Page 58 of Wild Escape

"I do have a list of contacts in the industry. But that book is too hot to handle at the moment. No legitimate broker, or illegitimate broker for that matter, would go near it until it cools down.” He thought for a moment, and I suspected a name popped into his head. He knew exactly who would deal in this kind of thing. “If I hear something, I will let you know.”

"I would appreciate that," I said as I dug into my pocket and handed him a card.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I have sights to see and people to meet."

He bid us adieu and went about his business.

JD and I watched him go, disappearing into the sea of people.

We left the hotel and headed back to the Driftwood. Jack found a place to park across the street.

I called Denise.

“Took you long enough.”

“She hasn’t moved, has she?”

“Nope. Do you need me back, or can I go about my day?”

“Can you give me just a little more time?”

Denise sighed. “Expensive. Something really expensive.”

“You got it.”

She drove off, and we took watch.

Half an hour later, she returned to relieve us. I talked to her on the phone again.

“I’m going to need another break in a few hours.”

“Just give me a heads up.”

“Oh, I will. Just pick up your phone.”

“You’re the best.”

“I know,” she said in an annoyed voice.

We headed back to the station to sift through the burglary records to see if we could make any kind of connection to LJ or Wyatt.

JD and I watched the footage that was on file from the other robberies around Coconut Key. There were a few clips of the assailants from doorbell cameras. Most of the footage was dark and grainy. It was hard to make out the assailants with any detail. Sometimes there were two of them, sometimes three.

The best footage came from a residence in Palm Haven. The burglary happened a month prior at the Murphy residence. The video doorbell captured a big guy, a guy with a medium build, and a petite woman. It could have been the same people who robbed the Caldwells. But I couldn't say with any degree of certainty.

I needed something that could put Wyatt and his gang, or LJ, or somebody, in the vicinity of the Palm Haven break-in during the time of the crime. Isabella was busy when I called and said she’d get back to me.

When she did, she had something interesting to say.

30

"On the night of the break-in in Palm Haven, roughly a month ago, there is a charge on Wyatt’s credit card for $52 at the gas station just around the corner," Isabella said. "That puts him in the vicinity within the window of opportunity. I would get to that gas station and see if you can pull security footage."

"You're a lifesaver," I said. "I'm on it."

I thanked her and ended the call.

“Where the hell is your prisoner?” Daniels asked when he spotted us at Denise’s empty terminal.