Queenie came out with a single black-leather glove. Lucas praised her and took the glove.
“Devlin was in this truck at some point,” he said.
“What now?”
“Let’s go have a talk with Slater and Gaines.”
That seemed a bold move. They’d just waltz up to the trailer door and announce themselves?
“Gaines isn’t going to tell the truth. He said he saw me kill Bo.” In fact, if he recognized her, he might panic.
“If he doesn’t he doesn’t. Let’s cover every angle.”
Of course that’s what she wanted, as well. Demi wasn’t afraid of the danger in approaching these small-time criminals, and if it lead to finding Devlin, it would be worthwhile. At the door, Lucas knocked.
Talking inside stopped, leaving just the sound of a nineteen-eighties rock band, guitars jamming and heavy drums thumping along with a screaming singer. Several seconds later, the door opened to an unfamiliar face. The man was tall and skinny with longish uncombed hair and eerie light-blue eyes with shadows beneath.
“I’m Deputy Gage and this is my partner, Chelsey. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“What for? I ain’t done nothin’,” the man said.
“We aren’t here about anything you might have done, you or your two guests. We’re looking for Devlin Harrington and we were told he may have bought a gun from Slater.”
The man glanced back and Demi saw Slater give a nod. The man stepped aside and allowed them in, eyeing Queenie as she went to work. She inspected the small living room and kitchen and started down the hall.
“What’s your dog doing?” the man asked.
“Searching for scents of Devlin,” Lucas said.
The three seemed to relax, as if understanding that they weren’t going to be busted for gun trafficking.
“I didn’t sell Devlin any guns,” Slater said. A dark-haired man with dark, thick stubble, he was in pretty good shape and of average height. He wore a leather vest with a chain peeking out. What little of his arms was exposed revealed he was also tattooed.
Gaines sat beside him. Shorter than the other two, he had the look of a man who spent too much time running from the law. Skin blotchy and wearing sunglasses, he appeared to watch.
“When is the last time you saw him?”
Slater thought a moment. “He stopped by my house about three weeks ago.”
Three weeks ago he must have purchased more guns, namely the automatic weapon he’d used at Demi’s cabin.
“Did he ever talk about the guns he owned?” Lucas asked.
Slater gave a nonchalant shrug and a shake of his head. “Naw.”
“Where he hid them?” Lucas pressed. “Where he disposed of them?”
“He never said anything to me.”
Lucas turned to Paulie. “What about you? You and Devlin are good friends. Did he ever mention anything to you?”
“First of all, we aren’t good friends. And he never said anything about any guns.”
“Why did he stop by to see you?” Demi asked Slater.
“It was a social visit.”
Demi grew frustrated with the vague answers.
“What about you?” Lucas asked Gaines. “When is the last time you saw him?”
“Three weeks ago, like Slater says.”
Was that another lie?
“I don’t know him,” the other man said. “I just rent a room here.”
The trailer must be Gaines’s.
Queenie emerged from the hall and came to sit beside Lucas. He bent to pet and praise her and then straightened. “Thank you for your help.”
* * *
Later, at his cabin, Lucas talked with Demi about the lies Slater and Gaines had told. How could they get one of them to talk? Lucas decided to keep a watch on them in case Devlin upgraded his violent weapons collection or he turned to friends for help. Not working and not being able to access his money due to the risk of capture, he had to be struggling by now. Who better to turn to than fellow criminals?
While Demi prepared dinner in the kitchen, Lucas played with Wolf. The kid was amazing. Lucas never would have believed anyone who told him he’d latch on to a baby, but Wolf’s lovable personality had captivated him with his open-mouthed smiles and the tiny sounds he made that had to be laughter. The little tyke crawled toward him and Lucas kept backing up, also on his hands and knees. Wolf let out a cackle. Drool dribbled down his chin, making Lucas laugh.
“All right, all right, stop stealing my son away from me.” Demi bent to lift Wolf, smiling.
She might be joking but Lucas didn’t think it was all in jest. He stood and followed her into the kitchen, where she had just finished putting something in the oven.
He also knew she hadn’t been completely teasing when she told him what she’d been thinking about. Sharing Valeria’s desire for a Christmas Eve wedding, the details of her dream dress. He’d been so shocked at the time he hadn’t been able to react.
But his reaction had sunk in. He hadn’t shied away from the idea. In fact, the first thing that had come to his mind was how beautiful she’d look in a dress like the one she’d described. His next thought was to wonder what had made him trip all over his words. If there was any woman he’d like to see walk down the aisle looking like that, it was Demi.
“Why are you so afraid of me getting close to Wolf?” he asked.
“I’m not.”
“You aren’t fooling me, Demi.” She’d had boyfriends she’d gotten close to, but she’d always backed out of the relationships. “Is it because you don’t trust me?”
“You’re Jerry Maguire.”
The character in the movie, not a real person. Jerry Maguire had loved the boy in that movie but not the woman, or so he’d thought. Was Demi afraid he’d get close to her son and then leave? Would he leave, or would she be the one who left? And why was he even thinking about who would leave whom? They weren’t in a relationship.
