Page 46 of Ghost
“Lie,”Conor reported.
“You’re going to have to dobetter than that,” Elias huffed. “Your time spent behind bars forthe shit you pulled around here years ago hasn’t seemed to haveknocked any sense into you.”
Jake Gerard used to run the local realestate agency in Marshall, and Julia was his secretary until theday Jake sent the single mother out to seduce Brick into sellinghis property. He’d threatened her with being fired, with no waythan to care for her young son. Brick ensured Jake never had thechance to take advantage of another person, and Julia and her sonwere made safe, with him giving her a job and a home with theteam.
“What were you doing out inthe middle of nowhere?” Ray asked.
“Who the fuck are you?”Jake huffed.
“I see your manners haven’timproved,” Brick said as he entered the room.
“What the hell are youdoing here?” Jake asked.
“Detective Ray Sommers isworking on this case to answer your first question,” Eliassaid.
“And for your second,”Brick growled as he leaned over the table, invading Jake’s space.“I heard you were in town and wanted to get reacquainted. My teamand I look forward to spending time with you.”
Jake’s tough demeanor melted like icecream in the hot sun.
“Do I need to ask you thequestion again?” Ray asked.
“I was out there takingpictures for a possible buyer,” Jake grunted.
“Partial truth, there is abuyer, but he’s hiding something,”Conorreported into their earpieces.
It didn’t escape Ray’s notice that theproperty was within the yellow area on Cross’s map they’d found inhis basement.
“What the hell are youdoing in real estate again? Your business was shut down,” Eliasasked.
“Yeah, thanks to you,asshole,” Jake spat out in Brick’s direction.
Ray could use this idiot’s anger atBrick to his advantage. He’d wait for his moment.
“You have no idea what I’mtruly capable of, Jake.” Brick smiled wide. “But you’ll find outsoon enough.”
“You can’t threaten me infront of the law.”
“I didn’t hear anything,”Elias said casually.
“It’s on camera.” Jakemotioned to the camera set up in the corner.
“Those,” Elias chuckled,“haven’t been turned on.”
Jake’s expression changed asrealization began sinking in, and Ray made his move.
“This is my case,” Rayannounced. “Back off, the man has rights.”
Elias and Brick easily slipped intothis new scenario. They would have been great at improv.
“Fuck you, Sommers. Thisasshole is the scum of the earth,” Brick growled.
“I’m going to have to askyou both to leave. This is my case, and I’m pulling rank. You twoare too close to the individuals involved to have a clear andunbiased opinion.”
“You can’t pull rank onme.” Elias feigned shock.
“Yes, I can. Take it upwith the State.”
Ray had no idea if he could, but hehad to get Jake to believe he was on his side.
