The blood drained from my face, and I suddenly understood the gravity of the situation. “What? I thought they disbanded after . . .”
“No, they didn’t disband. They regrouped, and they’re stronger than ever.”
“But . . .” I’d been there when the organized crime henchmen had been taken down. I’d been a part of it. I’d nearly ruined an undercover investigation in the process.
“I know. We only took down one of their arms. They have people everywhere, and they’re becoming more dangerous and more powerful all the time.”
“But . . .” Was that all I could say? Apparently.
I felt sure this group had something to do with my dad’s disappearance. I just had no way to prove anything.
And now this.
“Here’s the thing, Joey.” Jackson shifted to face me. “These guys—the Barracudas—aren’t going to waste time painting rocks and leaving clues for you.”
“No, Leonard left them. He wants me to know something about the Barracudas.”
Jackson frowned. “Maybe he wants to lure you into their trap.”
I shook my head “Honestly, he doesn’t seem like the type to go hardcore like that. He’s a loner and too unhinged to be trustworthy in a group like that.”
“I agree. But he’s trying to tell you something he feels is important.”
“What could that be?”
Jackson shifted to face me more. “We’ve been working a lot of leads around here lately. We’ve even had to call the state Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, the coast guard—just to name a few. The Barracudas have chosen this area as their hub. Everyone has an eye on them.”
“You suspect that they’re somehow connected to Morty’s death, don’t you?” I’d been able to tell that Jackson knew something—something big—that he wasn’t allowed to share. Was this it?
“Let’s just say that this area has been a hotbed of crime lately. Things that would keep tourists away if they knew.”
“The mayor would hate that.”
Jackson raised his eyebrows, answering without words.
I kept thinking about the information I’d seen in Billy’s place. I wanted to stay quiet about it to avoid conflict and lectures—at least until I knew for sure that what I’d discovered was valuable.
But I knew I couldn’t anymore. My conscious was bothering me.
“I have something you need to see,” I confessed, dread pooling in my stomach.
“What’s that?”
I pulled out my phone and found the photos. “These.”
Jackson took the device from me and squinted as he studied the images. “What is this?”
“I’m not sure. But it could be significant to the case.” Did I have to say the rest and explain myself? Weren’t the photos enough? I already knew the answer, but I was in denial.
Jackson gave me that look of exasperation. “Joey . . .”
I closed my eyes and, before I lost my courage, blurted, “I broke into Billy’s house and found it there.”
“You did what?” he croaked.
I plucked one eye open. “I broke into Billy’s house.”
“What in the world were you thinking?”
“I just wanted answers.” I really wanted to say that Dizzy made me do it, but I wouldn’t throw my friend under the bus. Or had it been my idea? I’d blocked it out.
An image of the movie Speed filled my head again. Yep, that was my life.
“You don’t break into people’s homes to get answers. Especially not Billy Corbina. Do you know what he would have done if he’d caught you?” His voice escalated with frustration.
“Filleted me and fed me to the fish?” I was glad I had thought that through earlier.
“Yes, exactly. Please tell me you’ll never do that again, Joey.”
I opened my mouth and shut it again. I would love to tell Jackson that, but I also wanted to be truthful. And I knew if push came to shove, I would do whatever was necessary to find the answers.
He raked a hand through his hair. “We’ll talk later.”
“Okay.” It was all I could offer.
He gave me one more look before staring at my phone again. Then his expression broke.
He’d realized something. But what?
“Now it makes sense.” He picked up his phone and, before I could ask any questions, called someone. “You need to go pick up Billy Corbina.”
My heart spiked. What? But I knew better than to ask too many questions.
He ended the call and turned toward me, his expression even more serious than usual. “I need to get to the station.”
I nodded a little too eagerly. “Of course.”
“You can come with me.”
“I can?” He might as well have said the Academy had decided to give all Oscar nominees an award instead of picking just one in each category. Jackson was actually letting me tag along again.
“Yeah, you might want to hear this,” he said.
I wasn’t going to argue. “My listening ears are on.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I tried not to ask too many questions as we drove, which was easy enough since Jackson was on the phone again. But before we climbed out of the car at the police station, Jackson turned toward me.
“This morning we finally caught one of the people who’ve been leaving skimmers at local gas stations and ATMs,” he said.
Credit card skimmers? That was . . . not what I expected to hear.
“Detective Gardner was handling one of those cases.” I hadn’t had any clue it might be connected with all this.
“Yes, he has. We’ve been trying to track down the person bringing the technology to the area—to cut the snake off at the head, so to speak. It may seem like an inconsequential crime, but in reality it can wreak havoc in the victim’s life. Cost them money, time, peace of mind. Meanwhile, the criminals behind it rake in the big bucks.”
“I didn’t realize it was so lucrative.”
He nodded. “They get these credit card numbers and then sell them to bidders on something like eBay, only for criminals. The amount these guys make are nearly in competition with what you probably make as an actress.”