Or were they?
Wolf fussed as Demi tried to give him a bottle. He reached for Lucas and cried.
“Let me hold him.” Lucas reached out.
Demi reluctantly gave him the baby, who immediately stopped fussing. With a frown of disapproval, she handed him the bottle.
He took it and Wolf looked up at him as he suckled.
“Don’t worry, Mommy, you’re irreplaceable. We’ve just had a good afternoon together.”
“The only thing I worry about is how you’re going to be able to walk away when this is all over.”
She went about cleaning up the mess she’d made making dinner, leaving him to wonder, when what was all over?
Chapter 11
A few nights later, Lucas and Demi disguised themselves as janitors to sneak into Harrington Incorporated. Lucas had scoped the place out and duplicated a couple of badges. He’d said he piggy-backed into the building the night before and used a computer to access the security software that created badges. He’d almost gotten caught, but finished before the guard returned from the bathroom.
Entering through a back door, he led her to the basement, where the facilities department was located. All the janitorial supplies were in a storage area. He took a trash can on wheels and she rolled a cleaning supply cart. They went to the elevator without running into anyone. Devlin’s office was on the top floor. Riding up, she glanced at Lucas. In a Harrington Inc. white button-up with his badge hanging around his neck, he did not look like a janitor. Maybe she knew him too well, maybe she’d been spending too much time with the sexy man, but he looked more like a doctor or a cop—the cop that he was.
She’d left her hair dark and put on a baseball cap to go with her Harrington Inc. white button-up.
On the top floor, she followed him into the hallway. Most of the lights had been turned off on this floor. Someone worked in a
n office. The door was open across the cubicle space and Demi heard someone tapping on a keyboard.
“Burning the midnight oil,” she said.
“At least it isn’t Hamlin.”
Devlin’s father couldn’t be called a slacker. He’d built a successful green energy corporation where his son worked as an attorney. Well, up until now. Hamlin would have to find another sleazy lawyer.
Devlin’s office was conveniently open. The office looked clean. It would be good if the janitors had already been there—unless the late-night worker had seen them. The janitors wouldn’t return if they’d already cleaned, so if that worker saw Demi and Lucas he might sound an alert.
Too bad they hadn’t been able to bring Queenie. Her nose would have been busy in here.
Lucas went to the computer and Demi went to the bookshelf, not seeing much there other than legal books. She opened a credenza drawer and went through the contents. Most everything was electronic but Devlin did have some things that were in files. Nothing sprang out as suspicious.
“I’ve accessed Security’s badge records.”
Demi abandoned what she was doing to go stand beside him. “Did you hack in?”
“Devlin has access.”
Not surprising, since he was Hamlin’s son, but why would he want access?
“He left early from work on all the days the victims were killed in the evening and came to work late the next mornings. Zane Godfried was murdered the morning of his wedding. Devlin didn’t come in to work that day, but he did come to work on Saturdays regularly.”
“What about email traffic?”
Lucas navigated with the mouse and a few minutes later said, “No email traffic during the times the murders took place.”
“We can use that against him.”
“It’s still not enough.”
“Well, there’s no gun here.”
“He hasn’t logged in remotely since he’s been on the run and he hasn’t used his badge to access the building.”
“All useful enough. Let’s get out of here.”
Glad to have taken the time and the risk to do this, Demi pushed the cleaning cart out of the office. The other office light was still on but the sound of typing had paused. They made it to the elevator without incident and rode to the basement. There, they returned the cart to the storage area. Lucas eyed the security camera in the hall.
She heard a radio crackle and a voice but couldn’t make out what was said. Seconds later, a security guard appeared around a corner in the plain white hallway, talking into his radio. He saw them.
The stairwell was before the elevator. She and Lucas had to get to the main level to exit the building. The guard passed the stairwell.
“Good evening,” he said as he neared.
“Hello,” Demi said.
“Janitors all left for the night.” His gaze lowered to their badges. Their pictures matched them but the names did not.
“What are you doing down here?”
“We’re new, just finished up,” Lucas said.
“Why don’t you come with me.” The guard stepped aside, indicating they should start walking down the hall.
Demi glanced at Lucas, who kept a blank expression and started walking.
“What are you doing down here?” the guard asked again.
“We returned our cleaning supplies to the storage area,” Lucas answered.
“I don’t recognize you.”
That’s because they weren’t the people named on the badges. Demi reached the stairwell and made a dash for it.
“Hey!” the guard shouted.
She heard Lucas right behind her as she pushed through the door, banging it against the wall as she ran through. She took two or three stairs at a time, Lucas behind her and to her right.
“Stop! Both of you, stop!” The guard chased them.
Up on the first level, Demi shoved the door open and ran down the hall, Lucas running beside her.
“I’ve got intruders!” the guard yelled into his radio.
Demi reached the back door and burst through. Her feet and Lucas’s thudded on the pavement as they raced through the parking lot toward the rental. Demi ran with all her strength, determined not to be detained by the Harrington’s security guards and then transferred to jail.
