“Please don’t share the findings with anyone. I don’t want her tipping anyone off.”
“She’s in a holding cell without her phone.”
“Carlo Spinetti is in prison, but that didn’t stop him from getting himself a burner and using it to call Stryker.” Emerson stood. “Thank you for your support, Captain.”
“Keep me posted.”
After jumping in her car, she called Nikki. “How are things going?”
“We’re finishing up.”
Emerson glanced at the time, then did a double take. “Is it really quarter to six?”
“Yes, did this day fly by or what?”
“Did anyone find a house key?”
“Yeah, we found one. Are you coming back here?”
“Yeah, but traffic is heavy. Let me know where you hide the key.” Emerson ended the call, then called Stryker.
“Hey, baby,” he answered. “What’s the word?”
“We need to talk. Where can we meet?”
“I’m at the office.”
Her phone rang. “Lemme call you right back.” She answered, “Detective Easton.”
“It’s DeCampo. I’ve got the information you need.”
“Great, and you’re going to tail him?”
“As soon as we get eyes on him.”
Emerson ended the call with DeCampo and called Stryker back. “Can you leave now and meet me at your house? You’ll need your vest and your weapon.”
“Got em both,” Stryker replied. “What’s goin’ on?”
“I’ll explain when I see you. I love you.”
“I know you do.” She heard the smile in his voice.
In twenty minutes, she was going to wipe that smile right off his face.
* * *
Later that evening, Stryker found the key, hidden under the rock in the front garden of the Barnham estate, and let himself in. The police had spent hours conducting their search of the main residence, and it showed. The place looked like a tornado had whipped through.
Stryker didn’t care if the home had surveillance cameras tracking his every move. Though he could have turned on the lights as he meandered from room to room, his night goggles provided him with optimal viewing. The tick-tock of clocks sounded the seconds as he waited in the living room.
Twenty minutes later, Emerson texted him. “Go time.”
The garage door opened, a car drove in, and the door closed. Tee Barnham entered the kitchen and flipped on the lights. Stryker slipped into the shadows of the dark living room.
“What the hell?” Tee Barnham’s dress shoes clicked against the tile floor as he walked through the kitchen. “Carla! Carla! Are you home?” Stryker caught a glimpse of him as he rounded the corner and hurried up the stairs.
“Holy fuck!” Tee yelled. “What the hell happened here?”