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“Only for you to keep your eyes open. Larry Reyes hung himself. Was discovered in his cell this morning. We suspect it’s homicide. Well-constructed homicide. Someone out there is tying up loose ends.”
CHAPTER23
Alex
“How does that happen?” I voice out loud the question that has been bandying about in my head nonstop since we learned about Larry Reyes. “Shouldn’t he have been on suicide watch? Isn’t that customary with new arrests?”
“He was in a holding cell. If they prove foul play, it happened fast.”
The muscles in Ryan’s jaw flex. His head adjusts slightly as he alternates his view between the side mirrors, the road, and his rearview. He repeatedly checks the rearview.
I turn in the seat, looking behind us. We’re on the freeway, and it’s San Diego. There are a lot of cars on the road with us, but nothing stands out to me.
“Do you think we’re being followed?”
“No.”
I sit back in my seat, studying the man beside me. He’s tense and on edge. I haven’t seen him like this. Yes, he’s always been no-nonsense. He maintains exemplary posture, which on his frame intimidates others. He’s wearing sunglasses, and I can’t see those light blue eyes, but his body posture indicates a high alert level.
Silence prevails until we enter Jack’s home. A man in dark gray slacks, a button-down short sleeve shirt, and a gun holster greets us at the door.
Ryan holds out a hand to the man as he approaches.
“Kirk Baxter?” Ryan says.
“Mr. Wolfgang,” he responds with a brief nod.
“This is Alex Rolfe. She’s with me. Is the updated security system installed?”
“Yes. With the exception of a couple of locations on the property near the beach and along the south side of the property. An electrician is coming out to wire electrical out to those areas.”
“For the next week, I’m going to increase security. Two people on site, twenty-four-seven.”
“Three shifts?” Kirk asks.
“Yes.”
“If Arrow doesn’t have the manpower, I have some buddies.”
“We’re always looking for good people. Tell Stella. She can handle the interview and onboarding.”
I step past the two men, into the house. There’s a vacuum cleaner running in a room in the back part of the house. I head back to Jack’s office.
The whiteboard the FBI had used has been cleaned. The bulletin board someone brought in has been removed. Out the back window, the ocean sparkles beneath the golden sun. The squawk of a seagull penetrates the glass.
On the oversized formal desk sits a stack of manilla folders. I flip one open. Inside are printed copies of the Sullivan Arms Board of Directors and executive team. This is the material the FBI requested to review the higher-ups.
Ryan enters the office. I glance up at him but continue flipping through the pages.
“Jack hired additional security?” I ask.
“He agreed we need to overhaul his current system. After hearing about Reyes, I decided to post the additional on-site security. And I’m sending security over to the facility for Jack and Sophia.”
“Do you think they’ll come after Sophia?”
“We don’t know what she witnessed. Chances are neither do they.”
“Whoever ‘they’ is,” I say, flipping through the photographs of the men. All men with the exception of the head of human resources, a surly older woman.
