Chapter 15 #3
“Hamlin, the chief, was the commanding officer since this was a political hit. The two detectives were Richley and Alvarez, both veterans of the force. Noah and I came up dry trying to figure out where the leak was. But knowing there was one is why I didn’t turn those notes over to the cops.”
“Where are the notes?” Victoria asked as she sat on the side of the bed watching and listening, wondering how all these pieces fit together.
“I have them in my office,” Trent replied. “Noah dusted them for prints but came up with none besides yours and Ben’s.”
“I never gave the police my fingerprints. How could he know they were mine?”
“He matched them to the majority of the prints lifted from your house the night of the attempted break-in,” Trent told her.
Victoria nodded, wondering when she’d become one of the victims versus her usual job on the other side of the law.
This all seemed to happen so fast and to be spun so completely around her she could hardly breathe.
But there was something missing. A huge piece of this puzzle wasn’t available to them and until they got their hands on it—or her—they’d still be in this same dangerous position.
“I think they’re all working together,” Ben said finally, his voice deep, strong, serious. “There’s one circle of corrupt individuals all covering each other’s backs. That’s how Vega keeps slipping through the system, that’s why he can kill and walk away. They’re protecting him.”
Devlin nodded. “I think you’re right.”
“The question is why?” Victoria asked following Ben’s train of thought.
“Money,” Trent answered. “It is the root of all evil, right? If everybody keeps the other’s pockets lined they can all remain powerful and rich without being caught. I’m going back to my office to start tracking the money going in and coming out of some of these accounts.”
“I’ll work the computer, map out their political connections,” Ben added.
“I’ll stay on security. Noah just texted me that he’s sitting on your mother’s house personally,” Devlin said to Victoria.
“The lovely chief of police will be attending a function with the mayor tomorrow night so all available officers are on security detail for the convention center, the mayor and the chief.”
“Leaving Vega free reign to hunt us down without anybody knowing until it’s too late,” she added. They were definitely all connected.
“Ace, Rio and I will stay here with you tonight. Tomorrow we move again,” Dev said heading for the door. “Keep the door locked, don’t open the curtains and don’t answer the phone. If I need you I’ll call your cell, you do the same for me,” he told Ben who nodded in agreement with his directions.
Rio did some special type of knock and Devlin let him in. Victoria had no idea how the man knew Rio was even on his way up. Then again, he’d probably texted him too since Devlin had continued to hold his cell phone in his hand the entire time they’d been talking.
The food smelled heavenly and while Victoria wasn’t normally a fan of processed take-out food, her mouth had already begun to water at the aroma of hot French fries and a juicy burger.
“Ace is going to stay at the door. I’ll guard the front desk,” Rio told Devlin and waited for his approval.
Devlin nodded. “I’ll watch the back. Call me when you two are up and ready in the morning,” he told Ben.
“We’ll be up early. We need some things from our houses if we’re going to be gone a few days,” Ben added.
Victoria nodded. “I need my laptop and some clothes and I need to call my friend. She’s expecting her first baby and if I don’t show up for work she’ll worry. I don’t want her worrying about me.”
“Who is she?” Trent asked with concern. “They might already know about her.”
Victoria’s heart plummeted. “No,” she whispered.
Ben was across the room in no time, sitting on the bed beside her and taking her hand. “She’s Grace Ramsey, assistant D.A. and wife of Judge Clifton Ramsey.”
“Dammit!” Trent roared. “If Vega figures that out they’re definitely in danger.”
“Or the judge is already on his payroll,” Devlin commented blithely.
“No!” Victoria protested. “Clifton’s not like that.”
“Okay, I think that’s enough for tonight,” Ben spoke up. “In the morning we’ll figure out how she can contact Grace without causing too much of an issue. I’ve known Grace Ramsey for years, she’s not involved in this.”
Devlin obviously wanted to press forward but a nod from Trent kept him silent.
“If anything changes you call me right away,” Trent told Ben clapping a hand on his shoulder.
The two men stared at each other a moment and to Victoria it seemed like one hell of an emotional bond. They were family so that should be expected, but this seemed a little more intense, like they both recognized the danger and hated it equally.
“I will,” Ben said.
Devlin walked up to Ben and gave him a very curt nod. “I’ll be right out back.”
Ben mimicked Devlin’s nod and their gazes locked.
There was no physical contact but the bond here was strong too.
Devlin would die for Ben and for anyone he cared an ounce about.
She could see that in the big man’s dark eyes, could read it in the ready-for-war stance he kept at all times.
And she couldn’t help it, she admired him for that type of loyalty and devotion.
She admired and thanked God for each of the men who would circle around to protect her from a cold-hearted killer.