Last Call (Marcotte and Collins Investigative Thrillers Book 3) by Travis Tougaw

Author:Travis Tougaw [Tougaw, Travis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Published: 2024-11-07T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

September 30, 2024

Eddie met Sandrich at a pub called Dirty Little Secret in downtown Denver. He didn’t know it, but he was only a few blocks away from Hadley’s lunch meeting with Sarah Golding. The pub was dark and smelled heavily of beer and burgers, and Eddie felt at home right away. He squinted in the dim light, surveying the tables, and saw Sandrich sitting with his back to the door.

Eddie made his way to the table, signaling for a server on his way. He ordered a pint for him and Jim, even though Jim hadn’t finished the one on his table. Jim said he wasn’t hungry, so Eddie ordered himself a bacon cheeseburger and a basket of onion rings.

“How are you?” he asked his old partner.

“I’m good,” Sandrich said. “I was surprised to see you the other day.”

“Me, too,” Eddie lied. “Didn’t figure you’d be working in the mountains.”

“My in-laws live there,” he said. “Kelly wanted to be closer to them, and a local company needed a new security chief. Worked out perfectly.”

“Sounds like a good deal,” Eddie said. “What’s the business called again?”

Sandrich shifted his eyes around the room and pulled at his collar. “You probably haven’t heard of it. Little, local place called Merriman Enterprises.”

Eddie furrowed his brow as though concentrating. “Can’t say that I know Merriman. What do they do there?” He could tell Sandrich was uncomfortable with him taking control of the meeting, which gave him an extra sense of accomplishment.

“They do a lot of stuff for rich people,” Sandrich said. “Travel planning, events, that kind of thing. I’m security for the facility, so I don’t get too involved in the operations. Not like this is a long-term career for me. Second act that pays the bills. That’s all. Enough about me. What are you up to these days?”

Eddie took a sip of his beer, making Sandrich wait. He didn’t want Jim to think he could take charge of the meeting that quickly. “I’m retired,” he said. “Totally and officially.”

“Really?” Jim asked, and Eddie thought the surprise was genuine. “I’d heard you were a private detective now. Saw you all over the news a few times.”

Eddie offered a half grin. “Those days are over. Detective work is a younger man’s game.”

“Speaking of which, did you find your friend the other day?”

Eddie sipped again, choosing his words. “I said ‘younger,’ and you immediately thought of my missing friend. What makes you think he’s younger? He could be an old guy just like me.”

“There were three of you in the SUV, looking for one guy who left the group on foot. That sounds like a young dude to me.”

“You haven’t lost your touch, Detective Sandrich,” Eddie said with a wink. “And, yes, we found him.”

“Did he say where he was? What he’d been up to?”

“Just hiking,” Eddie said. “He wandered from the trail, and we found him on the road a couple minutes later.” He took another drink but saw Sandrich open his mouth to ask another question.

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