She returned his smile. “That’s a first. You would’ve never said that a year ago.”
“Damn straight. I probably turned that corner during the multiple orgasms phase of our relationship.”
She lost the smile. “So. Lassiter, huh?”
“Yes,” Angus said, the humor on his face sliding away to show fury. “He has to move on to the actual team now, Nari. He won’t be able to stop himself.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
After inhaling a delicious burger Wolfe brought back for him, Angus finally felt reenergized. He stood and paced in front of the murder board, his mind reeling as he let himself pursue the case as he’d wanted. “First thing we need to determine is what happened to Lassiter’s body. Why did the FBI think he was dead when he wasn’t?” He reached for his creased and coffee-stained manila file folder.
Nari poked her head out of the bedroom, a phone to her ear. “What kind of retainer can you afford for an attorney? That’ll narrow my search.”
“Doesn’t matter. Just find me the best,” Angus said absently. “One who’s free tomorrow, actually.” He looked at Jethro and Wolfe, who sat on barstools once again while Nari disappeared back into the room. “Since I’ve been on this case, I’ve tried to track what could have happened to Lassiter. Back then, I found his hidey-hole, I shot him, and he shot me.”
Jethro nodded. “You were taken to the hospital and had the bullets removed. What happened to Lassiter?”
Angus didn’t need his notes for this. He’d memorized everything. “He was alive at the scene and died on the way to the hospital. The autopsy was performed by Dr. Andrew Palletino, who was one of the best. Nothing in the records indicated any sort of coercion or malfeasance.”
Jethro drank a beer out of the bottle. “You said ‘was.’”
“Yeah. He died of a heart attack about three years ago,” Angus said. “Was in his seventies, overweight, and smoked, believe it or not.” He reached for his own bottle, ignoring the disgruntled look from his dog. “Lassiter’s body was sent to Town House Mortuary, cremated, and then released to the woman who’d served as his nanny. She’s dead as well, of natural causes as far as I could tell.”
“What about the paramedics? The ones in the ambulance?” Wolfe asked, twirling his beer bottle in his hands.
“I checked them both out, interviewed them under the auspices of an HDD case, and they seemed fine. Also had Brigid run their financials and nothing popped on either one,” Angus said.
“Why don’t I take another run at them?” Wolfe asked, flashing his teeth. “The problem had to have happened in that ambulance, and I’m not constrained by a badge any longer.”
Like Wolfe had ever been constrained. “Okay, but when the ambulance arrived at County, a Dr. Shelman verified time of death. I’ve interviewed her as well and she seemed solid.” Angus shoved a hand through his hair, trying to find an angle he hadn’t already pursued. “I can’t explain any of it, but I know Lassiter is alive.”
“Okay,” Wolfe said easily, finishing his beer.
Angus turned, looking at the ex-soldier. “That’s it? Just okay? You trust me?”
“Sure. If you say Lassiter is alive, I believe it. I always have,” Wolfe said, bending to the right and plucking another beer bottle out of a bag.
Angus didn’t know what to say, so he took another big gulp of the microbrew. Responsibility landed harder than ever on his shoulders. His team trusted him, so he had to be smart. To be right about this. “Take a run at the paramedics. Jethro, how about you go at the doctor? I’ve had Brigid track her as well, and no red flags, except the woman works way too hard.”
“Is she pretty?” the Brit asked.
Angus shrugged. “Only if you like them tall, leggy, and smart.”
“I do.” Jethro smiled. “Finally, an assignment that won’t get me shot.”
“Maybe,” Wolfe said. “You never know. If the leggy doctor is the bad guy, she might shoot you in the face. Just sayin’.” He pushed his beer away from the edge of the table as Roscoe had tiptoed closer. “Nice try, puppy.” He patted Roscoe’s dejected head. “Don’t feel bad. Next time I come, I’ll bring your buddy Kat to see you.”
Angus concentrated on protecting his team. “I would’ve thought Pippa would be the first target, but Lassiter has gone after Nari. Now he might go in random order, just to mess with us. Or there’s a clue in the notes we haven’t found yet.” He made a mental reminder to demand all notes the next day at Metro. “How’s Dana? Being scared like this probably isn’t good for a pregnant woman.”
Wolfe nodded. “She’s writing an in-depth piece on all this and expects interviews from all of us once we catch this guy. Doesn’t seem scared, but she never does. Although she might be getting a little tired of me telling her to sit down. Isn’t sitting down supposed to be healthy?”
Angus shook his head. “I don’t know anything about pregnant women. Sorry.”
Wolfe finished his second beer. “Speaking of which, I need to get home and check on her. Sometimes she forgets to eat when she’s working, and although I’m sure Pippa has been cooking, she’s not pushy like I am.” He looked around the spacious apartment. “This is a great place, Professor. It’s even in the middle of an industrial complex, so there aren’t other people living around here. Nicely done.”
“Thanks,” Jethro said.
Wolfe grinned. “Where’s the control room for all those cameras you have mounted around the place?”
