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Falco gestured to the envelope. “What’s this?”
“My case isn’t closed.” Sadie opened the envelope. “I still don’t know who killed Walsh or his friend, Kurtz.”
“Technically, Cross,” Falco countered, “the case is ours, and we’re still trying to figure that out as well.”
Sadie’s eyebrows reared up in surprise. “The task force?”
“We’re still working with the DEA,” Kerri explained, “but this time, we’re lead in the homicide portion of the case.”
Sadie let her surprise show. “Good to know. Before I forget, I had a visitor last night.” As she pressed the folds out of the pages, she brought Devlin and Falco up to speed on Lana Walsh’s theory about her husband.
“She gave you the spreadsheets?” Devlin asked.
“No. My computer guy finally hacked his way into the thumb drive I found at Naomi’s house where Asher—Walsh had hidden it.”
Devlin leaned toward the pages in question. “Did you find anything that will help us with solving the murders?”
“I don’t know.” Sadie pointed to the columns. “There are lots of numbers, like deposits or transfers and delivery dates.” She tapped the headings of the main two columns. “There appears to be only two names associated with whatever all this means. Harvard and Iris.”
Falco leaned forward and scanned the top page. “There’s the cosmetics company called Iris.”
“Ironically the company rents one of Taylor’s warehouses,” Kerri pointed out. “I doubt that’s a coincidence.”
“Yeah, that was my first thought,” Sadie said. “Both Asher and his father attended Harvard, but I’m certain this is the father.”
“The father gets my vote,” Falco said.
“Me too,” Kerri agreed. “Not that there’s really any question.”
Sadie allowed a hint of a smile at Devlin’s smart-ass remark. “Exactly. So, I called Lana Walsh this morning. Leland Walsh is still missing.”
“Is she making an official report?” Falco asked.
“Yeah, she was headed to the BPD when I called. With all that happened yesterday, it’s possible Leland Walsh has cut and run—if his wife’s theory is on target.” She gestured to the pages on the counter. “And if our conclusions on all this are right.”
Kerri looked up from her study of the columns. “So, Harvard and Iris are silent partners, and they’re using the cosmetics company as a cover for whatever illegal activity they’re involved in.”
“Like drugs,” Falco said. “Cortez worked at the warehouse Iris Cosmetics used. We know he’s connected to the cartel. A trusted connection since he was given custody of the granddaughter.”
“Has Warren,” Sadie interjected, “given up the cosmetics company or anything about the Walsh case? You’d think any large distributor in the area would be a serious bargaining chip for her. Whatever her relationship with the cartel, it had to be influential, powerful. Is she saying anything at all?”
“Not that we’ve heard,” Devlin said. “But with the DEA involved, we could be the last to know.”
“You could ask your father,” Falco suggested.
Sadie shrugged. “He probably won’t tell me, but I can ask. Apparently, he has requested to see me.”
“Hold on a sec.” Devlin made a face as if she’d just thought of something unexpected. She picked up her cell and started tapping on the screen.
Sadie wished she had eaten something and downed some aspirin. Her head was throbbing with lack of sleep and caffeine overload.
“That’s it.” Devlin turned her phone around for Sadie and Falco to see the screen.
“You planning some landscaping?” Sadie asked, unimpressed with the blue blooming clumps in the photo Devlin pointed at her.
“Irises,” Falco said knowingly.
Devlin nodded. “Taylor’s favorite flower. They’re blooming all around her house. Maybe the lady is in this for more than just the affair.”
