"Help me get Riley back. Help me take care of Vladimir.”
"I'm not going to help you kill him.”
"You just said, he's not going to let anybody involved walk away. The only way Riley can live the rest of her life without looking over her shoulder is if Vladimir stops breathing."
"Shane, I'm a cop. Are you really trying to pull me into a conspiracy to assassinate someone?”
"No. I would never do something like that,” he said, covering his ass. “I think you’ve misinterpreted me.” He paused. “But Vladimir is a scumbag drug dealer who kills people every daywith his product. Kids, adults, you name it. Getting that guy off the street is doing a service to society.”
"I'll help you get Riley back. But let's make one thing clear. You let me handle Vladimir. I will bring him down legitimately." I paused. "How involved is Riley in this?”
"She's not involved at all.”
"I don't believe that.”
"Believe it.”
"Why should I? You haven't been straight with me from the beginning.”
Shane hesitated a moment, then exhaled. "Look, just get Riley back. I'll come clean about everything once I know she’s safe.”
"Who killed the guard? Who killed James?”
"That's a distraction, man. Focus on Riley. I know she means something to you, too. She likes you, and you’ve got my blessing.”
"I'll do everything I can to get her back,” I said. “I suggest we bring in the FBI on this."
"Are you out of your mind? No FBI. No other cops. Just you, me, and JD.”
"Where's the cash and the jewel?”
“Not over an open channel. Meet me at the Salty Dawg in 20 minutes.”
I ended the call and filled JD in on the situation.
“That dipshit. What the hell was he thinking?”
“Apparently, he wasn’t.”
We left the Platinum Dunes and drove to the bar. Jack pulled into the lot and found a place to park. We waited in the car, keeping an eye out for the black Thundercat.
Shane pulled into the lot a few minutes later.
Jack flashed the lights, and Shane drove around to the Porsche. He rolled down his window and shouted at Jack, “Follow me!”
30
We followed Shane to the Pirates’ Cove Marina. We parked in the lot, hopped out, and hustled down the dock with him to a slip with a 32-foot SunBreeze namedEasy Street. It was an older boat, but in decent shape.
"Is this your boat?" I asked.
"I had to indulge myself a little. Nothing flashy.” Shane fumbled for his keys as he stood in front of a dock box. He hesitated for a moment and shared a look with us. “Just so we’re on the same page… We get Riley back. Nothing interferes with that.”
"You hid $140 million worth of stolen loot in a dock box secured by a padlock?" I said in disbelief.
"No,” he said, feigning innocence. “I stole nothing. I hid nothing. But if someone were to have, this is the last place anybody would look,” Shane said with confidence as he unlocked the box and lifted the lid.
The life drained out of his face when he looked inside.
