Pinky and Floyd began to break down the gear and load it into the van. Jack called for a rideshare. I hustled outside, checked the parking lot, and cleared the hallway.
A black Lincoln Navigator pulled around to the back entrance of the club, and I escorted the guys out of the green room. We hustled down the hall, stepped outside, and piled into the SUV. Maybe it was overkill, but I was a little more cautious than usual. There was no doubt in my mind that Diego Navarro had his daughter followed around. He probably knew exactly where she was at all times and who she was talking to. Now that she was no longer in my proximity, I was fair game.
I'm not sure what he thought he'd accomplish by killing us. But it would send a powerful message. Maybe other cops wouldn't pursue a case against Catalina. There were a lot of guys on the force that had a lot to lose—a wife, kids. Sometimes it makes sense to let the bad guys walk if it means you and your family get to keep breathing.
We returned to theAvventura, and the guys texted a few select beauties to accompany them for the rest of the evening. I wanted to keep it low-key—as low-key as things could be around here.
It was tempting to drop by the Coconut Cabana, but I left it alone. Didn’t mean I didn’t dream about Catalina all night.
In the morning, my phone buzzed the nightstand, bright and early. Amber shafts of light slipped in through cracks in the blinds.
I reached a sleepy hand for the phone, swiped the screen, and held it to my ear.
“Deputy Wild, this is Lauren Prescott, Liam’s sister.”
“Yes, what can I do for you?”
31
"Icame over to Liam’s apartment to start clearing out his things, and I found something odd,” Lauren said. “Actually, a few odd things. His door was unlocked when I got here. That’s really unusual. I know it’s a safe building, but he would never leave without locking the apartment.”
“Are there any signs of forced entry?” I asked.
“Not that I can tell.”
“Did anyone else have a key?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What about girlfriends?”
“I don’t think anyone he was dating had reached key status.”
“What about his ex-girlfriend?”
“Doubtful, but she might be worth looking into. There’s something else. His computer is missing.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Did you check his car? His locker at the club?”
Lauren sighed. “No. I guess it could be either of those places.” She thought about it for a second. “I guess his car is still in the parking lot at the club. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Is anything else missing?”
“It’s hard for me to tell. Somebody has definitely been in here and gone through things. Liam was very particular. He never left anything out of place. But his desk is messy. Books have been pulled from the shelves, drawers have been opened.”
“Okay. Sit tight. We’ll be right over.”
“There’s something else. I found a note.”
"What kind of note?" I asked.
"Liam wrote, ‘If something happens to me, it's not an accident. I'm not suicidal. It's because I was getting too close.’”
"Too close to what?”
