She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe it’s presumptuous of me, but I think I know you well enough to detect when you’re upset about something. Is it about the case? You want to talk about it?”
That was the last thing he wanted to do. Then again, maybe he should. They had to work together, and it would be easier if they could head off any potential problems before they got serious, whether they were warranted or not.
“It’s about Daniel Zinc, one of the detectives in the Special Investigation Unit. You haven’t met him yet.”
“What about him?”
“Daniel approached me this morning. He’s seen you and knows you’re my new partner and…”
She lifted a brow. “And what?”
“He wants to meet you. Knowing Daniel, he’ll probably ask you out. He’s a nice guy, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t know how I feel about that, Toni. About the two of you dating.”
• • •
Toni’s heart nearly stopped beating. Did she dare to hope, even a little, that Drew was jealous? Could Joy have been right? Drawing in a deep breath, she knew she had to proceed with caution and not assume anything.
Still, she knew Drew and doubted he would admit to jealousy. So why did he have a problem if she dated this Daniel?
“Why does it matter to you, Drew? We haven’t dated in almost five years.”
“I know that, but it would still feel awkward, Toni.” His eyes were back on the road. More than anything, she wished she could look into them.
“Awkward in what way?”
She saw his mouth tighten. “It would just seem weird knowing a woman I used to sleep with is now dating a guy I know from work. If Daniel knew about our past relationship, out of respect for my feelings, he wouldn’t ask you out. But he doesn’t know, and we agreed not to tell anyone.”
He paused for a moment. “How would you feel if I had transferred to Miami and asked out someone you knew? Wouldn’t you feel awkward?”
Instead of answering his question, she asked, “Would it make you feel better…or less awkward…if I dated someone you didn’t know?”
He hesitated and then said, “Yes, that would be better.”
Toni had a feeling that wasn’t exactly the truth, but it didn’t really matter. He brought the car to a stop at the next traffic light and glanced over at her. She stared into the depths of his eyes, understanding more than he was saying. And she knew what she had to do. “Okay.”
“Okay what?” he asked her.
“Okay, I understand how you feel. And to answer your question, you’re right. I would feel the same way if you began dating someone I knew; especially someone I considered one of my friends.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you, Toni.”
“I believe you, and I won’t do that to you, either. That’s why I’ll make sure any guy I date is not anyone you know.”
He should have been satisfied with that, but when something suddenly flashed in his eyes, she knew he wasn’t. It was just as she’d thought. The idea of her dating at all bothered him. Interesting.
The traffic light changed, and he turned his eyes back to the road, giving her a chance to think about what she’d just discovered. Was Drew’s dislike of her dating something she needed to pay attention to? What if he had cared more for her nearly five years ago than she realized? What if he still cared for her now? Or was he simply acting territorial?
It didn’t take them long to swing by the gun range and pick up the video footage, then take the expressway to the address they had for Byron Nettles. His home was in a well-kept community of townhouses near downtown Alexandria. According to their information, Nettles freelanced as a computer programmer with a sideline gig as a photographer.
Drew rang the doorbell, and it was snatched opened by a man with a fierce frown on his face. He looked to be in his mid-thirties with one of those, “I-need-a-shave look. He was tall and lanky with sandy blonde hair and was dressed in a pair of shorts and a well-worn t-shirt. “Whatever you’re selling, I’m not buying.”
Toni and Drew flashed their badges, almost at the same time. “I’m Detective Logan and this is Detective Oliver. We’re not selling anything, but if you’re Byron Nettles, we need to ask you some questions,” Drew said in a brisk tone.
“I’m Byron Nettles. What’s this about?”
“Not what, but who. Maria Tindal.”
Nettles rubbed a frustrated hand down his face. “Look. If Maria reported me to you guys, don’t waste your time. I am through with her, totally through. She can keep the damn flash drive. She just better be glad I didn’t report her sweet ass to the cops for taking it.”
Toni glanced over at Drew, then back at Nettles. “The reason we’re here, Mr. Nettles, is because Maria Tindal is dead. And we need to find out if you know why.”
• • •
“Maria? Dead?” Nettles asked, nearly stumbling back from the doorway in shock. Toni and Andrew followed him inside. Without saying anything, the man went straight to a bar on the other side of the room. Andrew watched him grab a bottle off the shelf, and without bothering to pour a glass, he drank the liquor straight from the bottle in one gulp.
Damn. And it was scotch. “I hate to interrupt, but we need to ask you some questions,” Andrew said.
The man glanced over at him and Toni and saluted them with his liquor bottle. “Ask away.”
Andrew figured he’d start by addressing the elephant in the room. “Did you kill Maria Tindal?”
The man frowned and slammed the bottle down. “No, I didn’t kill her, but there were a few times when I wanted to wring her goddamn neck.”
“You want to tell us about it?” Toni asked.
The man nodded and then gestured to a couple of chairs at the bar. “What do you want to know?”
“When was the last time you saw or talked to Maria?” Toni asked.
“I called her last week, asking again that she return my flash drive. Maria claimed she didn’t have it, but I know she did.”
