Page 5 of Resolution

Mike and Cassidy both burst out laughing and I turned to them with a big grin on my face. “You see what I have to put up with?”

“Unfortunately, all the talk about your toilet bowl has me rethinking biscuits and gravy with a side of large Polish sausage,” Cassidy replied, grimacing when I chuckled.

Mike dramatically slapped his menu closed. “Thanks, partner. There goes my choice of the Elvis scramble.”

“Why?” Raven asked with a grin.

“Because it has sausage too.”

Cassidy looked affronted but I could see the smile playing around his lips as well. “Lightweight.”

“Bully!” Mike called back.

I cleared my throat as I spotted the waitress coming back. We gave our orders and waited for her to leave before Mike pulled out a small, spiral notebook and pen, flipping a couple of pages before looking up. I took a big gulp of coffee and leaned forward.

“I’m guessing the reason you two look so tired isn’t all about the lack of sleep,” I said.

Cassidy sighed, setting down his coffee cup and opening his jacket as he leaned back in the booth. “Unfortunately, no. It’s because I just found a business card with the names of my friends scribbled on the back, tucked into the pocket of a long-dead homicide victim.”

“We hadn’t even met Dave Reynolds,” Raven said.

“Tell me what you know about him anyway. You were slightly cryptic when we spoke on the phone earlier.”

“Well, like I told you, I didn’t even remember the man’s name until Raven reminded me,” I said. “Neither of us ever talked to him because of the mess with those CIA fuckers.”

Cassidy frowned. “Okay.”

“Are you sure he was murdered?” Raven asked. “You said the body was pretty messed up.”

“We can definitely confirm he was murdered,” Mike said with a frown on his face. “It looks like someone put a gun in his mouth and shot him, but we can rule out suicide.”

“Don’t people shoot themselves in the mouth all the time?” Raven asked. “I see it in movies.”

Cassidy snorted, shaking his head. “Oh, yeah. I forgot you’re a detective because you watch the Lifetime movie channel.”

I shook my head.

“Did I forget to say we didn’t find a weapon at the scene?” Cass went on. “And since he had an exit wound in the back of his head the size of Texas, he couldn’t have ditched the gun before expiring. You need more brains on the inside of your head than on the outside in order to accomplish that.”

I snorted. “Sarcastic much?”

Cassidy rubbed his face again. “Sorry.” He lifted his coffee cup and saluted us.

“Gotcha. So, someone shot him in the mouth,” Raven said, looking a little pale.

“Either that or they made him do it and then took the gun with them,” Mike said. “We’ll have to see if the coroner can get any gun residue off his hands. Like we said, the body is pretty decomposed.”

“Okay, I see what you mean,” Raven said. “So, how can we help you?”

“Well, I want you to tell me everything you know about this law firm, Aston, Summerfield, and Billings as well as Greg Aston who was representing your client.” Mike referred to his notes. “You said you suspected he might be involved in the theft of your client’s ruby.”

“That’s right. Tawny Flores is the client,” I said. “We were contacted by Gregory Aston for an appointment to meet her before she hired us. He accompanied her to that first meeting at the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas.”

Cassidy nodded as Mike took notes.

“Let me ask you a question,” Cass began before the waitress arrived and started setting down plates of food.

I glanced down at my veggie omelet and then over at Raven’s bowl of Greek yogurt before shooting him a small smile. After an eyeroll, he looked back at our two detective friends.

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