Lucas reached the driver’s side as she ran to the other and got in.
Lucas raced away and she saw the guard had stopped chasing them and was still yelling into his radio.
“That was close,” she said.
“Too close.”
Both of them caught their breath and then Demi turned to look at Lucas. He glanced her way and she smiled.
“Seeing that makes the risk worth it,” he said.
While he gave her tingles by saying that, she didn’t understand. “What risk?”
“What we’re doing isn’t exactly legal.”
She hadn’t thought about the risk he took with his job. He could lose a lot and yet he helped her anyway.
* * *
Later the next day, Lucas changed focus and dug into Slater’s background. He’d talked with Slater’s parents, who revealed he’d just broken up with a woman, given Lucas her name and shown him a photo. Apparently his parents were quite disappointed with him and would do anything to make him straighten out his life. If that meant going to jail, then so be it.
Lucas had assured her that if Slater could help them in the Groom Killer case, he’d either help arrange for a lighter sentence or be excused from sentencing with some counseling or other probationary requirements.
Lucas walked to Slater’s ex-girlfriend’s house in the rough part of town, Demi beside him. She’d brought Wolf with her this time. Lots of women had babies and she didn’t resemble her old self much, anyway, even when not in disguise. She looked fabulous in another pair of skinny jeans with a white sweater that the baby carrier covered for the most part. Wolf gazed up at her in rapt fascination, taking in every feature. Demi saw him and smiled before she planted a little kiss on his nose that got him giggling.
Damn kid sent shards of warmth spreading through him. How would he ever walk away from the little boy? He could very well be like Jerry Maguire and keep seeing Demi just to keep Wolf in his life. One big difference, though. He knew he was attracted to Demi, while it had taken Jerry much longer to realize his own feelings in the film.
Slater’s ex-girlfriend answered the door, eyeing Demi and the baby and Lucas. She had long, dark, straight hair, her blue eyes were shadowed and she had a ring in her nose. Lucas could see inside the house. Two other women sat in a messy living room with the television playing a violent movie. Gunfire, racing cars and music blared.
The woman turned her head toward the other two. “Hey, turn that down.” Slater’s mother had said her name was Tracy.
One of the women turned down the volume as Tracy faced Demi and Lucas again.
“We don’t buy anything from door-to-door people.” She pointed to the No Soliciting sign.
“We aren’t selling anything,” Lucas said. “We’re here to talk to you about Slater.”
“We broke up. I can’t help you.” She started to close the door.
“Wait.” Lucas put his hand on the door. “We’re investigating the Groom Killer case and are trying to locate a gun Slater sold to Devlin Harrington. We think he stashed it somewhere.”
“Gun? I don’t know about any guns. He hung with Devlin, though. Always thought that was weird, a guy as rich as that befriending Slater.”
“We think so, too. What can you tell us about them?”
“I don’t know about their friendship,” Tracy said. “Slater wouldn’t talk about him. He did sell drugs for the Larsons, though. That’s why I broke up with him. You might try their grandmother, Mae. She might know something about where guns are.”
Maybe so, since she had already enabled her sons to stash guns in her basement and that had led to their arrests. But what would she know about what Devlin would do with a murder weapon? Nothing, most likely, but could she reveal something else that would point them in the right direction? Or would she reveal more about her boys?
* * *
Mae Larson had been released on bail and had been no help to Demi and Lucas. If she knew something she wasn’t talking. She wasn’t talking about her boys, either, despite everyone being aware she likely had a lot to say that would benefit the case against them.
On another stakeout of Slater’s house, Demi rested her head back against the passenger seat headrest, missing Wolf. Valeria and Vincent were staying the night at the cabin. It was already after ten, and Demi and Lucas wouldn’t be back until late. She loved how her baby’s cuteness drugged Lucas. His cuteness drugged her. He was going to grow up to be a successful, wholesome man. Lucas must see that, which made her nervous. One glance across the car and she knew why. His clean-cut profile radiated smart, sophisticated handsomeness. His muscular build made her imagine more carnal heat.
Thankfully, Slater emerged from his house. At this hour he had to be going somewhere clandestine.
Like last time, they ducked and waited and then followed. Slater went to the same trailer as before. After he went inside, Lucas parked down the street.
“There’s a different vehicle in front,” Lucas said.
Demi saw the Subaru and didn’t recall seeing it there the last time. “Let’s get a closer look.”
They got out and walked to the trailer. Demi followed Lucas along the side and peeked through the open slats of the plastic blinds on the kitchen window. Three men gathered around the table, Slater one of them, Paulie another. Slater sat and the other two stood. Money changed hands, and Paulie took a big envelope from the third man. Slater had a gun in front of him on the table.
Paulie dumped the contents of the envelope onto the table. Bundles of money tumbled to a standstill. Slater inspected the amount and then leaned over to pick up a duffel bag. The visitor unzipped it and parted the opening. Demi could see packages of white powder inside.
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