They hadn’t talked about it much, but since Alden had shown his true colors to Mack, the kid hadn’t been the same. He’d withdrawn the past few months, and even when Hammer reached out over and over, the kid rarely showed up. He’d been getting an EMT cert and starting work, but he couldn’t carve out time for family?
Alden pushed back his chair and stood. “Guard!”
Luca watched the corrections officer lead him out, and the door shut. After Alden and his escort were out of sight, the door on the other side of the room opened, and Detective Mike Martinelli stepped in.
“You actually got somewhere.” Mike didn’t look happy about it. He paced the floor on the other side of the table, running a hand through his hair. “But we need action.”
“This is taking way too long.” Luca pushed his own chair back and stood, stretching his arms above his head, almost able to touch the ceiling. “It’s like he’s feeding us crumbs that we’re begging for, and every time he gives us something, we have to jump on it. We’ve got a group of people who have been under the radar for so long we can’t even grasp whether they’re real or not. It’s not going to get solved in a matter of days.”
“And you’re fine with them operating for years to come?” Mike asked.
Luca didn’t want to live in a city like that. “I’d rather kick down every door in Renegade and figure out who they are.”
Mike shot him a look. “But of course, you aren’t going to do that. Because it would be illegal and your private investigator license would be revoked.”
“You’re no fun.”
They both knew Luca had no intention of breaking the law. Mike just didn’t know the real reason why he always did the right thing. He knew what his life would be like if he’d made different choices and not gone into the Army, because that life was being lived in a federal prison in Texas.
“Are you going to talk to Mack? See if he’s willing to meet with his father so we can get a break on this case?”
Luca sighed. “I’ll track the kid down and see what he says. But don’t get your hopes up.”
Mike held the door, and they made their way out of cellblock four at the Renegade Correctional Facility. Thankfully, Luca had driven himself here, so he’d have the hour-long drive back to his place through morning traffic to figure out a plan of action.
“In the meantime, I got a call from the US Marshals in town. They need someone in the private sector for a job. You have an appointment tomorrow morning, first thing, at the federal courthouse.”
Luca glanced over at him. “You vouched for me?”
“Don’t get all misty-eyed about it.”
Luca laughed. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask Hammer to do it. He’s got the same training I do.”
“Are you kidding me? Sierra would kill me if I let the guy put himself in danger.”
“Good point,” Luca said. “I think she’s had enough of that for a lifetime.” He pushed the door open, and they both stepped into the late-morning sun. Luca planned to spend the rest of the day working a couple of cases he had on his desk.
Background checks on three new hires for a local finance company, and a young woman trying to locate her grandfather. Somewhere in there he planned to track down Mack and see what the kid thought about visiting his stepdad in prison in exchange for information about the Shadow Syndicate.
“I’ll send you the info for that appointment.” Mike held out his hand and they shook.
“Happy hunting.”
The detective walked away to his unmarked police car, and Luca headed for his old truck, the one he had bought from Dolly at the diner.
He needed answers.
One way or another, he would figure out how to break this case.
Dr. Kira Yassan said a quick thank-you and climbed out of the rideshare in front of Renegade’s hottest new restaurant, the Gilded Lily. At least there was something newer in this city than her. With less potential staying power as well. Made her feel downright settled, but then, it had been several years since she moved here.
This place should probably feel like home by now.
She adjusted her purse and brushed her long dark-brown hair back off her other shoulder. One glance to her left gave her a view of the mountains in this part of Colorado. Capped with a dusting of snow from the storm that had rolled in over the past weekend, the peaks west of the city reminded her every day that majesty existed.
She lived only six blocks from here but had never ventured to this restaurant until now, and certainly wouldn’t have done so in these heels. Considering she worked long shifts in rubber-soled shoes, Kira took every opportunity she could to wear a pair from her extensive collection of heels.
One day she might feel as if she wasn’t an impostor anywhere outside of the hospital, where she wore a lab coat over scrubs and those comfy shoes on her feet. But was it so bad that, inside the walls of the emergency department of Renegade Mercy General Hospital, she knew exactly where she belonged?