Riley was bound and gagged, tears staining her cheeks. She looked disheveled, but unharmed. Held just below her face, the front page of today's newspaper displayed the date.
"Send that image to me," I said.
He did, and I forwarded it to Isabella to see if there was any information she could glean from the metadata.
Shane pulled out the gem and handed it to me along with his phone.
“I feel like I should disinfect this.”
He sneered at me.
I took a picture of it and sent it to Vladimir via the encrypted app that he had used to contact Shane. I knew from experience that it was almost impossible to hackMemo. Even Isabella wouldn't be able to find his location.
We hurried back to Coconut Key and drove to the marina at Diver Down.
"How do you want to play this?" Shane asked.
39
The sheriff called. “You’re not going to believe this. Or maybe you will. That six million dollars is gone.”
“What!?”
They got ambushed on the way back to the police station. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t have two deputies following them.”
“Is everyone okay?”
He breathed a grim exhale. “No. Malone and his crew are dead. Deputies Langley and St. James are alive. Langley’s in the hospital, but he’ll be okay.”
“This was an inside job,” I said.
“They knew the route and the timing. No way it was random. These guys were pros. They hit them hard. PBPD is taking the investigation.”
“Malone would have walked off with that cash if he could,” I said. “I know this sounds crazy, but do you think he tipped somebodyoff? Maybe it was supposed to look like a robbery. But whoever did it wanted to keep the money for themselves.”
“You know, at this point, anything is possible.”
“Keep me posted about Langley.”
“I will. Now tell me what you’re up to.”
I told him about the exchange.
"You two are on leave.”
"It’s too bad kidnappers don't take breaks."
"What do you have to exchange?"
"Don't ask."
"I know I'd be wasting my breath if I told you to sit this one out."
"Yes, that would be a colossal waste of breath."
"I can't have you two involved in another shooting tonight. You understand that?"
"I won't shoot anybody. Promise.”
