Chapter 27
KYLE
Igave Cami the option of listening to my phone call with Pasco.
She declined. She trusted me to handle it delicately and competently.
I didn’t take that trust for granted. I placed the call from my home office and explained the situation as succinctly as I could, using the term “compromising recording” to describe what Riker had on her.
Pasco was respectful and professional, as I’d known he would be.
But when I explained my plan, he shot it down immediately.
“There are no files like that on his registered phone, his burner phone, or the cloud server he uses,” Pasco explained.
“The minute we inherited the FBI’s electronic-device warrants on this operation, I tapped into Riker’s phone and ran a discreet and mostly legal search.
There was nothing incriminating, but I could tell he’d recently deleted some large files from his phone and the cloud. ”
“Large enough to be video files?”
“Perfect size to be that.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “When did he do that?”
“A week ago last Thursday, right after the local newspaper reported Cami’s detainment.”
After the FBI had leaked the story to them. “Fucking Forrester,” I muttered. “Is there a way to find out where Riker moved them?”
“No,” Pasco said.
My spirits sagged further. I’d promised her. “There has to be a way to find that video and destroy it.”
“There might be,” Pasco said. “If he’s the slightest bit savvy, he’ll have taken it offline. He doesn’t have any bank boxes or own or rent property other than his condo, so that limits the search area.”
“We know he has one other location he uses,” I said. “Wherever he’s keeping the dogs, which we haven’t found yet.”
Not for lack of trying, but there were too many isolated buildings in the radius we were checking, and they were all on private land, which required just cause, and warrants, and lots of red tape to get a damn thing done.
I paced in front of my desk, the frustration mounting.
Riker was no criminal mastermind, but he was still ahead of us.
It wasn’t just frustrating, it was embarrassing.
“To store his kompromat, my bet is on his condo,” Pasco said.
“Think about it. We know he has accomplices, based on the intel from the hired guns you took out that night. They must work with him in that location. Do you think he’s going to hide his blackmail material where other low-lifes could find it? ”
“I hope you’re right. And if it’s stored offline at his condo, how would we deal with it?”
“I think we’d better meet in person to discuss it.”
Cami knocked at the office door.
“Pasco, give me a minute.” I muted the mic and opened the door.
Her face was white and her hand shook as she held out her hand to me to show me her phone.
Dread knotted up my gut as I took it from her and stared down at the screen and the message from an unknown number.
That recording wasn’t the only thing I can use against you, bitch
Guess who’s here with me
I grabbed Cami and held her against me. I unmuted my mic.
“Pasco, we need all hands on deck. Cami and I will be at HQ in ten.”
“Roger that. Details?”
“Riker’s been in touch. He might have taken someone close to Cami.”
“He’s bluffing, right?” she asked.
I hugged her tighter.
“I’m sending out the alert,” Pasco said. “I’ll get a comms call set up as soon as possible. See you shortly.” I slid my phone into my pocket and wrapped both arms around Cami.
“This is all my fault,” she said, and I wished I could make it all go away. “I should have known he would come after someone I love.”