He cranked the engine. “Lot of truck stops along I-10.”
The drove farther west to a Love’s Travel Stop, which was also a bust. They stopped at a second Love’s, hit a Travel Plaza, then started back toward the city. They went into a second Flying J, then a TexMart Travel Center.
The TexMart wasn’t part of a big chain like the others, and something about it seemed a little off. There were just as many trucks parked in rows in the asphalt yard, but it wasn’t as brightly lit. The inside of the building was less orderly, with empty spaces on the shelves, the bathrooms neglected.
Since Jason was deep in conversation with the guy refilling the beer cooler, Kate decided to give him some space. She bought a cup of coffee and went back out to the Yukon.
She watched several trucks pull in and a couple of them fuel up and pull out. Nothing looked suspicious. Jason still hadn’t returned. She wished she could be a fly on the wall for the conversation he was having.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Look, I’m not supposed to send anyone out there who wasn’t referred by a regular customer,” the clerk said.
“Dude, I got an old lady and three kids,” Jase said. “Only time I get any is when I’m on the road. One of the drivers mentioned this place. Said if I wanted some action, this is where I could find it.”
“But you said you don’t remember the guy’s name.”
“Joe something. Drives for one of the big moving companies.” Jase reached into his pocket and took out his wallet, pulled out a fifty-dollar bill. “Man, my old lady’s pregnant again. It’s been so long my balls are turning blue. Cut me a break, will you?”
The clerk was a slim guy in his late twenties with wheat blond hair and an unassuming face. He studied the fifty, reached over and plucked it out of Jase’s hand. “Truck’s in tomorrow night around eleven. You need to know the password to get in.”
“What is it?”
“Firebird.”
Jase grinned. “Thanks, bro.” He looked down at the name tag pinned to the guy’s shirt. “I won’t forget this, Wally.”
The clerk just grunted. As Jase walked away, the smile slid from his face.
He climbed into the Yukon. “Truck’ll be here tomorrow night.” He clicked on his belt and pulled out onto the interstate.
“Are we going to call the police?”
The question he’d been considering. “It’s a risk. I trust Castillo, but he can’t make the bust alone. He’s got to bring in his superiors, and if one of them’s dirty, word will get back to Los Besos. If that happens, we’ll be in more danger than we are now.”
Kate sat back in her seat. “So what are we going to do?”
Jase rubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw. “If we don’t bust these guys tomorrow night, we might not get another chance.” There really was no decision to make. “I’ll call Castillo as soon as we get back to the apartment.”
Jase phoned the detective the minute he walked into the living room. “You need to leave Kate out of this,” he said. “Can you do that?”
“I’ll do my best,” Castillo said.
The detective called back the following morning. “The bust is set, but you need to be there. You’re the guy who was given the info. The arrests will go smoother if you’re there to play your part.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be there.” Jase ended the call.
Convincing Kate to let him go without her was going to be the tricky part. He probably should have told her sooner, but he waited, hoping to avoid an argument. He knew he was in trouble when she walked out of the bedroom that night dressed completely in black, her thick blond curls pulled into a low ponytail.
“It’s going to take a while to drive to the TexMart,” she said. “If the truck is supposed to be there at eleven, shouldn’t we get going?”
“The cops will get there early enough to set up a perimeter. They’ll stay out of sight until the truck is in position and working the johns who show up.”
“How much longer do we wait?”
He sighed. “Look, Kate. The cops are handling this, but things could go south. You’re just another person for them to worry about. Be better if you stayed here.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, you’re going and so am I. We’re so close, Jase. I quit before and it didn’t do any good. I’m not quitting again.”
