“Good,” Malcolm said, his eyes softening. “She’s been out a lot lately and needs some downtime at home. Away from people.”
“It’s a good idea,” Nari said, moving closer, her boots alive on the worn concrete. “With her anxiety disorder, she’s doing the right thing in giving herself time alone. She’s managing very well.”
“Plus”—Wolfe smiled as the kitten rubbed against his chin—“if Pippa is home, she’s probably doing some baking while working on the Internet. I’m expecting cookies or pie tomorrow, Mal.” The kitten nipped at his ear and batted at his cheekbone, perfectly content on the big soldier’s shoulder.
Brigid nodded. “Those sugar doodles she made last week were amazing.” The woman could really bake.
Malcolm grinned before he turned and headed for the elevators. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Wolfe followed him. “Maybe I’ll come with you. I’m free this morning since the police picked up the dentist Dana busted. Did you read her article? It’ll be in the print edition today.” He kept talking as they walked onto the terrible elevator and the doors finally closed.
Angus Force poked his head out of the case room. “Are we getting to work, or what?” His short dark hair was ruffled, and his eyes were bloodshot. Had he been up all night?
Raider gave her a look and strode toward the room, gingerly sipping his latte.
Brigid liked the sugar. She followed him into the room and took a seat at the dented conference table, careful not to snag her shirt on the top’s wooden slivers. Angus had pulled down a yellowed screen in front of the whiteboard, and he moved to the head of the table, where a laptop had been set up.
Raider sat on her left, and Nari took the seat at the other end of the table from Angus. As usual.
Brigid looked around. “Hey. Where’s Roscoe?”
Nari’s nostrils flared. “Grounded in my office. He ate my best lipstick yesterday.”
Brigid bit back a smile. Being grounded in the shrink’s office meant Roscoe was sleeping on a cushy bed in the corner with doggie treats and a bowl of water nearby. Poor dog. It was nice to be around animals again. Sometimes she missed the farm so badly, the pain felt physical.
“I told you not to leave makeup or booze around,” Angus muttered, setting his hands on the keyboard.
He typed slowly with two fingers, and finally a face came up on the screen. The man had short black hair, blue eyes, square features, and a flattened nose. His eyes lacked emotion, and he appeared to be in his midforties. “Meet Eddie Coonan, son of the recently deceased Patrick Coonan, head of the Coonan crime family. His daddy died three months ago.”
The guy looked like a mobster. A brawler. “He’s the leader?” Brigid asked.
“Yes,” Nari said, shuffling a series of manila files in front of her. “He’s been running drugs and extorting money since he was a teenager, and don’t let his looks fool you. He’s brilliant. Probably a sociopath, from what I’ve been able to glean.”
No way did Brigid’s father know this guy. “If you give me an hour, I’ll get you everything else on him.”
Angus nodded. “That’s the plan. Among other crimes, the Coonans have a first-class laundering system in place using hair-styling salons, laundromats, and motels, among a few other businesses that are hard to audit and easy to exploit.”
Brigid studied the man on the screen. “The motels are the cheap kind? Where cash is still okay?”
“Exactly,” Angus said.
Made sense. There was no way to really know if one person or a hundred checked into an inexpensive hotel in a night.
Angus continued. “Before I have you do a deeper dive, let me show you what else we have.” He clicked another button, and two men came up on the screen. The first guy had blondish-gray hair, was wiry and slender with direct blue eyes. The second guy had brown hair, brown eyes, and a broad chest. “Say hello to Jonny P and Josh the Bear.”
Raider let out a whistle. “I know these two. They’re Coonan’s enforcers, and his best friends. Coonan and Jonny P have been besties since birth, I think. Jonny’s dad was in the organization but disappeared in a mob war a decade ago.”
“You know them?” Brigid asked, swiveling to stare at Raider. What was going on?
He sighed. “Yes. I was in on a mob case dealing with drug running a while ago, and I’m familiar with most of the players.”
There was more to his story. Her mind started to click facts into place. Betrayal rankled her like poison ivy.
“Later,” Angus said. “You two will have plenty of time to talk when you start dating. For now, work.” He looked at Raider’s latte. “You going to drink that?”
“Hell no,” Raider said, nudging it toward Angus. “Wolfe isn’t here, so please take this. You actually want it?”
“Rough night. It’s either sugar or Jack Daniel’s,” Force muttered, taking the drink.
