Best Laid Plans (22 page)

But even Sean had to admit Barry had a good track record. Sean had called Kate Donovan, Lucy’s sister-in-law, earlier that day just to get her two cents on Lucy’s temporary partner. Kate, who taught at Quantico, had been an agent for eighteen years and knew Bureau business better than most anyone. Kate said there were no blemishes on Crawford’s record; he’d asked to transfer to San Antonio to be closer to his family when his father became ill. Crawford’s family lived half an hour outside of town.

Barry wasn’t a chatty cop, either, which was fine with Sean. Sean motioned for him to sit in the chair across from Worthington’s desk. When he had booted up Worthington’s computer and made sure everything was how it should be, he sent the FBI techs in the van outside a text message asking if they were ready. As soon as the bug detected a live call, it would start transmitting. They would then use software Sean had designed to track it. Sean planned on keeping the call going as long as it took to nail down the location.

A few seconds later the techs confirmed they were in position. “Show time,” he said to Barry.

He picked up Worthington’s phone and dialed Lucy on the house phone. Two rings later Lucy answered. “Hey, princess, you’re home.”

“Just walked in a few minutes ago. Where are you?”

“Still at HWI.” Sean monitored the transmitting bug from his tablet, which showed that the bug was still active. Good. The techs outside should be able to pinpoint the location of the receiver quickly.

“I thought you’d be done by now. I picked up barbecue from your favorite place.”

“The Rib House? You’re killing me. I’m starving.”

“I’ll keep it warm.”

“Give me another hour or so.”

“Find something odd?”

“Their systems are in good shape, but Harper seemed to be obsessed with these files that came over from the BLM a few weeks ago. I’m trying to figure out his arcane note system. Why can’t everyone use computers?”

“Not everyone is as good as you.”

“No one is as good as me,” Sean teased. “You sound tired. Tough day?”

“Long day.”

“Everyone’s asking me about how he died. His employees all seemed to like him. I haven’t heard one negative comment.”

“The coroner hasn’t issued a report yet. It’s still ruled suspicious. They’re running an expanded tox screen since the initial screen came back negative.”

“They must have seen something.”

“His liver was slightly enlarged. Remember the nurse in San Diego?”

“You mean the nurse who was killing her cancer patients? Who almost killed you?”

“Almost is an overstatement, sweetheart,” Lucy said. “She used a neuromuscular blocker on her victims. Almost impossible to detect unless you’re looking for it. That’s why she got away with so many murders.”

He got a text message that the FBI techs had a location for the receiver. It wasn’t in the phone box outside the building, but it wasn’t far. He responded that he’d wrap up the conversation.

“Thanks to you, she’s locked up for life. You think the same type of drug was used to kill Harper? So you really think it was a homicide?”

“What I think and what I can prove are two different things. But yeah, I think he was poisoned. We won’t know for a couple of days.”

Sean heard the doorbell ring in the background. He leaned forward, tense. He wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Who’s there?” he asked her.

“Just a sec.”

He refrained from telling her to be careful, especially in front of Barry Crawford, who was hanging on every word while pretending to be disinterested.

“It’s Brad Donnelly,” she said. “Hold on, I’m going to let him in.”

The phone was muffled for a second, then he heard Lucy greet Brad.

“Sean?” she said into the phone.

“What’s Donnelly doing there?” He realized he probably shouldn’t have said that, considering the phone was tapped.

Lucy, fortunately, covered. “Just stopping by to say hi.”

“I’ll get home as soon as I can,” Sean said. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Sean hung up.

Barry said, “Donnelly from the DEA?”

Sean didn’t answer. Instead, he picked up his cell phone and dialed the lead tech. “Where is it?” he asked.

“The routing station, about a mile down the road.”

“Can you get to it tonight?”

“We don’t have a warrant. Casilla said if we can talk our way in to grab it, but if we can’t, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning.”

Typical. Sean could get in and out without being detected, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t completely trust Barry Crawford, and since he was now semiofficially involved in this FBI op, there could be issues if this ever came to trial and he had skirted the law to obtain evidence.

“Thanks,” he said. “You can leave my equipment with Lucy tomorrow.”

“Always fun to work with you, Rogan.”

“Likewise.” Sean hung up. He loved working with tech people. He understood them far better than cops.

“He’s probably briefing her about the gang shooting,” Barry said.

It was an obvious ploy to get Sean to talk, and it almost worked.

“Donnelly is a friend,” Sean said. He wanted to ask what shooting, but stopped himself. He would find out soon enough what Crawford was talking about.

“I figured he was, since he wanted Lucy to work the case with him.” Crawford stood and stretched. “We’re not on opposite sides here, Rogan.”

“I didn’t think we were.”

“Good.”

Sean didn’t know what Barry’s game was, if any. Maybe he wasn’t being calculating, but he was acting like the all-powerful fed, which irritated Sean. He recognized that it was his own biases that sometimes rubbed cops the wrong way. He’d had a few run-ins over the years, particularly in his youth. He’d seen cops abuse their authority more than once.

But he wasn’t going to say anything to jeopardize the respect that Lucy had earned in her office, or to risk the job she loved. So he kept his mouth shut.

They walked out together and Sean, against his better judgment, said, “Do you want to come over to the house? It’s not too far from here, in Olmos Park.”

Barry looked marginally surprised. “No, but thanks. Maybe next time. It’s already eight and tomorrow is going to be another early day.”

*   *   *

Sean walked into his kitchen fifteen minutes later. He dumped his laptop on the counter and breathed in the smell of barbecue coming from the warming oven.

“Sean,” Lucy called, “we’re in the living room.”

He walked down the wide hall and into the large, sunken living room. The pool lights automatically turned on at eight, and the setting sun cast an array of brilliant colors across the evening sky.

