Cruz studied him a long moment. “You shouldn’t keep things from your partner.”
“The boss told me to.” Even without Walter’s blessing, he wouldn’t tell Bo his plans—his highly illegal plans.
“I’ll ask you no more, but I will tell my superiors about this issue.”
“What the—”
Cruz held up a hand. “I won’t interfere with your work, but now that I know about them, I can’t abandon those people. Keep me posted and I’ll stay away. In the meantime, I’ll watch your back for Landry.”
God, how Lucky hated having to depend on anyone, especially this man he didn’t know very well. “I want those people out of there.”
“Then solve this case.” Cruz opened the door and got out, strolling across the parking lot without a backward glance.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Lucky arrived at his cube a few minutes early. Johnson saved him the trouble of tracking her down by being at Bo’s desk.
Again.
She’d brought coffee, one cup on his desk, one on Bo’s. He might think about forgiving her for once more invading his space. Still, he wanted to talk to her. “You were right about the women. They’re being trafficked.”
Johnson narrowed her eyes. “How do you know? Don’t tell me you made a move without me.”
“An opportunity came up. I took it.” He briefly explained his and Cruz’s visit to the apartment complex. “We gotta keep an eye on the pregnant girl, Yolanda. Make sure she doesn’t pay the price for Cruz busting in like that.” How was he to know the cretin planned to go all loose cannon on him?
“Oh shit. We probably have to watch out for all of them. But trafficking isn’t our area.” Rett tapped a manicured nail against the side of her coffee cup.
“She definitely backed up the theory of drugs being involved. That makes this our case.” For now, at any rate. Mexican citizens turned the case international.
Johnson tightened her hold on her coffee cup to the point where the sides nearly buckled. “What can I do?”
“I sent Walter a report of what I found out. Not a full report, mind you, but enough to let him know what’s what. Someone is meeting with him tomorrow from an anti-trafficking taskforce. A raid right now might blow our case. As much as I want those people out of there, if we don’t catch the bastards responsible, they’ll do it again.”
“I don’t like it either. So, that means we gotta close our case.”
Lucky nodded. “Tonight we check out the warehouse.”
“I’ll be ready. First, we have something else to do.”
***
“Today, class, we’re going to pay a surprise inspection on a doctor’s office.” Use his rookies to get his way? What was the use of having the puppy pack nipping at his heels if he didn’t intend to use them?
They needed to earn their keep some way.
Road Rage Robinson cracked her knuckles. Yeah, most likely to wind up in court for using excessive force.
“I’m not taking all of you.” For all his reservations about Salters, he’d be the most useful at Lucky’s back today. “Salters, you and Agent Johnson are coming with me. The rest of you, I’ve emailed lists of online pharmacies for you to check out today.”
As one the six remaining trainees groaned. Lucky fought a smile. He fully understood their pain, but he’d served his time doing menial tasks, why not get some pleasure out of sharing the wealth?
Salters beamed.
Lucky’s growl didn’t wipe the smile off his face. Lucky regretted his decision already.
Johnson swatted him on the back. “I shoulda brought popcorn.”
***
