Page 68 of Bait and Switch
“I’d like to talk to all three of you at once,” Boyd said in a way that wasn’t a question or a polite request. “As we’ve already established, my name is Lane Boyd.”
Gabe waited for him to share the rest of his title. He did not, which again gave Gabe more reason to think that Boyd was not someone to fuck around with. The agent was quietly perceptive,one of those who didn’t miss much and probably heard more than suspects wanted him to. Not that they were suspects.
Boyd set his cell phone on the table, poked at the screen, and then looked up at them.
“This interview is being recorded. Please state your full names and dates of birth.”
Once that was over with, and Gabe had tucked away the knowledge that Casey’s middle name was Hank, the next round of questioning began.
“Tell me about this backpack you discovered and consequently removed from a possible crime scene.” He directed this quasi-request at Casey.
Casey leaned back in his seat, crossed his arms over his chest, and shot the investigator his signature Look. The chair squeaked slightly, protesting his bulk.
Lane Boyd did not blink, he didn’t even breathe funny, which Gabe found impressive. He met Casey’s stare with his own equally unreadable one.
“I am exceedingly unimpressed that you, Ranger Lundin, along with your associates Gabriel Karne and Elton Cox, removed what potentially could be vital evidence in a missing persons case.”
“It was a decision made in the moment,” Casey responded dryly, equally unimpressed and unintimidated.
Gabe reminded himself that Casey was law enforcement in his own right. Which, as a former con artist, he shouldn’t find as hot as he did.
“I didn’t know, and still don’t, if it was Rizzi or someone else who attacked me. I made the snap decision not to leave the bag up there. Suzie Warner’s family deserves to know what’s been found after all these years. They deserve closure—especially after what happened in there.”
Boyd grunted noncommittally. “What else can you tell me about the encounter last evening.” Again, not a question.
Casey repeated what he’d told Gabe and Elton, with both of them filling in bits and pieces as he did so. Boyd winced when Casey described the out-of-the-blue attack.
“It’s a damn good thing your friends showed up.”
They were all silent for a heartbeat. Gabe couldn’t say what everyone else was thinking, but Casey could easily have been killed and maybe his body hidden away like the missing girl’s. They might never have known what had happened to him.
“I don’t know what it is about that site,” Casey said, breaking the silence, “or Gordon MacDonald’s property that has Rizzi and other unknowns buzzing like disturbed hornets. Maybe it was because Rizzi knew Suzie Warner’s bag was hidden up there—because he was the one who hid it?”
“But you aren’t convinced,” said Boyd.
“I’m not convinced that’s the only reason.” He shrugged. “But it could be. I could be wrong.”
“I’m going to need to take that bag into custody.”
Did he want to cuff it too?
Casey must have sensed Gabe was about to lose control of his snark; he drew his eyebrows together and turned his megawatt glare Gabe’s direction. Sexy. For his part, Gabe released a deep sigh and rolled his eyes. It was Elton who rose to his feet and dug around in his pants pocket. Pulling out his keyring, he handed it to Boyd and rattled off his address and where they’d left the bag. “The dog’s name is Bowie, and he probably won’t bite.”
“The cat’s name is Keith, and she probably will,” Gabe added.
“Bowie and Keith, got it.” But it was said with a smile, so Gabe decided Lane Boyd was at least okay.
Boyd called in yet another G-man and gave him the lowdown on the backpack and Elton’s address. “Right, boss, I’m on it. Be back shortly.”
The door hadn’t yet clicked shut again when Casey spoke again. “My brother, Mickie Lundin, is behind bars for the murder of Maya Crane because of the lying asshole sheriff. How long before he’s freed?”
Boyd glanced up from the papers he’d been flipping through to look across the table at Casey. He had piercing blue eyes, and Gabe was tempted to make a Paul Newman joke but managed to keep his mouth shut.
“It’s a process. Release could happen as early as next week. But don’t get your hopes up because we do need to go through the files and interview Rizzi, and don’t forget, it’s the holidays. However,” he added quickly at the impending thunderstorm looming in Casey’s expression, “it won’t be months. There’s just a lot of paperwork.”
Through the room’s window, Gabe watched Chief Deputy Spurring walk in. By his expression, he was as stunned as everyone else in the building. How deeply involved was Spurring? Had he been a part of Rizzi’s web of lies? Gabe supposed that Lane Boyd and others would be tasked to ferret out that information.
There was another movement in the bullpen, and over Casey’s shoulder, Gabe saw Rizzi emerge from wherever they’d been keeping him. The still handcuffed ex-sheriff was being led out of the station by one of Boyd’s unnamed G-men, probably to be taken to a higher security location. Spurring backed up far enough that his back hit the wall behind him.
