Page 162 of State of Bliss

“We’ve still got plenty to tie her to Rachel’s murder.”

“But now she and her attorneys will know we don’t have the smoking gun.”

“Yeah.”

Gonzo’s stomach churned with heartburn and an overall sick feeling over how a case that’d seemed somewhat simple at the outset had blown up in their faces. He called Malone over the Bluetooth. “Cap, we have a problem.”

“What now?”

“Randy Bryant has been found murdered down by the river.”

“Come on. You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I wish I was.”

“What the fuck is happening here?”

“No idea, but we’re on our way. I’ll update you later.”

“Send me the address. I’ll meet you there.”

“Cruz is texting it now.”

“Thanks.”

The line went dead.

“I’m glad he’s coming,” Gonzo said. “This feels above our pay grade.”

“Right? A congressman’s son is arrested on murder-for-hire charges, then the USA orders us to release him, and now he’s dead, all in the scope of a couple of days.”

“This is crazy even by our wide definition of the word.” Gonzo’s phone rang, and he took the call from Sam. “Hey.”

“How’s it going?”

“You won’t believe it. We released Bryant’s son and now he’s been murdered.”

“Whoa. I can’t get my head around this.”

“Right there with you.”

“Keep me posted.”

“We will.”

“What now?”Nick asked after she ended the call.

She glanced toward the stairs to make sure the kids were still upstairs getting washed up for dinner after an hour on the beach. “Remember how Forrester ordered us to release Randy Bryant, the congressman’s son?”

“What about it?”

“The son has been murdered.”

“Whoa. Didn’t he just get sprung today?”

“About four hours before he was found dead.”

“Oh shit.”

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