Brad rose and shook Sean’s hand. “Good to see you, Rogan.”

“Likewise. You look a million times better than the last time I saw you.”

“I’d feel even better if I can convince my doc to look at me tomorrow rather than Friday. He just needs to sign the damn papers so I can go back into the field.”

Sean leaned over and kissed Lucy, then motioned for them to follow him to the kitchen. “I’m starving, and I know Lucy probably hasn’t eaten since lunch. Have you eaten?”

“Cold pizza in the break room,” Brad said.

“Then join us.”

Sean and Lucy liked eating at the big island in the kitchen. There were six stools and plenty of room, so while Sean took out the food, Lucy distributed plates and utensils. Sean handed Brad a beer and took one for himself. After light conversation, Sean asked, “So what really brings you by tonight?”

“There was a shooting last night,” Lucy said. “Ryan’s working with Brad on it.”

Brad said, “Nine people, several with a direct connection to Sanchez, were murdered late last night. The killers left drugs worth a million behind. Ryan found a surveillance tape with an image of the escape van, but the quality sucks and the license plate is filthy. There are some distinguishing characteristics, so we’re putting out a BOLO and working on an enhancement.”

“Who’s going after Sanchez?” Sean asked. “He’s dead. His operation is toast.”

“Actually, your brother thinks Tobias took over the remnants of the Sanchez/Trejo operation.”

“You talked to Kane?”

“He gave me the heads up this morning,” Brad said. “It could be that Tobias was always the one in charge and Trejo worked for him. The conversation Lucy overheard two months ago at Trejo’s compound suggested that Tobias was either equal to or in the hierarchy above Trejo. If that’s accurate, someone else could be going after Tobias since he’s now in a weak position.”

“Or,” Sean countered, “Tobias is taking out the rest of Sanchez’s people after Sanchez screwed up his operation. If they hadn’t kidnapped you, Brad, we wouldn’t have raided his compound. We might never have found the guns. That’s all Sanchez’s doing.”

“We still would have gone after the boys,” Lucy said quietly.

Sean took her hand. “Yes, we would have.”

“Kane thinks the hit was retaliation. I half expected him to call me back to find out what I learned, but I haven’t heard from him, and I don’t know how to reach him.” Brad drained his beer. Sean got up to fetch another, but Brad shook his head. “I’m good.”

Sean grabbed himself another beer and leaned against the counter. “Who are the other players?”

“That’s the thing—there’s no chatter on this. Nothing. I need to talk to Kane. Do you know how to reach him?”

“I can leave him a message. No guarantee he’ll call me or you back. He’s annoying that way.”

“Then leave a message. Tomorrow I’m talking to Nicole Rollins. I wish you could come with me, Luce. You’re good in interrogations.”

“Trust me, she wouldn’t talk with me in the room,” Lucy said. “She would be far too defensive. With you—you understand her.”

“I don’t fucking understand her!” Brad exclaimed. “That’s the thing. How could she not only betray everything our job stands for, but set up Marines to be murdered? And what for? Guns for the drug cartels? And money. A shitload of money. Our forensic accounting department found accounts totaling over two million dollars. Nicole told Sam Archer that she would have disappeared when she got to five million. Just walked away. In the meantime, she was responsible for many deaths, directly or indirectly.”

“She doesn’t think that way,” Lucy said. “She justified everything. Convinced herself that the war on drugs will never be won and why not take a slice of the pie? The boys the cartel used, just collateral damage—besides, they were the kids of violent criminals, statistics suggest they’d grow up to be the same. It’s cyclical.”

Brad looked at her oddly. “You don’t think—”

Lucy shook her head. “No, of course not—I’m trying to think like Nicole. You have to understand why she did this if you’re ever going to get her to share information. Go in knowing what you want, but don’t ask for it. If she sees any sign of desperation on your face, she’ll be overjoyed in keeping the information from you. You need to manipulate it out of her, but don’t let her see you manipulating her. Remember—you know this woman better than everyone else.”

“Do I? I didn’t know she was a traitor.”

“But you worked with her. Even if you don’t think you know her, you do. Granted, she was an exceptional liar. What is it you want to know?”

“We need information on Tobias. He’s a ghost. No last name. You and the kid, Michael, were the only two who saw him well enough to give a description, and even so, it’s not very detailed. Either he had Sanchez’s gang killed, or he’s the next target. If he retaliates, there’ll be extensive collateral damage. We can’t let that happen. Innocent blood has already spilled—a kid of one of the gangbangers was killed in the raid.”

Lucy frowned and rubbed her eyes. “I’d know Tobias if I saw him.” She really was tired, Sean noted, and probably not just from work. The thought of another child dying because of these cartels angered Sean, and it tore Lucy up inside. He walked over and rubbed her back.

“Between the DEA and Kane, we’ll find him,” Sean said.

“She’s not going to give up Tobias unless it benefits her,” Lucy added.

Brad shook his head. “She’s not getting out in her lifetime, no matter what or who she gives up.”

“Find out what she wants, other than her freedom,” Sean said. “Then you might have something to negotiate.”

Brad shrugged. “And that’s the crux of my problem—what does she want?” He got up and motioned to the refrigerator. “Maybe I do need another beer.”

“Help yourself,” Sean said. “Do you really think Nicole knows something about the attack last night?”

“Hell if I know. But I need information. Anything I can get at this point. I don’t know
what
is going on, but it’s out of the norm. And I don’t like anything I don’t understand. Give me a drive-by shooting, or a retaliation kill, or a drug theft … but this? It’s like someone is moving in and taking out everyone on the opposing team. They’ll start with one, then move to the next group that doesn’t capitulate. A power grab like this? We have to stop them. And if we don’t know who the fuck they are, how the hell do we find them?”