“What flash drive?” Andrew asked.
“I’m a computer programmer. However, on the side I’m also a photographer for Wizzin.”
Andrew was confused. “What’s Wizzin?”
“Wizzin is a very elite online auction,” Nettles said. “It’s similar to eBay, but the merchandise is way more expensive. The cost of some items can be as high as several million dollars. You have to be a member of the society to bid, and the cost of membership is high. Ten grand a year.”
“What makes you think she took it?” Toni asked.
“Cameras,” Nettles said. “You can’t see them, but I have video surveillance in every room. Professional couriers bring expensive stuff to be photographed because they can only use an authorized Wizzin photographer to sell or auction goods off. That eliminates a lot of stuff being photoshopped. I’m the only licensed photographer in the area. Some people know what I do, and figure stuff is kept here, but it’s not. After a couple of break-in attempts, I decided to be sure I knew who entered my place when I’m not here.”
“What about these professional couriers? Are they aware they’re on camera?” Toni asked.
“I never have the cameras on while I’m here doing business. My security system is state of the art and automatically comes on whenever I lock my door—day or night. In other words, when I’m away, the cameras are rolling, and at night, while I’m asleep, they are keeping watch, as well. That’s how I picked up on Maria stealing my flash drive.”
“Why would she take a flash drive?” Andrew asked.
“She wouldn’t say. I can only guess she has a side-gig working for some rich investor who wanted a preview of what would be sold at the next auction. Auctions are held online every quarter, and the next big one is in a couple of months. With that flash drive, an investor would know what items will be up for bid before everyone else does.”
“Did you ask for it back?” Andrew asked.
“Of course, I did. Pl
enty of times. She wouldn’t return it, even when I threatened to go to the police with proof that she took it,” he said angrily.
He took another gulp from the bottle—not as large as the last one, but a gulp just the same. Andrew figured the man’s throat had to be on fire.
“When I first questioned her, she played dumb, acting as if she didn’t know what I was talking about. I told her I had proof because I had caught her on my security camera. That’s when she stopped taking my calls, and even blocked me. I showed up at her job a couple of times, but she still wouldn’t give the flash drive back to me,” the man said reaching again for the bottle of scotch. This time, though, Andrew noted he grabbed a whiskey glass and poured scotch in it.
“What was on this flash drive?” Toni asked.
“Over five-hundred, one-of-a-kind pieces of merchandise, each with a price tag of no less than three-hundred-thousand dollars—jewelry, exotic, vintage wines, rare stones, custom-made designer purses, and rare book collections.”
“How did you and Maria meet?” Toni asked.
“At a party. We danced and talked a while, and by the end of the night, I invited her back here. I told her what I did for a living and she was curious about Wizzin, claiming she’d never heard of it. I know now that was a lie.”
He took a swallow of his drink. “I showed her a video of some of the items, even left her in here to view the video while I showered.”
“What happened, then?” Toni asked.
“When I got out the shower, we had sex. I don’t remember much else, other than waking up the next morning to find her gone. I had errands to do that day, and when I finally settled down to get some work done, I discovered the flash drive of the video she’d watched missing. That’s when I checked the security camera in my office. It clearly showed her taking it.”
Andrew nodded. “Could you show us the footage?”
“Sure. Let me find it for you.”
Moments later, Andrew and Toni were watching a video that showed a half-naked Maria sneaking into Nettles’s office. She was captured going through the items on his desk before finally taking the flash drive out of his computer and slipping it into her purse before returning to the bedroom. A short while later, she was fully dressed and leaving the house.
“Can we have a copy of that video?” Toni asked.
“You can have that copy. I made several. I even sent her one to show her I had proof of what she did.”
“Why didn’t you report it to the police?” Andrew asked.
“I had a back-up copy, but she didn’t know that. I figured since she knew I had proof that she’d taken it, she’d treat me real nice whenever she returned it.” He smiled slightly. “You know what I mean?”
Yes, unfortunately Andrew knew exactly what he meant. “We’re going to need a copy of that flash drive, too.”
“Sorry, detectives, I can’t give you a copy unless I have a warrant. Technically, it’s private property of Wizzin.”
Andrew nodded. “No problem. We’ll get a warrant. And where were you Tuesday night around ten?”
“I had a date. We were dining at Dahlia Steakhouse. We left around ten-forty-five.”
“We need information about your date to confirm your alibi.”
After ten minutes of more questioning, Andrew and Toni left Nettles’s residence. “What do you think?” she asked.
Andrew glanced over at her before he started the car. “That was clearly Maria Tindal in the footage taking that flash drive. But why?”
“No idea. However, I’m beginning to wonder if Byron Nettles’ suspicions about her having a side gig for some wealthy buyer could be true. I didn’t say anything, but I’ve heard about bidders on Wizzin. They can be fierce, and if someone catches wind of what will be offered before the masses, that person can be ready to outbid. That gives them an advantage.”
Andrew nodded. “Is it really that serious?”
“I heard it was. Wizzin offers rare finds, and the people who participate have plenty of money to spare.”
