“Funnily enough, I wasn’t lookin’ for him. I was talkin’ to another source. Razor just happened to be there.”
“When you were lookin’ for leads into the human trafficking?” I asked.
His mouth pursed. “Yeah.”
“So, you laid low the first year you got out, then made tentative attempts to figure out who was involved over the last two years?”
“That’s sums it up.”
“And you never figured anything out?” I asked, my skepticism creeping in.
He turned and studied me for several seconds. “You don’t believe that?”
“Why did you have trouble finding out anything, let alone linking Knox to it last fall, when Miguel happens to know Knox is trafficking?”
He shook his head, frustration washing over his face. “The hell if I know. Maybe I talked to the wrong people. Maybe Knox is getting sloppy.”
“I need you to tell me the truth, James,” I said in exasperation.
Some of the tension left his body. “I am. Knox had his own people who—as far as I know—didn’t interact with my sources. Or maybe I didn’t try hard enough.”
“On purpose?” I asked, my tone softer. I could only imagine how hard his federal leash had to chafe.
“There’s some truth to that,” he conceded. “But Knox was never on my radar. I guess he should have been. I’d heard he was laundering. I just didn’t make the connection.” He gave me a grim smile. “Maybe I’m getting sloppy.”
I didn’t believe that, but I did believe he’d only put out tentative feelers.
“You made the first connection to Knox when you saw the paperwork for the warehouse,” I said. “But he sold it, so where’s he taking the victims now?”
“I plan to find out from Razor. He obviously does work for Knox.”
“You think he’s gonna tell you?”
“Honestly? No. But once I tell him I know he’s part of it, I’m sure he’ll run off to talk to someone. I plan to follow him.”
“But what if it’s a phone call?”
“He’s usually too paranoid to talk about important things over the phone. He’ll run to them and confront them in person.”
“What if we cover both potential possibilities?”
He squinted at me. “How do you propose to do that?”
“I say we enter the bar separately. I’ll find Razor and sit close. You come in and confront him, then leave, and I’ll be there to see what he does.”
Indecision wavered on his face.
“You want to tell me no,” I said with a little laugh. “But you’re struggling to find a reason that will convince me.”
He shot me a sardonic grin.
“I was a cop, Malcolm. I can handle myself. Besides, I’m not stupid. I’ll be careful.”
“I know you’re not stupid. But Natalie Crowe recognized you. What if he recognizes you too? He won’t be up for a chat.”
“Then I’ll get a disguise.” I shrugged. “Maybe it’s time for that wig.”
“You’re gonna wear a wig?” he asked in disbelief. “I thought you were against using one.”
