"What do you think is in the case?" Brenda asked.
"Something worth killing over.”
"I wonder if he would think so?"
I glanced at the portable X-ray device. "Let's take a look."
Brenda hurried across the room, grabbed the X-ray machine, and wheeled it over. I set the briefcase on an empty table, and she positioned the unit over it. With a C-arm that held a flat panel detector under the table, we’d have a view inside the suitcase in a matter of moments.
Brenda fired up the machine and zapped the briefcase. A moment later, a digital X-ray appeared on the screen.
We both frowned at the results.
It was just a massive white radiopaque area.
"The case must be shielded," she said. "Looks like Mr. Davidson took privacy and security seriously. I'm even more intrigued now."
"That makes two of us.”
"What are you going to do?”
"Find out what's inside," I said with an optimistic grin.
I thanked her for the assistance, then left and made my way back to the parking lot. I climbed into the squad car, tossed the briefcase onto the seat again, and fired up the engine.
The Florida sun baked the asphalt.
I wasn't exactly sure what to do next. Technically, I was supposed to log the briefcase in as evidence. But I knew we had a problem with operational security. It wouldn't be the first time something had gone missing from our property department. Until I found out what was inside this case, I wasn't keen on letting it out of my sight.
I put the car into gear and drove to Paisley's apartment. She lived in the Del Mar. It wasn't a bad place. The six-story midrise was popular with young twentysomethings and had a reputation for a party vibe. There was under-building parking, a large pool, and always a party on the weekends.
I parked in the visitor lot, gave a look around, and grabbed the case.
The area looked clear, but there were plenty of cars in the parking lot, and plenty of places to hide. I didn't see the black SUV or the silver sedan that had followed us earlier.
I hustled to the main entrance, punched in her building code, then strolled through the lobby and took the elevatorup to #304. The hallway was clear, and I hurried to her apartment.
I slipped her key into the slot, twisted the handle, and pushed open the door. I drew my pistol for good measure before stepping into the foyer.
The barrel led the way as I crept down the foyer, across the hardwoods, past the kitchen to my left. The apartment opened into a spacious living room with a balcony.
It was a one-bedroom, and the door was closed.
I moved to it, held up for a moment, then twisted the handle. I flung open the door and swept my pistol across the room.
The bedroom was tidy, and the bed made.
I was starting to feel a little paranoid, but after the day's events, I figured somebody might come here looking for Paisley and the briefcase. Maybe they had already been here. Maybe they were here now.
6
After I cleared the apartment, I found a roller case in the closet and started packing it with the list of items Paisley had given me—toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, moisturizer, cinnamon apple body moisturizer, mascara, lip gloss, concealer, makeup mirror, underwear, socks, t-shirts, birth control pills, allergy meds. I didn’t bother with the Donna Thorne cocktail dress and Jimmy Choo heels. She was supposed to be staying in the room, not strutting around the bar, drawing attention. In that low-cut dress, she’d get plenty of it. I didn’t bother with the phone charger, laptop, or any other tech device that could be tracked.
When the case was full, I lugged it back to the patrol car. With a watchful eye, I climbed in and set out for the Seven Seas. Not long after I pulled out of the lot, I noticed the silver sedan in my rearview a few car lengths back.
I called dispatch and told them to send another patrol unit to pull over the silver sedan. It didn't matter the reason, just ID these guys and find out who they were.
I drove around the island, intentionally keeping my speed down, letting them tag along. The county would be able to track the GPS on the squad car. It wouldn’t take long for another patrol unit to be on their tail.
