Page 49 of Gem Warfare

“You’ve met the type?” I asked.

Don turned his attention to me. “I’ve met the type that’d make your skin crawl. There’s nothing ‘off’ about Weaver. He’s just your run-of-the-mill, non-violent criminal. I’m sure of that.”

“Good to know,” said Garrett as he nodded to the door.

“Owen, this is Lieutenant Graves and…” Don looked at me, apparently uncertain.

“Lexi Graves, private investigator,” I filled in as we filed into the room.

“What a treat,” said Owen Weaver. “If you were a cop, I’d have been arrested much sooner and more often.” He winked at me but it was friendly rather than lascivious, and any tension I thought might have appeared at our introduction seemed to evaporate. “I can guess you’re here to talk to me, not Don. How can I help you both?” he asked.

“We’re here about a case that recently resurfaced,” said Garrett.

“Should I take a guess?” asked Weaver, with a small huff of a laugh. “I can if you’d like us to be here all day but I have other things to do.”

“Do you recognize this document?” asked Garrett. He put a baggie containing the fake DMV license on the table. Weaver leaned in and studied it without touching.

“It’s a fake,” he said.

“We know that.”

“And you’re assuming I made it?”

“Did you?”

“Maybe. It’s hard to say for certain. I’m hardly the only ex-forger around.”

“Do you recognize the man in the photo?”

“No.”

“Take another look.”

Weaver redirected his gaze, taking longer this time. “Still no. But I’m assuming it was a local guy so Imighthave made it. Can’t confirm it though.”

“Or deny,” I said.

He glanced at me and a flicker of a smile appeared on his lips.

“You’re not going to get in any further trouble,” said Garrett. “In fact, if you’re helpful, it’ll probably work in your favor.”

Weaver’s gaze returned to Garrett. “Probably?” he asked.

“Would you take another look, please?” I said.

“For you, anything,” he said, winking again at me before he leaned in. “He wasn’t a regular but I did create a number of identification documents for him. Driver’s licenses, passports, some letters of recommendation, and employment records. They’re easy. He wasn’t a local guy and from what I recall, he asked for different names, different details.”

“What else do you recall?”

“He paid cash but I know that because I only accepted cash. I don’t recall him asking for documents for anyone else so it wasjust him.”

“Not a boy?” asked Garrett.

“No.”

“How’d you meet?”

“Introduction although I don’t remember who. My business was big enough and successful enough, that I didn’t need to advertise. My clientèle came from introductions from people whom I’d already assisted.”

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