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“You ready to go?”
“I’m going to take these files. Do you think Jack will mind?”
“Jack’s attention is one hundred percent on his daughter. What are you thinking?” He jerks his head to the stack of folders I have scooped up into my arms.
“These are copies of the material provided to the FBI. I just…I mean, we clearly missed something. I want to go through it all.”
“Is this for the case review and analysis?”
“It’s for the case,” I say.
“The FBI won’t need our assistance. They’re fully aware this case isn’t closed. This is a priority for the San Diego field office.”
“And probably one of the Texas offices too, right?”
“They’re probably looped in.”
It’s not until I’m seated in the helicopter, reading through the files, that Ryan’s deep tenor breaks into the headset.
“What are your next steps?”
I want to get all of these different pieces out on a wall again. Go through phone records, which are in one of the files. Thankfully, the FBI doesn’t have an aversion to printed documents. I want to go through and color code calls between executives. Explore each person’s ties. It’s the kind of work my father did in his study when working a case. It might not lead to anything other than a clear way to present the case in my review, but I can’t shake the feeling we’re missing something. We originally focused on connections to Sophia. But now I want to go through and look at connections to Larry Reyes. Because as far as I can see, there is no connection between Reyes and Sophia. And as a successful young businessman, kidnapping for ransom doesn’t fit.
“You don’t want to tell me?” If I hadn’t spent so much time with him, I might miss the amused expression partially concealed by his headset and sunglasses.
“I want to talk to Wayne more.”
“You suspect him?”
“What? No. He has about as much reason as Reyes. Neither of those men needed money. They had good jobs with fat bonuses practically guaranteed until retirement. But he knew Reyes well. All I have on Reyes is the information in this file. I’d like to get a sense for his state of mind and his personality.”
“It’s rather clear Reyes was working for someone. Someone with enough power and influence to arrange his murder in a holding cell.”
“Right. So, who? I’m curious who his biggest clients were.”
“Why?”
“Well, what if this was supposed to be a diversion? Like it has more to do with a shady gun deal, and they just wanted the executive team distracted?”
“I’ve thought about that. But Erik had an investigative accountant review the books. He didn’t find anything below board.”
“Well, who knows when Wayne will have time to talk with me, anyway? But…”
“You can’t let it go?”
“It’s a puzzle. I don’t like unsolved puzzles.”
“Puzzle lover?” he asks. The farther away from San Diego we go, the more he relaxes.
“I’d stay up all night. Never understood how people could just have it out on a table for days.”
He laughs. It’s low and deep. I have this stirring desire to reach out and cover his hand with mine, like I did on the way to meet his sister. But instead, I focus on the reams of paper in my lap.
When we land, we swing by to pick up Trace from his apartment, and he drops me off at my house.
“Busy afternoon?” he asks from the driver’s seat. Trace tugs on his leash, ready to leap out of the car.
“I need to catch up with my TA. He’s really gone above and beyond for me this past week. What about you?”
