Page 75 of Witness Security Breach

The call ended.

Slapping the flip phone closed, Garcia grunted in frustration and slid it into her pocket.

Jensen stared at her, waiting. When she shook her head that the marshals turning themselves in was a no-go, he came over. “Anything useful?”

“Maybe.” Hopefully. “According to them, Walsh has Albatross. They claim they’re innocent and are meeting Walsh to get their witness back. Supposedly this drive,” she said, holding it up, “has everything we need to put away Walsh and Romero.”

“Why would they give it to you when they could use it as leverage?”

Leverage? Hell, it was probably worth millions. “They say they’re innocent. That they were set up by the people who kidnapped Albatross.”

“Do they know who?”

“Aiden Yazzie swears it was Frank Devlin and several other SWAT officers.”

Jensen’s brow furrowed and he looked down like something had occurred to him. “Devlin was at Avido’s yesterday afternoon.”

“What?” Garcia rocked back on her heels. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“He was there during regular business hours. It could’ve been just to eat, and once Walsh disappeared, finding him was our only focus.”

Didn’t it occur to Jensen that the two incidents could’ve been related?

If what Yazzie had told her was true, Devlin probably went to Avido’s to coordinate payment and the drop-off of Albatross.

Garcia shoved the flash drive in Jensen’s hand. “Have everyone stay close by for the next couple of hours and I want you to verify the contents of the drive.” She turned and took off.

“Where are you going?” he called after her.

“To check the end of the recording from Avido’s. See if we got the conversation.”

Chapter Eighteen

After Bill had waited twenty-one hours, the burner phone on his side table in the small passenger cabin buzzed.

Audubon Aquarium. Send a picture of Edgar Plinski standing in front of the aquarium sign, Canal Street side, by three o’clock, or the deal is off. No Devlin.

Bill chuckled. The gumption of those marshals to think they could dictate to him. Bill would be crazy not to show up with Devlin, the most merciless monster on his payroll, to finish this.

With only thirty minutes to be at the aquarium, they needed to get going.

Stretching, he held his hands up and stared at the bloodstains under his nails. He should’ve worn gloves before he ripped out a few of Edgar’s teeth.

Out of all the ways he’d tortured Edgar, for hours, none had brought Bill more than a modicum of the satisfaction that he sought.

He sighed but was comforted by the knowledge that soon the marshals would be dead, and Edgar would be his to do with as Bill pleased.

Then he’d work through his pain and grief with his fists.

Someone pounded on his cabin door. “Uncle Bill! Open up!”

Bill threw on his suit jacket, slicked back his hair and hit the lever, opening the door. “What is it?”

“Enzo. He’s making a play.”

“For the brothels?’

“No. For everything! His men are at both the apartment buildings, rounding up the girls, kicking out the johns, taking the money, and they’re also at the processing plant. He’s stealing our dope.”