Page 54 of Gem Warfare

What did he know about the man in the grave?

Garrett sent a text at seven telling me to be at the autopsysuite at ten. That he was extending me the privilege was more than a professional courtesy, it was an acceptance of collaboratively working on the case, although I’d have much preferred he suggested a nice brunch spot. Dead bodies, sliced and diced, didn’t do it for me nearly as much as avocado on sourdough.

Solomon had left almost as soon as he awoke, citing an emergency risk assessment, leaving me sipping coffee on my own and wondering how I could find out more information about Gideon Black and how he had become Ben Rafferty.

Then, like a lightbulb pinged in my head, I realized there was someone who knew as much about that man as I did.

I fired off a text suggesting breakfast and within an hour, I was walking into a chic café full of velvet chairs and bleached wooden tables near the FBI’s field office.

Maddox waited for me at a window table, a coffee in one hand, a menu in the other. Seeing me walk up, he smiled, set both down, and stood, greeting me with a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“This is a nice idea,” he said as we took opposite chairs. “I’m sorry to hear about the divorce.”

“Divorce?”

“You’ve come to your senses and are finally divorcing Solomon?”

“No! Where did you get that idea?”

“I figured you were celebrating and wanted to share the moment with me.” Maddox gave me the most unsympathetic smile as he touched both hands to his heart. A bandage peeked out from under his shirt sleeve.

“No!”

“I think you protest too much. It’s okay, Lexi, you don’t have to be ashamed. Not every marriage works out.” He patted my arm reassuringly.

“I’mnotgetting divorced.”

“So you want a recommendation for a lawyer?” Maddox reached for his phone and ran his forefinger across the screen, scrolling through his phone book.

“Have you finished having your fun with me yet?” I asked, sighing and taking the menu the server offered as she walked past.

“I’d rather wait for the divorce to be finalized. I’m a man of principles.”

I shook my head and ignored him as I contemplated crepes or waffles.

“Okay, fine. You’re not about to make all my dreams come true. Why are we eating together? I know it’s not because you want to stare at my dreamily handsome face. But, on a side note, you can still do that.”

“I want to pick your brains on my case.”

“Our neighborhood robbers? I thought we wrapped that up nicely. It wasn’t even my case but we nailed it!”

“No, my other case. Dead body on my parents’ street.”

Maddox winced. “Did your parents do it?” he asked.

“No!”

“That’s what your mom said but I figured I should ask a more reliable source. I can’t find one so here we are.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering how I was going to get him back for his teasing. I would, somehow, someday, and definitely enjoy it.

“Okay, because I would have still helped if they had. Especially your mom. She’s great.”

“I’m not putting in a good word for you.”

“No need to. She loves me. Wait until she hears we’ve hung out twice in one week! Let’s order, then you can ravage me for information.”

“I’m not ravaging you for anything.”

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