Page 25 of A Touch of Frost
He smiled. “You’re not looking for a sugar baby—what kind of job could you offer me?”
“I’m thinking once this is over, I’m going to want to head home.” I told him. “If that happens, I’ll need someone who knows cars.”
“Well, if that happens, you know where to find me.” He rose to his full overpowering height and pressed a kiss to my right temple. “You watch yourself out there. Whatever brought you back, can’t be too safe. If you need me…”
“I’ll holler.”
Lizard walked around to open the door. I stepped through with Jesse on my heels and held my breath until the door clanged shut behind me. I didn’t want to leave Lizard, but after the tragedy that sent him running, I couldn’t seem to get him to want to live.
“Is he a friend?” Jesse asked.
“Yes.”
“Like, a real friend.”
I nodded. “Why?”
“It doesn’t seem he should be in a place like that.” Jesse sighed. “He seems like a good dude, that’s all.”
I smiled. “You would be right with that.”
He cleared his throat. “Do you think Ray was lying when he said there was no surgery?”
“No. I think he’s holding information back.” I rubbed my eyes. “I think Striker lied and now your brother knows something he shouldn’t.”
“If that’s the case, and he’s helped their friend.” Jesse seemed as though someone had punched him in the chest. “They have no reason to keep him alive.”
“Well, they aren’t dumb. They know at some point they’ll need a doctor again. So as long as they can, they’ll keep Paul alive. He’s a resource they can’t afford to just throw away.”
Jesse made a sound in the back of his throat. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking we need to go to Mountain Head.”
“Oh?” Jesse asked. “What’s that?”
“It’s a mansion Striker purchased here about ten years ago.” I started walking toward my car. “From what I know, he bought it cash.”
“Where does a soldier get that much cash to buy a mansion anywhere?” Jesse asked. “I make great money and I wouldn’t even dream of taking on a mansion in a foreign country.”
“That’s the question people have been asking.” I confided. “There were rumors swirling around that Striker was dirty. But there wasn’t any proof. He claimed he inherited the money but there isn’t any trail of where it came from. There are no traces in his bank account, nothing.”
“Has anyone looked offshore? Switzerland, Bahamas, the Grand Cayman Islands…”
“You know your nests.” I was proud. “Yeah, we’ve tried all those. We had one lead, but it was routed through so many countries—it was impossible to dismantle.”
Once we were in the car, I pulled on my seatbelt. I was digging through my bag when Jesse tapped my shoulder.
“Um—Frost.”
“Yeah?”
“Where the hell is he going in such a hurry?” Jesse wanted to know.
I looked up at him to find him pointing. When I turned my head to follow his finger, I noticed Ray hurrying across the parking lot.
“We should follow him.” Jesse suggested.
“Agreed—but we can’t do it in this car.” I told him. “Starting the ignition alone draws attention. Come on.”
