“Sebastian,” Aubrey said with a sigh. “I wasn’t even with my ex four years ago. And by the time I met Matt, he had transitioned to Organized Crime.”
“Here, just look at a picture of the guy. I know I’ve met him in the past. And this is a small world—you could have met him too before you moved to America’s retirement community.”
“That’s Fort Lauderdale.”
“I thought that was spring break gone wild?”
Aubrey chuckled. “It’s both.”
“Florida is weird.” I held up the photocopied picture to the webcam. “Can you see it?”
“I’ll be damned.”
“What?”
“I think I know the guy.”
I lowered the picture so I could see Aubrey again. “Yeah?”
“He looks fatter—then again, show me one person with a flattering driver’s license.”
I turned the picture around to stare at it.
“I mean,” Aubrey continued. “It’s been a while, but when I used to work at the pawn shop in New York—that guy was on our wall.”
“On your wall?” Max repeated in confusion.
Aubrey nodded. “Yeah. The ‘don’t serve these assholes’ wall. I can’t entirely remember why, but he was probably trying to off something fake or of questionable origin.” He tugged absently on one of his gauged ears. “He had the weirdest voice. Like he’d inhaled helium.”
Max started laughing.
“Was he ever investigated by the FBI?”
“I don’t know,” Aubrey said. “How much do you think a government agent actually told me about his cases? Dating or not?”
“Maybe I’ve got a way of wooing information out of guys with badges,” I replied.
“Seb harasses cops until they would rather divulge information than listen to one more minute of his pestering,” Max said.
I was going to have to rethink this year’s holiday bonus for Max.
“Do you have any recollection as to what Richard may have been trying to sell?” I asked.
Aubrey closed his eyes.
“Aubs,” I stated.
He opened them. “Sorry?”
“Don’t pass out on me yet.”
“It’s my nap time.”
“What was he selling?” I tried again.
“Oh, Seb, it was years ago. I think maybe it was an old pistol and a samurai sword.” Aubrey nodded to himself. “Yeah, that sounds right. But I’ll text you my old manager’s contact information. He kept good records and reported stolen items. And if your boyfriend wants to talk to Matt… have him call the New York office and ask for Special Agent Jun Tanaka. That’s his partner. Jun will put him through to Matt. I don’t want Matt hearing my name at all, okay?”
“Okay, thanks.”