“Evidently,” Andrew said. At that moment, the car phone went off. “Detective Logan.”
“This is the Medical Examiner’s office.”
“What you got, Bobby?”
“You were right. There were traces of the victim’s blood on the knife, and the blade is the same type that was used to cut Maria Tindal’s wrists. That knife is definitely the murder weapon.”
TONI LEANED BACK IN her office chair, stretched, then glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly five o’clock. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Drew was still on the phone. He’d told her he would place a few calls to see what he could find out about Wizzin.
“You hungry?”
She glanced over at Drew and smiled. She hadn’t known he’d finished the call. Had he heard her stomach growl just now? “Yes, kind of.”
“You should be. We missed lunch today.”
Was that his way of saying that he was hungry? “We did.”
“How are you making it without your grandparents’ meals?”
He hadn’t forgotten, she thought with a smile. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to cook. After all, she’d lived with her grandparents a long time, and her grandmother felt every female should know her way around the kitchen. But she’d found it easier to drop by her grandparents’ place whenever she wanted a good home-cooked meal without the bother of doing it herself. That way, she got a visit, too. And since they always pushed containers of leftovers on her when she left, her freezer was always stocked. All she had to do was choose what she wanted to eat that day and slide it in the microwave.
“I’ve been doing pretty good on my own. In fact, I’ve been trying out different recipes.”
“Well, I owe you for yesterday,” he said. “Do you want to join me for dinner? Nothing fancy, but I know this place across the bridge in Arlington that serves the best seafood gumbo.”
Was he deliberately letting her know he remembered her favorite meals? What other things did he remember? “The best?” she asked.
Drew chuckled. “Let’s just say it makes you think you’re in New Orleans the moment you first taste it.”
She smiled. “This I’ve got to see. Let’s go.”
“Good. I thought we’d take the cruiser there and come back for our cars afterward. Sound good?”
She nodded.
They had just wrapped things up and were walking out to the parking lot when a male voice called out to Drew. They both turned to see a tall man walking toward them. Toni detected Drew tensing beside her. Why? Was this someone he didn’t care for?
As he got closer, she saw the guy was built, just like Drew. He was also very handsome. Although not as handsome as the man standing beside her.
“Hey, Drew, I see you leaving for the day.” Although he was talking to Drew, Toni noticed the man was looking at her. He had a nice smile and pleasant voice. He had an Australian accent.
“Yes, we’re headed out to get something to eat.” Drew then turned to her. “Toni, I’d like to introduce Daniel Zinc. Daniel is a detective in the Special Investigation Unit.”
So, this was Daniel Zinc, Toni thought, taking the hand Daniel offered her. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice meeting you, too, Toni. Welcome to APD.”
“Thanks. You’re from Australia?”
“No. My parents are. I was born here in America.”
He then glanced over at Drew. “So where are you guys going?” Daniel asked, smiling brightly.
“Rockets. There’re a couple aspects of the case we’re working that we need to discuss before tomorrow.’’
Were there? If this was true, Toni wasn’t aware of it. Or was Drew just trying to discourage Daniel from joining them? “It was nice meeting you, Daniel.”
“Same here, Toni.” Daniel then glanced over at Drew. “I’ll see you guys later.” Then he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
“He seems like a nice guy,” Toni said as
they resumed their walk toward the police cruiser.
“I told you he was.”
Yes, you did. A nice guy you want to keep away from me. “I hope we won’t be discussing the case, Drew. Right now, my brain is on overload.”
And she wasn’t joking. They’d paid another visit to Pamela Larkins after they’d left Byron Nettles’s place. Although she was in a better emotional state than she had been the last time they’d seen her, the interview had still been mentally draining. Pamela had become upset that they would believe anything Nettles had said. She refused to believe Maria had taken anything from the man, even when they’d told her they’d seen video proof that she had.
Pamela had insisted that if Maria had taken the flash drive, she must have had a good reason, though she had no clue what that reason could be. Pamela also claimed Maria was not involved in any way with Wizzin. She was sure of it.
When they returned to headquarters, they’d watched the video footage taken at the gun range. The recording didn’t offer up any red flags. Maria had walked to her car alone, gotten inside and driven off.
Tomorrow morning, they would be meeting with Valerie Bailey, the department’s technical analyst. Drew had been singing the woman’s praises and claimed she was a pro at finding things others missed. Toni was looking forward to meeting her.
She glanced over at Drew when they reached the cruiser. “Are you sure we shouldn’t take our own cars to this restaurant? You’ll be going out of your way to come back here. After all, you live on the other side of town.”
“Not anymore. I moved,” he said, opening the car door and getting in.
She got in, also, and snapped her seatbelt in place. “You moved?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you loved your apartment.”
He started the car. “I did, but it was time to move on. I purchased a home.”
Toni couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips. “That’s wonderful, Drew. Congratulations.” She knew how excited she’d been when she’d bought her home, and hoped the renters would take good care of it in her absence.
“Thanks.”
ENTANGLED PURSUITS (MEN OF ACTION Book 1) Page 10
