Page 142 of Don't Say a Word
“I will,” he said. “Thank you.”
We left.
“What’s going on?” Mom asked me when we reached our vehicles.
“The DEB cop who has been avoiding Jack and me? He suddenly wants to meet ASAP.”
“Well then, Rafe, I hope you have ice cream at the rectory to satisfy my sweet tooth.”
Uncle Rafe laughed, put his arm in Mom’s. “I can find a scoop or two.”
Chapter Forty-Five
Margo Angelhart
I walked into Angelhart Investigations two minutes before nine Friday night. Every light was on and three men sat at the conference table eating pizza and drinking energy drinks. Jack, a man I didn’t know, and the man who had been following me.
I stood in the doorway, took off my blazer and tossed it across the back of a chair.
I said to Jack, “You didn’t tell me you were buddies with the asshole who has been tailing me for two days.”
“Just met the asshole tonight,” Jack said.
The man jumped up, nearly knocking over his Monster energy drink, and strode over to me, extended his hand. “You’re fucking brilliant,” he said.
I blinked and took his hand even though I was still really angry that he’d followed me.
“I know,” I said automatically.
He grinned. “I’m Cal Rafferty with the DEA. I followed you because you met with Bradford down at Eyman, and I needed to know what you were doing.”
“You could have asked.”
“Yyyyeah, nope.”
“I could have shot you.”
He laughed. “I think you’re too smart to shoot first, ask questions later.”
Who was this guy? I didn’t know if I wanted to punch him or have a beer with him.
I did like being called brilliant.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Mike Hitchner,” the other man said and extended his hand. “Call me Hitch.”
I shook his hand, glanced at Jack as if to askwhat the hell is going on?
“They brought the pizza,” he said. “Help yourself.”
Instead, I grabbed an energy drink. This looked like it would be a long night.
“So did you lie to my brother that you didn’t know what was going on when he called you and wanted a sit-down?”
“Not exactly,” Hitch said. “I wasn’t intentionally avoiding you. Bradford isn’t my case anymore. Once he was in prison, everything became Cal’s headache.”
“Why did you visit Bradford?” Cal asked me.
