Colin nodded. “Absolutely.”
Esther held out several papers to Colin. “Police reports from Hannibal’s murder.”
Colin scanned them and then held them out to Joshua, who shook his head and eased Colin’s hand away. “Is this from the evidence-gathering team?” Colin asked.
“It is,” Esther told him. “I don’t have much other news. Right now, the investigation team is going over Lexi Moreno’s visitor logs, texts, and phone calls, hoping to establish who he may havecontacted as a potential assassin or as a conduit to a potential assassin.”
Joshua let out a small moan and gripped Colin’s hand.
Noticing, Esther reached to touch his arm. “Josh, the reason you’re here is to prevent that from ever happening!”
Joshua’s face twisted. “I hope to god you’re successful, Esther.”
“We’re not losing Colin!” she shot back, her voice rough with sudden fury. “If I have to sit outside that door all night—every night—with a fucking shotgun across my lap, Iwill!We’re not losing Colin!”
Surprised, Joshua reared back and stared at Colin’s boss. “Nice to know you feel the same way about it as I do.”
“You’re goddamn right I do!”
“Thank you, boss lady,” Colin said. “But I’ve already got half an army out there protecting us. We need you at city hall kicking this investigation down the road so Josh and I can go home.”
“Now that Lexi Moreno’s in Red Onion, he won’t be reaching out toanyone. And, of course, we’ll continue to investigate Hannibal’s death.”
Colin leaned forward. “You’re focusing on Elias?”
Esther nodded. “We suspect him, of course, but he’s way too smart to be personally involved in taking out a low-level informant, even if itwasmeant as a message for you.” She gave a small shrug. “In my opinion, he knew nothing about it. Lexi appears to be operating independently at this point. Elias Moreno iswaytoo smart to engage in this kind of law enforcement baiting.”
“Well, you’re right about one thing. Even if he is involved, we’llneverfind evidence connecting Elias to the murder.”
“Let’s say this,” Esther told her attorney. “I’d be goddamned surprised.”
Joshua leaned around Colin to question his boss. “But Esther, if Hannibal’s death is connected with the Morenos at all,wouldn’t ithaveto be Elias who ordered the hit?”
Esther shrugged. “Not necessarily. As I said, Lexi seems to be operating on his own these days. But even if thatwerethe case, you can bet that the perp who actually shot Hannibal was fifteen levels removed from Elias Moreno and had—quite likely—never laid eyes on him. Elias’s no fool.”
Colin spat out a disgusted curse.
“However,” Esther told them. “I do have news. Since this morning, Charlottesville law enforcement has conducted several raids on known Moreno locations and arrested half a dozen of their key operatives. Mid-level at best, but high enough to be in the know. We can’t hold them for long. But…”
“That’ll sure put a kink in their day-to-day,” Colin muttered.
“That’s the hope. We probably can’t do much that will affect Elias directly, but we can definitely shake his tree, possibly enough that he’ll sue for peace.”
“Might popsomethingloose,” Colin told his boss, then nudged Joshua’s arm and grinned. “See what I mean about threats to law enforcement? Fuck around and find out.”
“We’ll see,” Esther told them as she rose. “We’re still processing the operatives we arrested and evaluating the other evidence. I’ll keep you informed.” She rested a hand on Colin’s shoulder. “Stay home tomorrow. Take the day off so you and Josh can get settled. There’s nothing on your docket we can’t handle.”
“Thanks, Boss. There may be things I can’t put off. I’ll let you know.”
“But thank you anyway, Esther,” Joshua said.
“We won’t let anything happen to him, Josh,” she whispered in return.
Joshua gave a grim nod but did not reply.
“Call me if you need anything, Esther,” Colin said as he embraced her, but she waved away the offer.
“We’ll be fine.”
