Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Joe groaned quietly, rolling then lifting his eyes to the ceiling. “Not again. Do you know how many times we’ve rehashed this information?”
“Yes, and we’re doing it again with a different view to the details. We’ve missed something. We need a fresh approach. We also need to include Ben Cross. He’s watched countless hours of video and input,” Cash said, continuing his climb up the stairs.
“No…way.” Joe shook his head at the mention of Ben Cross. “Not him. He’s weird. He talks too much.”
“You’re weird,” Cash said. Joe had let him trip in the dark…twice. “You talk too much.”
“You’re weird,” Joe shot back with force and dropped his head between his shoulder blades. When Cash made it to the top of the staircase, Joe pivoted around to their shared apartment and started that way, clomping as he went. “So who’s our focus now?”
That was a good question. Since every roadblock that could have gotten in their way had done so, he’d forgotten that he and Joe were rarely ever in a position to bounce information back and forth to build off one another.
“With what we now know, I believe the suspect list is shorter from the Disciples side. We’ve got Fox who’s an utter dumbass, so probably not him. But there’s also a reason Ray-Ray hasn’t gone missing for his trick with the Dallas DA… We need to add Dallas DA Twiford to the list. Maybe she’s been an asset to the Disciples over all these years before having some falling out.”
“Good one,” Joe said, snapping his fingers then pointing to Cash. “I’ve questioned Ray-Ray and Fox’s involvement a million times. I don’t see it. But I never thought of the Twiford angle. It makes sense. She’s crafty. I can see that.” Joe headed to the tables and computer equipment set in the middle of their living room. “If Diesel’s off your shortlist, explain to me why. I haven’t taken him off my list. Then Dixie, Fox’s girlfriend. And Daphne, her daughter.”
“I’m taking Diesel off my short list because I’m not sure the brothers have it in them to steal on a large level. I think they’re masters at executing small crimes, but I just can’t see anything substantial from the lot of them. The way I see it, whoever gathered the initial intelligence needs to top the list. I want to know who they are regardless of their undercover status.”
“Malik’s been involved with the case for years now,” Joe stated about their direct lead in the Dallas DEA field office. “He’s worked closely with the entire team that Ben Cross is on.”
“Absolutely Malik.” Cash shut the door as the frustration and weird jealousy he had faded, and the case took precedence. “Can Stuart get us a list of every federal employee who ever touched this case? Managers, leads, and directors. Who’s been assigned to the case in the last five or so years?”
“I already pulled that information,” Joe said, reminding Cash why Joe made such a good partner.
He took a seat in front of his laptop, directly across from Joe.
“I also pulled income and tax records for those employees. That needs to stay on the down-low.”
“Really nice job.” Cash snapped his fingers then pointed at Joe, giving him a wink. “That’s why I keep you around.”
“Hold off on the praise. I haven’t gotten through much of the financials. There’s a lot there.” Joe rolled his office chair behind one of the three monitors on that side of the table. Two CPUs sat at his feet.
“Then that’s where we begin.” Cash lifted his laptop lid as hope infiltrated his darkening heart.
Joe nodded. “I used your login to gather the tax information from Records Management. I figured you had more pull than me. Don’t be pissed. I’m waiting to receive all of Fox’s tax forms for the last five years. Also Dixie, Daphne, and Diesel’s records. I’ll add Twiford. Who else should I ask for? Ray-Ray…” Joe didn’t wait for input as his fingers flew over his keyboard. He was off.
Cash let him go as he logged into his laptop.
If he could manage to trust the process and stay focused on the intelligence, not the crazy, addicting tattoo artist who had soundly ignored him until he’d passed out, then maybe he could, in fact, solve this case.
Chapter 17
Being back on his bike, balancing the weight and absorbing the rumble between his thighs felt right as rain. Dev lifted his gaze to the sky as he considered the possibility of actual precipitation. Since last night had been one of the most relaxing nights he’d had in a while, he figured rain would follow. He was always up for a good thunderstorm.
No. That wasn’t quite right.
He had a good, relaxing time every night he spent with Cash. But since Cash had the magic ability of silencing the incessant chatter in his head, of keeping the racing thoughts at a distance, it was cool to learn that ability now held whenever Cash was in a general vicinity. It hadn’t always been that way. The quiet was fire. He had a really good time hanging out at home, drinking beer, shooting the shit with Trace about nothing important at all.