had managed to come up with a work-around. They had since joined a private consortium that gave them access on an as-needed basis. The initial sign-up fee had been jaw-droppingly expensive. After that, however, the charges were on a pay-as-you-go basis with the attendant fees billed back to the client.
    “That’s right,” Cami said into the phone. “If you can, take a look at everything that’s there: house, outbuildings, whatever. We’ve also just learned there may be several metal shipping containers on the property. Try taking a look at those as well.”
    “Wait a minute,” Joanna said. “You think your magician guy, wherever he is, will actually be able to see the containers?”
    “You’d be surprised what he can see,” Cami said, pointing to another evidence bag. “Do you mind if I take a look at that phone?”
    Kristin popped her head in the door. “It’s time for the press briefing, Sheriff Brady. Tom Hadlock would like to have you on hand for that.”
    Sighing, Joanna looked first at Cami, then at the phone, and finally at Dave Hollicker. “If we end up needing that phone in court, it’s your job to maintain the chain of evidence.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Dave said. “Will do.”
    •   •   •
    As Sheriff Brady left the lab, Ali’s phone rang with B.’s caller ID showing on the screen.
    “Stu just told me about the situation on the ranch,” B. told her. “I’ve got a call in to corporate right now. Using satellite imagery will cost a ton of money, but if we can break this operation wide open, I’m betting they’ll cough up the fee.”
    “Good,” Ali said. “What if what we’re dealing with are the kind of unclipped ghost pallets you mentioned earlier? Supposing whoever’s in Monterrey loads unchipped pallets into one or more shipping containers. The inside guy who works for customs tags those for special attention, and during those ‘special inspections’ said pallets simply disappear. That might not be too difficult, since—as far as anybody but the crooks are