Chapter 13
“I wish I knew what the hell this building has to do with all our problems,” Scott grumbled as he and Heather crossed the large room on the first floor. Only a single light dangled overhead, and darkness filled the corners of the room.
Moving closer, she slipped her hand through his arm and hugged it. Was she afraid or simply seeking warmth? The warmth of another person, not heat, since the day was close to ninety degrees and humid. She’d changed from her earlier court clothes into capri pants with a snug T-shirt and sneakers.
“Did anyone do any workin here today?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Once I knew what was happening Friday, I had Jack give all the workers another day for the holiday. Figured I’d need to see what my situation would be first. Jack has enough to deal with running the other sites we’ve got contracts with. He doesn’t need this one too. This was supposedto be my baby.”
“It still is. Hopefully Jian will have some good news.”
“Not sure if it’s good, dude, but it’s information,” Jian said from behind them. The man wastotal stealth.
“Thanks for helping out. Whatdid you find?”
“This chick, Carla Findley, she owed quite a bit of money to one of the big crime bosses in Hartford.”
“Do you know why? One of my FBI friends said she didn’t have any brusheswith the law.”
“No, doesn’t mean she can’t need money in a hurry. Money she can’t get at a bank.” Jian shifted from side to side, his eyes alert. Scott didn’t see any other members of the gang, but then he probably wouldn’t.
“Did you find out what she needed the money for?” Heather asked, her voice strong but respectful. Good girl. She knew how to talk to Jian. He wasn’t too happy she’d done it on her own, though.
“Her brother was big into drugs and needed help. Apparently, she sent him to some rehab place. But word is that her debt waspaid in full.”
“Paid in full? Because she took a beating and pinned it on me?”
“It wasn’t from her waitress job, dude.”
“Any idea who paid her debt?” Maybe he could find out who was behind this whole mill building fiasco.
“Nah, I can keep digging though. The information I got was that she agreed to do a job for someone but didn’t expect what happened to her.”
“I need to find out who she did the job for then get her to tell the police it wasn’t me.” The evidence would send him straight to jail for a long time. Her beating hadn’t been a mild one.
“She’s too scared to tell the police. They threatened to do worse next time if shesaid anything.”
“Can’t Drew get her into protective custody?” Heather suggested. It wasa good thought.
Jian laughed. “From the vibes I get, protective custody wouldn’t keep her safe. Could be some higher-upsare involved.”
“Great, someone in the system has it out for me.” Like Jack had FBI agents playing him against a mob boss.
“Or they might have friends in high places.”
Turning, he faced the boarded-up windows. They reminded him of the closed-in cell. Something he might have to getused to. Shit.
“So I’m screwed.”
“Not so fast, dude. I said the law couldn’t protect this chick. I never said we couldn’t.”
Scott whipped around. “You’d keep this lady safe if she came clean?”
“You kept Mei safe for me. You didn’t even know me then and how charming I can be.”
Laughing, he held out his hand. “I don’t know how I’ll repay you.”
Jian’s grip was strong. “Seems to me we have a nice little give-and-take system going on between us already. This is something I’mgiving to you.”
