Page 27 of A Lethal Betrayal


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“Sonofabitch.”

“What?” Koa’s response was quick.

“There’s a walk-in closet off the bathroom. It’s full of designer clothes and—” He broke off as he took a step closer to a dressing table with a marble top. He moved his penlight over it. “And a shit ton of very expensive watches.” There were no windows, so Dane located the light switch and turned it on.

“Shit,” Tac said. “Must be nice.”

The closet was a ten-by-ten square. The entire perimeter was taken up with clothes. Some areas of the closet were for longer stuff and some shorter. One cabinet had doors on it. There was also a section straight ahead that was only for shoes.

“Did you find anythingimportantyet?” Cass’s voice was low but she sounded frustrated. She was sitting downstairs in a bar next door to the building, keeping an eye on the street. “I’m tired of being hit on by drunk assholes. Hurry up.”

Dane smiled. He started on his left and worked methodically, checking every piece of clothing. He made it through several sections and then came to the cabinet with the doors on it. He opened them and pushed the many bathrobes aside. Hanging on the back wall were two leather crops, handcuffs, and other bondage gadgets that he wasn’t even sure what they were used for. “Just found some sex toys, Cass. Does that count?”

“Fuck you,” she said with a laugh.

He closed the closet doors and continued his search. A decorative wooden box on the marble-topped island held the guy’s watch collection. He checked the drawers underneath. Still nothing. Owens had purchased every designer brand imaginable and then some. Versace, Dior, Zegna, Veridani, Armani—shit, there were brands Dane had never even heard of, and he knew a fair amount because his sister was into fashion and lived in New York City. He’d heard about the brands ad nauseam last time he was home for Christmas.

He continued around the perimeter of the room, even checking pockets and seams of clothing. He bent down and checked the shoes as well. Still nothing. In the last section before the doorway, he found it. “Got something.”

“What?” Koa asked.

“Wall safe.” He stared at the number pad. “Anyone have any ideas about the code?”

“His wife’s birthday?” Jace suggested.

Koa snorted. “The man came here to party. The second bedroom is full of sex toys and condoms. It won’t be his wife’s birthday.” He walked through the door into the closet and stood beside Dane. “I checked the kitchen. Clean. Nothing but beer and wine. No food. Must have ordered in.”

Dane nodded absently. “Nothing from his family life. What about from the Coast Guard? The date he joined?”

Jace read off a date, and Dane tried it, but the diode on the keypad turned red.

“What about the date he became team leader?” Cass suggested.

Dane nodded. That one he could see. Jace rattled the numbers off, and Dane tried those, too, but the keypad turned red again.

“Trouble coming,” Cain said.

“Shit! What?” Dane demanded.

“Rankin. She just entered the building.”

Fuck. That wasn’t good. “How did she find out about this place so quickly?”

“Dunno, but you two need to get out of there,” Tac said.

“Wait,” Dane said. “What’s the date he bought the condo?”

Jace cursed. “Give me a second.”

“Come on, come on,” Dane muttered.

“He closed on September sixth.”

“Oh-nine-oh-six,” Dane said as he hit the keys. The keypad turned green, and the door clicked. “Yes!” Dane turned the handle and pulled it open. The safe contained a couple of handguns and a little black book. He glanced at Koa. “Any chance this has more than women’s names and numbers in it?”

Koa shrugged and made a hurry-up motion with his hand.

Dane flipped the pages. There were entries of some sort, but the random letters and numbers didn’t make any sense. “Shit, it’s in code.”

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