“And it’s all through criminal enterprise.”
Jackson nodded. “The worst part is that it’s usually only the tip of the iceberg. Kind of like pot is what they call a gateway drug. Well, skimmers are just the start of other crime binges, and it’s nearly impossible to catch the guys behind it.”
“But you did?” I clarified.
“Apparently Billy has been the one selling the technology to local thugs in the area.”
I tried to think it all through. “Is that the business he and Morty went into together?”
“It’s quite possible. Those drawings you found appear to be schematics on how to build those skimmers. Those names? Those are probably his buyers.”
I straightened. At least something good had come out of my breaking-and-entering binge. “That’s great news.”
“The information you found helped us put together some other evidence we’d been collecting. Of course, those pictures you took would be thrown out in a court of law for being obtained illegally. But we can get a search warrant for the actual papers. Maybe the information is still there at Billy’s place. It could be the lead we’ve been looking for.”
I beamed. I’d helped break a case. Yay for me.
“But you still shouldn’t sneak into Billy’s house,” Jackson said. “Or anyone’s house for that matter.”
My beam dimmed quickly.
“Does that mean that Billy killed Morty?”
“We don’t know.”
Another thought hit me. “If Billy did this, then Zane has been falsely accused.”
“He’s not out of the woods yet,” Jackson said, his frown deepening.
“But he’s closer to being out of the woods.” And that was enough for me.
I couldn’t believe it, but Jackson let me sit on the other side of the
interrogation window as Billy was being questioned. I could hear everything that was being asked and answered.
And I couldn’t be happier. Maybe Jackson finally saw me as a vital part of this team. It was doubtful, but a girl could dream.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Billy’s arms were crossed, and he was the picture of defiance. He wasn’t at all happy about being here or being caught. Then again—who would be?
“The two guys we caught sold you out,” Jackson said. He looked all Law and Order tough. No, make that Stephen Amell on Arrow. I mean, Oliver Queen wasn’t officially a detective but close enough. “They said you were the one they got the skimmers from.”
Billy scowled. “They just want to frame me.”
“Why would they want to frame you?”
“You tell me.” The heat in Billy’s gaze was capable of burning a hole in anything in its path. “And I didn’t kill Morty. I figure that’s your next question.”
“Then who did?”
“I’d say that’s your job to figure out, not mine. Besides, I thought you’d already arrested someone. Zane.”
“But we know you and Morty were going into business together. We just didn’t know that you were distributing skimmers. Or were you creating them?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Another officer went into the room and handed Jackson a paper. He studied it before saying, “You know you hired someone to make them.”
Jackson slapped something onto the table.
Probably those schematics.
Billy’s gaze darkened. “You went into my house.”
“We had a warrant.”
He shrugged. “There’s nothing illegal about trying to figure out how they’re made. Maybe I’m researching for a book or something.”
“We all know that’s not true. If you didn’t make them, who’d you get them from?”
Billy shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
This was better than Law and Order or Arrow. If only I had some popcorn and an Izze.
“That’s not going to cut it, Billy.” Jackson leaned closer. “You’re going to be in prison for a long time for this. Even your father’s money won’t buy you out.”
His fist hit the table, spilling Jackson’s coffee. Jackson made no move to clean it up.
“I don’t need my dad’s money anymore,” Billy said. “I’m making my own.”
“Your legal bills will go into the millions. Are you making that much on your own?”
Billy’s gaze jerked back up toward Jackson’s. “Yes, I am.”
“And all from selling these skimmers? Or from your little bar?”
Billy said nothing, but his cheeks reddened. He didn’t like Jackson insulting his business.
“Are you a part of the Barracudas?” Jackson pressed.
Billy snorted. “Of course not.”
Jackson gave him a cold no-nonsense stare. “We have evidence that says that might not be true.”
“The Barracudas have their hands everywhere,” Billy said. “Everywhere. You could be working with them and don’t even know it.”
“It’s doubtful.”
“I’d tread carefully if I were you.” Billy leaned closer. “You can tell your friend Joey that her dad started asking questions like this, and no one has seen him since.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Detective Gardner rushed into the room where I was watching the interrogation. He pounded on the glass to get Jackson’s attention.
Jackson pushed himself from the table and strode toward the door, his expression stormy at the interruption. He stepped out and shut the door behind him. “What’s going on?”
“I knew you’d want to hear this right away,” Gardner said. “We’ve got another dead body.”
“Where?”
“A hotel on the oceanfront. We think it’s connected to this case.”
“You stay here with Billy and see if you can get anything else out of him,” Jackson said. “I’m going to the scene.”
Gardner nodded and stepped into the interrogation room. As soon as the door was closed, Jackson turned toward me and stooped down until his eyes were even with mine. He did it only when he was really concerned about me. Like now.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said.
