Chapter 9
“What are you still doing here? I thought you and Peter closed that bicycle case.” Levitz leaned against Krystal’s desk, smothered a yawn.
She leaned back in her chair. The “bicycle” case had been a relatively organized crew stealing competitive bikes that went for fourteen to fifteen grand and reselling them on various online marketplaces.
The crew had stolen a couple hundred thousand dollars’ worth of bikes before she and Peter had taken them down.
Luckily, getting them to flip on each other had been the easy part.
“I wanted to finish up the paperwork tonight.” She’d lost a bet to Peter so the stupid paperwork had fallen to her for this case. Typing up reports was the only thing she hated about being a detective. Or not the only, but the biggest thing.
“I hear that.” He glanced over his shoulder at the door to the sheriff’s office. The man was still here, a definite surprise since it was well after dark, and his door was closed.
Even though it was after hours, there was still a low-level buzz in the station because the Feds had taken up a couple conference rooms.
Levitz turned back to her. “Any news on the Morrow kidnapping?”
She locked her top desk drawer and stood. “Walk out with me?”
Looking almost giddy with excitement, he nodded. She hadn’t been sure about Levitz since he’d originally been partnered with a thankfully now retired asshole named Dewey, but she liked the guy. He seemed to care about actual justice, not just locking someone up who fit the bill.
Once they were outside in the crisp night air, she glanced around to make sure there weren’t any federal agents vaping or making phone calls.
Then she turned to Levitz. “I overheard a couple of the agents in the break room.” They hadn’t lowered their voices, so they clearly hadn’t cared about her listening.
“They think this kidnapping is related to a string of similar ones along the East Coast. Apparently the instructions for dropping the money are a mirror of these other kidnappings.”
“How did those cases work out?” His expression was grim.
“If they’re paid, the victims are released.”
“Did everyone pay?”
“Except one…” She shook her head. “The grandparents thought the kidnappers were bluffing, tried to negotiate and…” She shook her head again. “I don’t know how you come back from that.”
“Some things you don’t come back from,” he murmured.
“True enough. If I find out anything else, I’ll loop you in.”
“Same.”
“You out of here soon?”
“Yeah, got to finish up on one thing then I’ve got a date.” He grinned, looking pleased with himself.
“It’s eight o’clock.”
“Our dinner is at eight thirty. I’ve got enough time to get to the restaurant.”
“I’m just realizing how old and married I am because eight thirty is far too late for dinner. I like being a Golden Girl.” For the most part she and the rest of her family ate at six o’clock, thank you very much. Sometimes five if she was lucky.
He barked out a laugh and shook his head. “See ya tomorrow, Knight.”
Krystal grinned and headed for her SUV, ready to get home to her husband and three boys. Today had been long and she was glad this case hadn’t been a tough one.
As she slid into her vehicle, her phone rang almost on cue, her husband’s name lighting up the screen. They’d recently gone through a rough patch, but things were back to their version of normal.
And just seeing his name got her heart rate going in a way nothing else ever had.
Marriage wasn’t always easy, but she was grateful to have such a solid partner.