“Which was the order I gave you.”
“Yeah, I get it. Anyway, he was T-boned yesterday afternoon. The other driver was going at a high rate of speed to do that kind of damage to the man’s car.”
I narrowed my eyes. What were the odds? Slim to nil. “And?”
“Trust me, the dude is dead. If you catch a picture of the vehicle he was driving, there ain’t much left.”
“The driver of the other car?”
“It was a Humvee or something like that according to witnesses. The driver sped off. From all accounts with barely any damage.” Walker grinned.
“A hit.”
“I think so. But that’s more your world than mine. You should know.”
I gave him a foul look. “I assume the police are involved?”
“Yeah. I was going to check his house anyway, but the police were already camped out. I guess the dude was important. Hell, the detective squad was there as well. I doubt I’ll be able to get inside anytime soon.”
The man had been killed. Why? Because he’d failed at something he’d been ordered to do or because I’d interfered? “I appreciate the information.”
“I found out one thing about him. You were right. He was a gambler, a bad one at that.”
Laughing, I nodded. “Yes, as I thought.” He’d been forced to do a favor. But for whom?
“Are we square now?”
“Hardly. You didn’t need to do shit. But you can do something for me that will wipe the slate clean.”
“Jesus, man. I do run a couple businesses.”
All I needed to do was glare at him for a few seconds. He knew exactly what I could do to him. I had enough ammunition on acts of treason he’d committed against a brutal drug lord that the guy would be fish bait within two hours if I let it go.
He threw up his hands. “You’re such a ballbreaker, man. What do you want me to do?”
“Simple. Find out what Sara Capshaw is hiding.”
“Is that the girl from the other night?”
“Yes, it is.”
His snicker pissed me off. “That ain’t much to go on. Who is she other than important to you, of course?”
“Tell me about your interaction with her when you dropped off her car.”
He scratched his bald head and huffed. “Nothing special. She was nice. Didn’t ask anything about you if that’s what you’re asking. Insisted on paying me. Of course I didn’t take any money. I knew better. But boy, was she a hottie. Tight little jeans. A body-hugging sweater. I can see why you like her.”
I took a gulp of coffee to try to quell my anger. No one talked to me that way. No one who wanted to live anyway. “Get this through your head, Walker. You will not touch her. Ever. Do I make myself clear?”
“Absolutely.” His eyes were open wide. He knew better than to fuck with me.
I took a deep breath, ignoring the mounting tension. “She’s an employee of the Blackwell Group. I’ll provide her address and social security number. You can take it from there. Don’t allow her to know you’re checking into her background. I just want info.”
“Sure. I can do that. What in particular are you searching for?”
“The reason she and her brother are seemingly all alone in this world.”
“Sounds simple enough.”