I knew what he was talking about. What Billy had said concerning my dad.
But we didn’t have time to address that now. Not really. Instead, I said, “I’m just tired of everyone who has any information about my father refusing to talk.”
“We’re working on it. We have ways of using leverage, so don’t give up hope yet.” He straightened, took my arm, and led me to the door. “Come on. Let’s get to the hotel.”
“I’m coming?” Had I heard correctly?
“Unless you don’t want to.”
“Oh, I’ll go.” Of course.
Five minutes later, we were in Jackson’s car. I knew I didn’t have much time to chat with Jackson, so I jumped right in.
“Billy Corbina is a vile human being,” I muttered.
“He is.”
“And despite everything we know, we still don’t know who killed Morty.”
Jackson remained quiet. He was probably still thinking about Zane.
“How about Leonard? Does he know? Is he talking?”
“He’s gone stone-cold quiet. Won’t say a word.”
I sighed. “Gardner said this dead body might be connected also? Can you tell me anything before we get there?”
“It’s a woman. Housekeeping came to do their daily cleanup and found her. That’s all I know at this point.”
I nodded, satisfied that he’d said that much. “Okay, got it.”
We pulled up to a hotel a few minutes later. It was one of the nicer ones in the area with an indoor pool and updated exterior. We took the elevator up to the fifth floor, and I stayed on Jackson’s heels as he hurried down the hallway.
“Any idea who she is?” Jackson asked the officer at the scene.
“The front desk said her name was Sydney Becker. I did a quick check, and that appears to be an alias. Couldn’t find a driver’s license or credit card information even.”
“Stay here,” Jackson told me.
I nodded obediently and took my place against the wall. All the rooms here were oceanfront, and a wall of windows on the other side of the hallway faced the parking lot and street outside.
Police tape was pulled across the door, and an officer stood guarding the area.
I’d thought I wanted to come, but now I remembered again just how boring this part of police investigations was. I studied my cuticles. Texted Phoebe. Took some silly selfies and played with filters that made me look like a cat and a troll.
Finally, I peeked past the officer and into the room. I spotted the body. With a tattoo. Dark hair. Pierced nose.
I swallowed the lump in my throat just as Jackson spotted me and paced closer to the police line.
“Would the fact that she’s Australian make any difference?” I asked.
Jackson paused and stared at me with a touch of trepidation in his gaze. “Why do you think that?”
My anxiety climbed higher. “I’ve seen her before.”
He crossed to the other side of the police line and looked at me. “Where?”
I swallowed hard again. “Billy’s place.”
“You saw this woman there?” He looked dumbfounded. Truly dumbfounded.
One of my many talents was making him feel that way.
“That’s correct,” I said. “She had an accent. As did the woman who met with Evan and Morty before his death.”
He shook his head, obviously exasperated with me.
I shrugged. “You told me to stay out of it.”
“Yet you didn’t.”
“I didn’t want you to know that!”
He did the familiar rake-his-hand-over-his-face move. “That doesn’t mean that you withhold informat
ion.”
“I didn’t want you to be mad.”
“I’m not mad. But your actions concern me sometimes.”
I shrugged again. Frowned. Widened my eyes with apology. “Sorry.”
He took my elbow and led me to the other side of the police line, toward the body. He lowered his voice as he leaned closer. “Anything else I should know?”
I shook my head, honestly trying to think of something. Anything. “Nothing comes to mind.”
As soon as I said the words, something across the room caught my eye.
“She and Billy were apparently more than just colleagues,” I said.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because Eau de Sunset was at Billy’s place also. She’d stayed there.”
He nodded slowly. “Good observation.”
An officer—his name was Byron, if I remembered correctly—approached Jackson. “We found her phone and were able to unlock it.”
“Anything noteworthy on it?”
The officer showed him the screen. “How about this?”
I glanced over Jackson’s shoulder and sucked in a breath.
“That’s my mom,” I whispered.
My whole world felt like it was spinning, and I might have sunk to the floor if it weren’t for Jackson grabbing my arm and leading me into the hallway.
“Take a deep breath,” he said.
I listened. Sucked in air. Released it. Over and over.
That was my mom. Definitely.
I’d thought I’d seen her about a month ago around the time of my movie premiere here in this area. Then I’d rationalized that my eyes were just playing tricks.
She’d walked out of my life and my father’s life when I was two. Said she was going to pursue a modeling career. We’d never seen or heard from her since then. Once—just once—when I was a teenager, I’d tried to find her.
My search had lasted about a week, until I realized she must not want to be found. And she obviously hadn’t made a name for herself as a model, because I’d never seen any pictures of her.
When I’d shown up here in the Outer Banks, I’d found some of my father’s old things. Tucked among them was a photo of my mom. Not an old picture. A new one. Taken on the grassy shores of what appeared to be a local waterway.
Blooper Freak (The Worst Detective Ever Book 5) Page 14
