want to talk to the suspects. I think they know something about the missing drugs. Maybe they’ll let something slip about their boss. It would make this easier if we had a name.”
The captain didn’t look enthused at the idea. “We’ll question them thoroughly.”
“Permission to be there, sir.”
Captain Wells looked at him closely. Darin didn’t like the uneasy look in his superior’s eyes, but couldn’t think of a single reason to be turned down.
“We’ll see.”
Which was no answer at all.
The captain left the room. When Darin turned, Melanie was staring at him, her eyes wide.
“Is everything all right?”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Just tired and disappointed. Jimmy and I were supposed to go to the ballet tonight at the Wortham. It was their last performance of the season. Now I won’t get to see it.”
“You’ll live,” he told her. Turning to the others, he said, “Let’s call it a night. We’ll do the paperwork in the morning.”
“Good.” Dwanda yawned. “I’m beat.”
They staggered out, made their way to the parking area, and were on their way home in minutes.
Darin watched them leave.
Five arrests, a suitcase of money, another of drugs wasn’t a bad haul. One of the suspects had mentioned there were more drugs. Lots more. Could it be the missing truckload?
He had to talk to him. Now.
Making his way to lock-up, he considered how to get the suspect to talk.
“They’ve been released,” the cop on duty told him.
“Couldn’t have. They were arrested less than two hours ago.”
“Made bail. They’re gone.”
It was as if someone had hit him with a sledgehammer again. How could anyone get to them so fast? They shouldn’t be close to being released until tomorrow. So what gives? The thought that came to him earlier came roaring back. Was there a leak? His head reeled at the possibility.
If someone on the squad had warned them, it would explain why the bust was mediocre instead of huge. And how a lawyer was waiting to get them out.
Darin felt sick.
Had this drug deal been an elaborate set-up? Would either of the drug lords risk losing money and drugs to take HPD off the scent of a bigger deal? Had they been warned HPD was onto them?
Darin’s sickness spread. The drug buyers and sellers were gone for good. If he were to make bets, they were on their way out of town right now, and their pockets weren’t empty.
Anger propelled Darin to his truck.
Who had warned them?
If there was a mole, he vowed to find the traitor.
****
Focus, Gina cautioned herself the next morning as Darin stopped for a red light. Focus on the job. Focus on proving or disproving Callahan or another member of the squad of theft and possibly murder.
Don’t focus so much on Callahan. Not in the scope of her current job anyway.
It was hard not to.
For the first time in her professional life, Gina found it difficult to concentrate.
Dammit. What was wrong with her? The man wasn’t that attractive. Yes, he was. So what? She’d met and known dozens of good-looking men. But she was so messed up if he, or any other man, made a pass she’d run in the opposite direction. So why the distraction now?
She stole another glance as he turned into the complex parking lot. She liked what she saw, green eyes that could bore a hole through you, wide shoulders, reddish brown hair. Nothing there to dislike. This job was unlike any she’d been on. She always wanted them solved quickly. This one even more so.
It was only the two of them today.
They were to check an apartment for suspicion of drugs. Two neighbors had called 911 saying something strange was going on in apartment 322. Not only was there a peculiar smell, but there were too many visitors.
Routine.
They’d check and be out of there in minutes.
The apartment complex wasn’t upscale. More in the mid-price range and occupied by working class people.
A knock and the door was opened immediately.
Darin and Gina exchanged glances an instant
The captain didn’t look enthused at the idea. “We’ll question them thoroughly.”
“Permission to be there, sir.”
Captain Wells looked at him closely. Darin didn’t like the uneasy look in his superior’s eyes, but couldn’t think of a single reason to be turned down.
“We’ll see.”
Which was no answer at all.
The captain left the room. When Darin turned, Melanie was staring at him, her eyes wide.
“Is everything all right?”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Just tired and disappointed. Jimmy and I were supposed to go to the ballet tonight at the Wortham. It was their last performance of the season. Now I won’t get to see it.”
“You’ll live,” he told her. Turning to the others, he said, “Let’s call it a night. We’ll do the paperwork in the morning.”
“Good.” Dwanda yawned. “I’m beat.”
They staggered out, made their way to the parking area, and were on their way home in minutes.
Darin watched them leave.
Five arrests, a suitcase of money, another of drugs wasn’t a bad haul. One of the suspects had mentioned there were more drugs. Lots more. Could it be the missing truckload?
He had to talk to him. Now.
Making his way to lock-up, he considered how to get the suspect to talk.
“They’ve been released,” the cop on duty told him.
“Couldn’t have. They were arrested less than two hours ago.”
“Made bail. They’re gone.”
It was as if someone had hit him with a sledgehammer again. How could anyone get to them so fast? They shouldn’t be close to being released until tomorrow. So what gives? The thought that came to him earlier came roaring back. Was there a leak? His head reeled at the possibility.
If someone on the squad had warned them, it would explain why the bust was mediocre instead of huge. And how a lawyer was waiting to get them out.
Darin felt sick.
Had this drug deal been an elaborate set-up? Would either of the drug lords risk losing money and drugs to take HPD off the scent of a bigger deal? Had they been warned HPD was onto them?
Darin’s sickness spread. The drug buyers and sellers were gone for good. If he were to make bets, they were on their way out of town right now, and their pockets weren’t empty.
Anger propelled Darin to his truck.
Who had warned them?
If there was a mole, he vowed to find the traitor.
****
Focus, Gina cautioned herself the next morning as Darin stopped for a red light. Focus on the job. Focus on proving or disproving Callahan or another member of the squad of theft and possibly murder.
Don’t focus so much on Callahan. Not in the scope of her current job anyway.
It was hard not to.
For the first time in her professional life, Gina found it difficult to concentrate.
Dammit. What was wrong with her? The man wasn’t that attractive. Yes, he was. So what? She’d met and known dozens of good-looking men. But she was so messed up if he, or any other man, made a pass she’d run in the opposite direction. So why the distraction now?
She stole another glance as he turned into the complex parking lot. She liked what she saw, green eyes that could bore a hole through you, wide shoulders, reddish brown hair. Nothing there to dislike. This job was unlike any she’d been on. She always wanted them solved quickly. This one even more so.
It was only the two of them today.
They were to check an apartment for suspicion of drugs. Two neighbors had called 911 saying something strange was going on in apartment 322. Not only was there a peculiar smell, but there were too many visitors.
Routine.
They’d check and be out of there in minutes.
The apartment complex wasn’t upscale. More in the mid-price range and occupied by working class people.
A knock and the door was opened immediately.
Darin and Gina exchanged glances an instant
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