“You might as well head home. Make a stop at the EZGas station on 6th. I’ll send someone by to retrieve the money and sign the envelope into evidence. Oh, sorry you had to lose the game.”
“Got it.” I hung up, headed back to the car and got in, pinned the recorder back on my suit lapel, slammed the car into gear, and drove off.
CHAPTER 20
ZEKE
I paced inside my front window, waiting for Callum to get home. I hadn’t told him I would sit in my truck near the arena after the game, till it was clear the drama was over and he was heading back here. Maybe he’d have felt safer knowing I was nearby. Maybe he’d have felt it meant I didn’t trust him. It was actually the GREC I didn’t trust to have his back.
The GREC should’ve had surveillance on the vehicle throughout the game. What if Wayne hadn’t just dropped money in Callum’s car? What if Smith had sent someone to wait for Callum there and intimidate him? Hell, I should’ve been out there in the parking lot the whole time, instead of inside, watching Callum put on a goaltending clinic and still lose. Or I could’ve asked Olivia, although she’d already put herself on the line, planting that bug because I asked her to, without official orders. I could’ve put a dashcam in Callum’s car…
I was kicking myself now. I’d done a careful survey of the parking lot around Callum’s vehicle before and after the game, making sure there were no lurking threats, and I’d been parked a hundred feet away when he called me. And I’dstillmissed seeing Wayne.
About twenty minutes after I got home, Callum pulled up to his grandfather’s place and parked. I jogged down my steps and across the lawn as he got out. Damn, he looked good in a suit. His height emphasized the taper from his shoulders to his lean waist, and his legs looked a mile long below that ass. Better yet was the way he smiled when he saw me coming.
“Hey.” I opened my arms, and he stepped into my hug.
“So that sucked.”
“I can imagine.” I didn’t kiss him there in plain sight, just hung on tight. “What’s next?”
Before he could answer, his grandfather opened the front door. “Callum, is that you?”
He didn’t let go of me as he turned. “Yeah.”
“Come inside. I need to talk to you.” That stern tone wasn’t what I was used to from Roy Fitzpatrick. I felt Callum tense up.
“Let me come with you,” I murmured against his ear. “You need someone on your side tonight, and frankly, I don’t want you out of my sight.”
Callum hesitated, then nodded. He kept hold of my hand as he turned. “Coming, Grandpa.”
His grandfather eyed me as we followed him in. “This is family business, son.”
“If it’s about Wayne,” I said, “he’s been making threats that include me.”
“Threats?” Roy stared at me. “Maybe weallneed to talk.” He led the way into the living room and eased himself into a worn recliner.
Callum took a seat on the couch and tugged me down beside him. “What’s up, Grandpa?”
Roy looked back and forth between us. “Maybe more than I realized. I got a call from the Vancouver police five minutes ago. They said Wayne was arrested for stealing my truck, but he insisted I’d allowed him to borrow it. Since our last names werethe same, they were following up on his claim. I told them I hadn’t reported it stolen, and they said the report was signed by Callum Fitzpatrick. I said I’d speak with you, before coming to get him released. Did youreportyour uncle, Callum?”
“Grandpa, look?—”
I broke in, “There’s more going on than you know, Roy. We needed a good reason to hold Wayne, and car theft was the easiest. Callum was asked to sign a theft report by the Gaming Commission so they’d have that leverage.”
“Oh.” Roy hid his face in his hands. “Damn. I take it Wayne’s in big trouble?”
Callum slid off the couch to kneel by his grandfather’s chair and laid a hand on Roy’s knee. “I’m sorry. I didn’t try to get him in trouble. He came after me.”
Roy patted Callum’s big hand with his wrinkled aging one. “I believe you. I’m not angry with you, just sad that it came to this. You do know car theft will send him back to prison to finish out his remaining four years?”
I said, “Not including whatever new charges are laid, yes. It’s possible Wayne might get reduced charges in exchange for testifying against his associates. That will be for the prosecutor and the GREC to figure out.”
Roy looked my way. “I’ll encourage him to cooperate.”
“You probably shouldn’t try to visit him. This case is still in the works, and we don’t want you to give him any information or any hope that the GREC doesn’t control.”
“Can you tell me about the case?”
