Aria stopped at the barrel and ran the toe of her boot through the ash at the base. “Jaxson, you’ll need to come back with your K-9.”
Jaxson nodded. “Yes. Both for this cave, and to look for Doug Walker.”
As we moved through the cave together, Parker photographed every bloodstain, and Jaxson marked locations and took notes. They worked together without much discussion.
When Aria returned, I walked them through what I believed had happened in here. Bob shooting Lyle in the stomach. Bob shooting Frank in the back. Bob’s escape through the back of the cave.
“How long has he been gone?” Jaxson asked, shining his flashlight into the narrow opening.
“About three hours by now,” I said.
Jaxson studied the fissure for a long moment, then turned back to me. “You know him better than any of us. Any idea where he’d go?”
“I thought I knew him,” I corrected. “And no, I don’t.”
“Frank and Bob have been friends since they were teenagers,” Kayden added. “Apparently, they came out here often. So, he knows this country.”
“Do you think he was planning this attack on Frank for a while?” Parker frowned.
“No. I think this all escalated very quickly when ...” I stopped short.
I was going to mention the cash that was in the eastern outstation. But if I did, Kayden and his siblings would be charged with concealing evidence. I couldn’t do that to them.
“When what?” Aria asked, her eyes sharp.
Shit. To save Kayden and the others from getting into trouble, I have to hand over those notes. Damn it.
I strode to my backpack and pulled out the Chivas box. “Here’s Frank’s notes. He writes about Bob laundering millions in cash.”
“What the fuck?” Levi blurted.
“What the hell?” Jaxson and Parker said at the same time.
As Aria used her fingernail to flick up a few folded notes in the Chivas box, I explained what we knew about the cash, and how Frank and Bob had been hiding it in the eastern outstation for years. I told them about Kayden and me flying out there and the walls being stripped. I also told them that Frank had stolen the cash, or at least as much as he could carry.
I felt Kayden’s eyes on me as I then said, “I have no idea where the rest of that cash is now.” At least it wasn’t a lie.
“Fucking hell. If Bob has access to that kind of money, he could buy himself a jet and be halfway around the world before we put the call out for him,” Jaxson said.
If Aria suspected I was holding something back, she didn’t push. “I’ll get Cole Tanner onto it,” she said. “He’s the best hacker in the world. If anyone can track his whereabouts, it’s him.” She pulled her phone from her pocket and walked toward the cave entrance.
Parker studied me, and I felt like an absolute hypocrite for deceiving them. “Hey, don’t worry, we’ll catch Bob. Aria’s track record for catching corrupt cops is extraordinary.”
“I hope so. Bob’s been corrupt for a very long time. I can’t believe I missed it.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. Corrupt cops have the most to hide. They’re sneaky bastards.”
“That’s what I told her,” Kayden said, giving me a sad smile.
“Thanks.” Though it didn’t make me feel any better. “Do you think you’ll find that girl’s body?” I nodded toward the drum.
“Parker and I will come back and go over this place properly. I’ll bring my K-9, Onyx. She’s the best dog I’ve ever trained.”
“And we’ll bring Whitney with us,” Parker said.
“Whitney?” Kayden asked.
“That’s our brother,” Jaxson and Parker said at the same time.
