Page 3 of Angel's Share

Losing battle, and Matt knew it. Same as Aidan knew their attempt not to cause waves would likely fail too. But he really didn’t want to on this case, for the sake of his brother and for the sake of the clearly exhausted man who trudged out of the office, his shoulders slumped and face drawn. Nevertheless, as Detective Namal glanced up and spied Rick and Matt, he flashed them a smile that was as nonhostile as any Aidan had ever seen from local law enforcement. “Rick, good to see you.” Namal shook Rick’s hand, then Matt’s. “Agent Kim, good to see you too.”

“Sorry to ruin your Friday,” Matt said.

“Nah,” he said with a wave of his hand. “You saved me from the holiday office party.” Namal’s gaze skipped past the known variables to the rest of their gathered group. “Gonna introduce me to your friends? You guys come straight from the tourney downtown?” Local, Aidan judged, by non-accent-California-accent, distinct enough from the San Francisco one to peg him as SoCal born and raised.

“Detective Berat Namal, this is my former boss,” Rick said. “Special Agent in Charge Aidan Talley from the San Francisco field office.” He pointed at Aidan’s game day sweatshirt. “His husband is an assistant coach for the team.”

Namal pointed a different direction, toward the stacks of shipping containers just past the parking lot. “Talley? As in the name on the side of those? And on the boats?”

“The same,” Aidan said with a nod. “Though he”—he jutted a thumb at Danny—“is the one in charge of the boats. My brother, Daniel Talley.”

He shook Danny’s hand, then aimed his sparkling hazel eyes at Mel. “And you, I suspect, are the one in charge of all of them.”

“Melissa Cruz,” Mel said, taking his offered hand. “Former SAC, former chief of security for Talley Enterprises. Filling in until the current chief gets here.” She tilted her head toward Danny. “Also his wife.”

“So I was right,” he said, the warmth in his laughter reflected in his cheeks, color seeping back into the pale tan skin.

Aidan could see why Rick liked him. Smart, genial, and charming. Seemed Danny liked him too, chuckling and relaxing a measure further, deciding this was someone he could work with. “What do you need from us, detective?”

“Berat, please,” he said. “We’ll need manifests first and foremost, particularly what cargo was off-loaded and stolen so we know what we’re looking for. Your captain and general counsel are stalling.”

Aidan had heard those instructions in the car ride over, not that either of them needed to be told. The captain of the vessel was one of their most seasoned, and their general counsel also bore the last name Talley—Aidan’s and Danny’s older sister.

“It was headed across state lines,” Mel said.

“Right,” Berat replied. “So my jurisdiction to the gates,” he said, gesturing the general direction of the exit, then at Matt and Rick. “Then yours. We’ll all get a lot further if we work together, like we usually do.”

“We’re fine with that,” Rick said before looking to Matt and Aidan, who each nodded.

“We’ll get you those manifests,” Danny said.

“If we can get the surveillance video,” Aidan added.

Berat’s victory smile fell. “Sure, but it won’t show you anything. View was blocked by another vehicle when the thief climbed into the truck and drove off.”

“Footage from the exit gates?” Mel asked. “Plates?”

“We’ve requested it. Port security is pulling it now.” He leveled his gaze on Danny. “What was in that truck?”

“It’s official now, baby bro,” Aidan said. “Share with the class.”

“The part that matters—red diamonds, multiple carats worth.”

Matt’s eyes grew wide. “That’s at least multiple millions.”

Danny nodded. “Plus various other luxury goods the owner was shipping into the country for his new home in Las Vegas. Insurance covered the lot up to twelve million.”

Aidan whistled low. “You need to get that cargo back.”

THREE

The electronic lock on the hotel room door engaged, and Jamie glanced first at the time on his laptop screen—eleven thirty—then at his husband, who was trying and failing to quietly sneak into the room.

“I’m still up.”

Aidan lifted his chin, catching sight of him and exhaling a relieved sigh. “Are you watching tape?” he asked, a soft, sexy smirk curling up one corner of his mouth.

“Of course.”

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