Page 98 of Gem Warfare

Garrett gently smacked my hand down. “That all sounds very nice but we still can’t prove it. It’s not even a case of manslaughter or accidental death or murder. We have nothing that places Huff at Joe Smithson’s house then or ever.”

As we got into his car, Garrett’s phone rang and he answered, listening, then saying quickly, “No, of course not. Why would Iauthorize that? It doesn’t matter. I’m on my way back. Any news on the car? It hasn’t? Well, let me know when it turns up. I want a report on it ASAP.” He disconnected, grumbling to himself. “I have to head back to the station. I’ll walk you to your car.”

“No need. Solomon had it picked up to check it over.”

“Can you get Solomon to pick you up? I’d feel a lot better if someone came to get you, given everything that’s happened.”

“I’ll call him. Or if Jord is in his office, he might take me home.” I checked my phone, unsure whether to be relieved that I hadn’t received any further messages after Solomon texted to say my car was now back at the agency. Did that mean Solomon hadn’t found anything yet? “Do you really think we should be worried?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I was afraid of that.”

“I’m more afraid of Mom. I don’t want to tell her you got kidnapped, shot or stabbed.”

“That hardly ever happens. Recently,” I added.

“Let’s keep it that way, and definitely not on my watch.”

“Plus, it was your car that was tampered with,” I reminded him.

“It shouldn’t escape your notice that you were in it.”

“You make it sound like I’m a bad omen.”

“Not at all.”

“Aww, th-” I started.

“I prefer disaster magnet.”

By the time we were only a block from the station, the conversation had returned back to tossing ideas around about Kelvin Huff and Charlie Black in his many guises, but we were no closer to a definitive answer.

“Slow down,” I said as the light began to turn.

“I can make it through the light!” Garrett protested.

“No, slow down and look over there.” I pointed to the SUVacross the road from the station as we slowed to a stop. Two men sat in it. “That’s Maddox.”

“Not unusual.”

“To sit in his car, staring at the station?”

“Yup. I do it all the time.”

“With your partner? I couldn’t quite see but I’ll bet Special Agent Farid is next to him.”

“With an array of detectives. Depends on who’s free and if I mind sharing my snacks. Or if their snacks are better than my snacks.”

“But you work there! You have an office!”

“People come into my office. They leave me alone in my car. Anyway, ignore Maddox. He probably has an appointment in the building and it’s not with me. Let’s go in and you can call for a ride or see if Jord’s around. We can get together tomorrow and see if we have any bright ideas overnight because, right now, I’m stumped. It feels like we’ve got the beginning and the end and enough in the middle to join it together but I want a watertight case. And I want to know who’s following us. The only person I can rule out sticking a tracker on my car is Kelvin Huff, but since you’re involved, and who knows what the heck will happen with you around, I don’t want to go in one hundred percent on that.”

The lights changed and Garrett accelerated. I looked back at Maddox’s vehicle as we passed it and frowned. I wouldn’t rule him out as the culprit either. He’d been acting weird ever since the night we fell through the ceiling.

“Okay, fine,” I said.

“I’m switching cars every day until we know what’s going on,” he said as he parked the car out front rather than heading around to the lot. I followed him as we walked towards the station.

---