Page 62 of Operation Rescue
Blaine blinked, puzzled, but only looked at Rafe, who already had the compartment open and was digging through the contents. He pulled out a small manila envelope, showed it to Walker, who nodded. Rafe pulled out the contents, which looked like the registration papers for the vehicle and put them back in the compartment.
“Okay, we’re negotiating here. When I say so, hand me the envelope, and I’ll give you the trained guard dog I just sold you.”
“You think they’re watching?” Rafe asked.
“Can’t be positive they’re not. They put up with me because I don’t pull anything on their turf, but they don’t take that for granted, either.”
“So,” Blaine said, “we’re what, buying drugs?”
Walker’s mouth quirked. “Nah, that would tick them off. That’s their main business. They put up with me because I don’t mess with their trade, so we’re warily in balance. And now I’m just selling a guard dog,” he said, nodding at Cutter.
Blaine shook his head slowly, wondering how the guy did it. And Erin asked from the back seat, “What about when you’re not doing this kind of…undercover thing? Don’t they think that’s suspicious?”
Walker gave her a crooked smile. “You’d be amazed the difference a haircut, shave and losing the tats makes.” He looked back at Rafe. “Anyway, wanted to meet up because I’m going to have to do that cleanup tomorrow. Amy’s boss has a client who needs some help. But I think this might do it.”
Rafe nodded. “Go ahead.”
“I was talking with one of the big guy’s lieutenants around two a.m. I got the same mention from two other lower-down guys. About some kids, some wannabes that the boss is starting to take notice of. They all confirmed he was thinking about it because having juveniles to pull stuff off is handy, because they do less time if they get caught.”
Blaine grimaced.
“Charming. Not,” Erin said, sounding as sour as he felt.
“Yeah. But the important thing is, they all referred to them the same way. Called them the Caspers kids.”
Blaine went still. He sensed Erin’s sudden tension from behind him. But before either of them could speak Rafe did.
“Because?” Blaine could hear the alertness in the man’s voice, and knew he was just making sure the conclusion they’d already leaped to was right.
“Because they’re supposedly hanging out in Caspers Park. About another six miles up the road from here. It’s a big park and wildlife preserve—”
“I know,” Rafe said quickly, and explained what Ty had also discovered.
“Leave it to Ty,” Walker said with a grin. “Anyway, apparently one of them—I’d guess the big guy from the robbery vid, who looks about sixteen or seventeen—has a car.”
“Makes sense,” Rafe said. “Somebody with a driver’s license ID would make things easier.”
Walker nodded and went on. “Putting some pieces from different sources together, I think it’s an old, beat-up, maroon sedan with some bumper sticker on it, but that was about all I could get. But it was worth a check with the park personnel, and one of them thought it sounded familiar, and that it might be connected to some kids they had to kick out of one of the regular campgrounds because you’re only allowed two weeks out of a month.”
Blaine smiled at the guy who had disrupted everything to come back and help. “I feel like there really should be some money in that envelope we hand you.”
“Nah, Foxworth pays fine. And brought me back to Amy, thanks to this guy—” he bent to stroke Cutter’s dark head “—so I’m good.”
Blaine noticed Rafe was smiling. And Walker Cole looked like a happy man. He suddenly remembered what Rafe had said about the dog being, among his many other skills, a matchmaker.
“I haven’t been there in a while,” Blaine said, “but if I remember right, there are a lot of places you could hike into that the rangers wouldn’t know you were there. Problem would be the car, and the lack of paved roads.”
“And the park staff monitors those pretty well,” Walker said. “But there are places you could get to, if you weren’t too worried about what shape your car would end up in. Problem is, it’s a huge area to search.”
“Got an idea about that,” Rafe said as he handed over the empty envelope with the same care as if it had held a big payout.
Walker took it the same way, but all he said, with a nod toward the dog, was, “Amy’s gonna want to see this guy before you leave.”
“And she will,” Rafe promised as he reached out and hit the control that opened up the back of the SUV. Walker took the dog around, and he jumped willingly into the vehicle.
“Good working with you again, buddy,” Walker said as he gave the dog a final pat. Then he looked at Rafe through the interior of the car. “You, too,” he added with a grin. “Give me two or three days for this new case, and I should be able to get back with you, if you need it. But knowing you, I’d say you’ll have it safely wound up by then.”
Blaine watched the man walk back to his car and drive off, as if what he’d done for them was just to be expected.
