Page 47 of Off Limits Daddy

"We haven't had a body turn up and really, no reason to think foul play except for the fact that we have an informant who said Jonny had owed Wally Creighton money."

"If Wally wants his money back, getting rid of Jonny isn’t the best way to do that."

"No, but our informant suggested that he was using the debt to coerce Jonny back into the Crew."

I thought about that as I jotted down the information in my notebook. “Perhaps Jonny didn't want to rejoin so they got rid of him?" It still didn't make sense that they would do that if Jonny owed money.

"I don't know, maybe. Wally is supposedly pretty persuasive, and our informant believes that Jonny would've done what Wally told him to do."

"What did he ask Jonny to do?"

"That I don't know, but his disappearance coincides with Detective Donovan and Darcy Patrick's murders. Here’s anotherlittle tidbit—Jonny and the Quinlans were once with the same foster family.”

Once again, I got a tingling feeling on the back of my neck. I made a note to pull out my notes regarding Liam Quinlan’s case.

“Look, this could be nothing. It could be that Jonny couldn't handle civilian life and he's run off. But I thought I'd let you know."

Or he’s swimming with the fishes. "I appreciate that. I might have something for you. It's possible that Wally, assuming it was Wally, had someone with him in the car when Donovan and Patrick were killed. My information suggests that this person is now deceased and probably in the river. The message to me was that he was ‘swimming with the fishes’."

"Well, that's too bad. I was sort of hoping that old Jonny had run away."

"It's possible he has."

"I'm not aware of a body showing up in the river since Donovan’s murder, but I'll go back and look. And of course, if you hear anything else, please let me know."

"Will do." I hung up the phone and reviewed my notes. Then I pulled up my report on Liam and Oliver. There it was. Oliver had talked to Jonny Walters, who’d told Oliver that Liam was suspected of being a snitch. Maybe Wally found out and used it to force Jonny back into the Crew. Then, for some reason, he killed Jonny. Maybe he'd always planned to kill Jonny but used him to do his dirty work first.

The puzzle pieces seemed to be falling into place, but I had to remind myself that they could be the wrong pieces. Just because I could form a theory that involved Wally forcing Jonny to go with him to kill Donovan and Patrick didn't mean it happened. I'd have to find proof, and I was worried that the only proof that existed was the eyewitness testimony of a terrified six-year-old boy.

I shared my information with my supervisor, Agent Matthews, and then with Agent Pinsky. Afterward, I decided to head to the bar that Oliver had gone to when he met with Jonny Walters and Darcy Patrick.

I arrived at the bar and walked in, taking a look at the scene. There were two men playing pool and another man and woman arguing back in the corner. At the bar was a bartender who, if my notes were correct, was named Frankie.

I made my way over and sat down. The bartender looked at me, arching a brow as he came over.

"I hope you're not trying to be undercover."

I shook my head. “I have some questions. About Jonny Walters.”

He rolled his eyes. “Already talked to the cops about that."

"Now you can tell me."

He leaned forward, not hiding the irritation. "I like my bar and I like my life. To keep both, I can't be talking to cops or Feds."

I nodded. "Okay. Well, let me talk, and if I'm right, I want you to pour me a glass of Chardonnay. And if I'm wrong, then tell me that you're out of it."

He rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Wally Creighton put pressure on Jonny to rejoin the Crew."

Frankie didn't say anything, but he got out a wine glass and set it on the bar in front of me.

"Jonny agreed to it."

Frankie shrugged, suggesting to me that he suspected so but wasn't sure.

"Wally wanted Jonny to take care of Detective Donovan and Darcy Patrick."

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