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Levi rolled his eyes at his husband. “I can’t believe you were telling me to behave when we walked in here.” He snagged the laptop from in front of Marsh and opened the crime scene photos they’d reviewed that morning. He flipped the laptop around but kept it closer to them, aiming for that broader perspective that had helped Marsh realize what he was seeing. “Each room was searched, but when you look at them all together?—
“That room,” Aidan said, pointing at Press’s office, “was searched more thoroughly. Something to do with Ward’s work?”
“Or something Ward left behind.”
Eight
Marsh couldn’t park the RX fast enough once they finally reached their destination in Newport Beach. Catch Me looked like a nice enough place, an upscale eatery on the channel, but Marsh’s aching back and legs distracted him from the view. What should’ve been an hour and fifteen-minute drive had stretched over two and would have stretched longer if Levi didn’t seem to know every shortcut in southern California.
The FBI agent waiting for them on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant looked similarly displeased at their delay until he saw Jamie climbing out of the passenger seat. The two were old friends from when Jamie was at MIT, and Matt had been partnered with Jamie’s best friend, Cam. “I didn’t expect to see you until the weekend,” Matt said, LA doing nothing to diminish his New York accent. “What are you doing here early?”
“Matty K,” he huffed, hands over his chest, pretending to be injured while doing his best Cam impression. “You don’t love me no more?”
“Don’t you start with that nickname too!” Smiling, Matt swatted at him once before yanking him into a hug. “Of course I still love you.”
Marsh missed having Matt in the San Diego office, the agent briefly partnered with Levi, but from the few times he and Levi had met up with Matt the past year, it was obvious Los Angeles was a better fit for him. “Hope you don’t mind the surprise,” Marsh said as he took his turn for a hug.
“Not at all, and I don’t mind meeting here either.” He jutted his chin at the restaurant. “Been meaning to visit this place.”
“We’re not here to eat, unfortunately,” Levi said.
“Doesn’t look like we could get a table anyways,” Marsh added. All the sidewalk patio tables were full, and a steady stream of summery dressed people continued to go in and out the front doors.
“I didn’t mean for the food,” Matt said, and the change in his tone from jovial to serious was enough to draw all their glances.
Levi shifted them out of the middle of the sidewalk and off to the side of the patio, out of anyone’s earshot. “Explain,” he said to Matt. “We’re here because the late co-owner was also the owner of a house one of Jamie’s former players bought. Had some trouble there the other night.”
“Unrelated, I think,” Matt said, then turned his attention to Marsh. “Remember that jewel thief case? The one you hacked some info on for me when you were trying to get into my good graces.” He tilted his head toward Levi. “And into his pants.”
Marsh smirked. “I remember. You still working it?”
“In my spare time. Following the money like we did on the Eder case.”
“And it leads here?” Levi asked.
“Maybe. There are some interesting influxes of cash, all coming roughly the same number of days after each theft.”
Jamie said the thing they were all thinking. “Laundering.”
“That or their funding lines up too perfectly.”
Marsh had heard enough to be doubly intrigued now. He removed his hat and gestured toward the door. “Let’s go find out.”
Matt led the way, having already spoken with the host, not wanting to cause a scene. Good thing as their group looked distinctly too suited for the casual crowd. She led them through the main dining room to a private one behind sliding barn doors. Inside, Luis Rivera, the man they were there to see, sat chatting over empty plates with a white man dressed in entirely too much black for a hot, summer day.
The two men glanced their direction, and Marsh was struck by the stranger in black’s appearance, familiar somehow but he couldn’t place him. The stranger seemed to place Matt, though, his gaze darting directly to the other agent, same as Matt’s had to him. And staying there while the host spoke quietly to Rivera. After a moment, Rivera broke the staredown, sharing a few words with the stranger, then a hug before the man in black disappeared with the host through a door to the kitchen.
“Gentlemen.” Rivera gestured them over. “Please, come have a seat.”
Levi led the way, hand extended. “Assistant Special Agent in Charge Levi Bishop.” They exchanged friendly handshakes, then each of them in turn, Rivera insisting they call him Luis, before everyone claimed chairs around the table. “Shame I didn’t have my son’s Remedy album with me,” Levi said. “Ryan is his favorite.”
That’s who the stranger had been—Ryan Lassiter from David’s favorite band, Remedy. There was a poster of him in David’s room.
“Can’t Gino get it signed for you?” Marsh said. “What’s the point of having a rock star cousin if you can’t call in the occasional favor?”
“Gino Morelli of Middle Cut?” Luis said, his eyes sparkling. “He and Bennett used to be in here all the time. I miss them so much.”
“That’s them,” Levi said with a nod. “And yeah, they’ve been on tour nonstop these past few years.” So much so they’d missed Gino’s sister’s wedding last year. Only security had shown, not the rock stars.
