Page 63 of Fierce Hope
Deke stoodat the head of the conference table. Everyone was still reeling from Zara’s update: Kent Wycoff, shot in the head, his SUV set ablaze on a lonely mountain road. Murdered. There was no question about it.
Ronan paced back and forth, his boots thudding against the polished floor. “So the prime suspect in Jade’s case just got himself taken out,” he said, voice tight with anger. “Anyone else think this timing’s a little too convenient?”
“No argument here,” Deke replied, his gaze drifting to Jade. She stood against the wall, arms folded, trying—and failing—to hide the tremor in her fingers. Only a week ago, she had been finalizing tax documents without any inkling of money laundering or crime families. Now she was in the midst of a homicide investigation. No wonder she seemed shell-shocked.
The hush that followed turned the group’s focus to the burning question: the storage unit. It was the last known link in Wycoff’s chain—maybe the last lead they had. Axel arched a brow. “We gotta get in there and see whatever’s hidden, before these people torch that place too.”
Ronan nodded. “Logical step, but we can’t just barge in,” he said, shooting Maya a look that clearly sought confirmation.
She inclined her head. “No way we have any business breaking into that locker now. It’s part of a homicide investigation. We need to let local law enforcement handle it. We can’t risk tampering with potential evidence.”
“Only they don’t know it exists yet,” Jade pointed out.
Deke grunted. “Point taken.”
Kenji, slouched in a swivel chair behind a bank of monitors, let out a dramatic sigh. “Which means dealing with Chief Frazer. He’s not exactly our biggest fan, especially after that one … slight mishap.”
“Mishap?” Zara echoed, a wry smirk tugging at her lips. “Kenji, you impersonated a county IT official and claimed their server was riddled with ‘digital termites.’ Of course, he’s mad.”
“Hey, at least they upgraded their systems,” Kenji retorted, though his grin wilted. “Still, Frazer isn’t gonna love that we’ve known about this storage unit and said zilch until now.”
Zara jerked back, eyes on her monitors again. “Interesting. Guys, the initial responders on scene are reporting a handful of twenty-dollar bills blew out of the vehicle when they got the driver’s door pried open.”
Maya set down her mug. “I bet they find more. Satchels or duffels or suitcases.” She caught Deke’s eye. “The guy was probably running with the money.”
If Wycoff was behind the threats to Jade, that was a good thing. Which made checking that storage locker even more imperative.
Ronan stopped pacing and tossed Deke a crooked grin. “So, who’s calling the chief? I vote for Captain Smooth Talk over here.” He jabbed a thumb at Axel, the team’s usual diplomat in tense scenarios.
Axel folded his arms, shaking his head. “Not it. My charm can only do so much after we’ve withheld evidence for days.”
Deke drew a slow breath, ignoring the clamp of tension on his chest. “I’ll do it,” he said. Jade was his responsibility. If that meant eating some crow with Cory Frazer, so be it.
He stepped aside, fishing out his phone to call Frazer’s cell. The rest of the team quieted, blatantly eavesdropping. The phone rang three times before a gruff voice answered, “Frazer here. Go.”
“It’s Deke Williams, Knight Tactical.”
A beat of silence, then a low growl. “Figured I’d hear from you. Bet it’s not good news.”
“That depends on your point of view. I think we have a lead for you on the Wycoff thing.” Deke cleared his throat, ignoring the thin line of sweat forming at the back of his neck. “We confirmed Wycoff leased a storage unit at Hope Landing Self-Storage. We suspect it’s related to his murder—possibly containing evidence. We?—”
“Hold on,” Frazer cut in. “You’re telling me about this key piece of evidence now? After the man’s been found dead?”
Deke forced down a sharp reply. “We were investigating ourselves, but with homicide in the mix, we need your people to handle it officially.”
“You think?” Frazer snapped.
Across the table, Kenji offered Deke an over-the-top thumbs-up that earned him a scowl in return.
“Listen,” Deke said, voice rigid. “We don’t want to compromise your case. Jade’s safety is my only concern. If Wycoff had an accomplice, Jade could still be in danger.”
Frazer’s frustration crackled through the phone. “Noted. I’m still not letting your people near that unit. I’ll keep you updated—unofficially. Understood?”
“Understood, Chief.”
A pause, then Frazer grumbled, “And call me the second you find anything else. No more delays. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Chief. Copy that.”
