Backwater Tide by Steven Becker

Author:Steven Becker [Becker, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781719927161
Publisher: The White Marlin Press
Published: 2018-09-16T18:30:00+00:00

Sixteen

If I had learned anything from Martinez, it was that every government asset was tracked. With Slipstream under the influence of the pill I had given him and snoring quietly in the passenger seat, this was my best opportunity to find DeWitt. I glanced over at my new partner, wondering if I should rescue the cigar that was held in place by a small pool of saliva on his bottom lip. That would probably be the easiest decision of the day. I left it there and turned my attention to finding DeWitt and Maria.

The BOLO had been out for over an hour now; checking in with Grace told me there’d been no responses. Martinez might not know about the BOLO, but there was no point hiding it from him. He might also be happy to know that Miami-Dade was now involved, which would ease his budget woes and mitigate the fallout if I failed.

Mariposa answered, and after a few minutes of small talk and the promise of another dinner she connected me to the boss. I was thinking about her husband’s guest-only Appleton 21 rum when Martinez picked up.

“Well, this is a surprise. Special Agent Hunter calling me. To what do I owe the honor?”

From his sarcasm, I guessed that Susan McLeash was sitting there. “Jim DeWitt; he’s an underwater archeologist working for the state.”

“What about him?”

“He disappeared from a crime scene. Also, we’ve got another body. We found Morehead in Gross’s garage.”

“I heard there was a BOLO out for DeWitt. What does this have to do with the park?”

This was where it was going to get tricky. In his world, favors were a kind of bureaucratic currency and he would be loath to spend any capital if Miami-Dade could get the same result. “DeWitt is a person of interest in Gross’s murder.”

“That accusation better have some substance behind it.”

Along with granting favors, protecting each other was also in the bureaucrats’ manual. The ice was getting thinner with Martinez looking after his brethren. “It’s complicated, but I believe he may be in cahoots with the family.”

“Maybe we should be having this conversation face to face. I want to be sure you can read my lips when I tell you to back off.”

I was being summoned and all I could hope for was that I could talk him into helping in person. Susan McLeash, as usual, might be the key. Although she was often forced on me and was a wild card in any situation, I had finally figured out what her skillset was. Even though it was dangerous, I’d had some success using her. “Okay, I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” I paused, looking over at Slipstream. “I also have a confidential informant that I’m bringing in.”

The line went dead and I pulled out of the parking lot. Traffic was starting to pick up as the early exodus from Miami had begun. Slipstream was jolted awake by a bone-jarring pothole, but quickly fell back to sleep. I couldn’t help but look over at him.

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