The Shuffle by Dustin Stevens

Author:Dustin Stevens [Stevens, Dustin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dustin Stevens
Published: 2020-09-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Six

Small central device. No larger than a nickel.

A pair of wires extended from the side, a couple of inches in length.

A small microphone barely the size of a pencil eraser.

All told, a setup that rested easily in the bottom of a plastic evidence bag. Gripped between Gary Dawes’s thumb and forefinger, it was extended before him as he stepped out of Maile Mintz’s house.

Joined Drake on the small concrete patio out front.

Unlike the day before, he was dressed in his tribal police uniform. Dark tan slacks. A lighter tan short-sleeve shirt. Insignia patch sewn onto his sleeve.

Same exact design as the decal on the door of the Bronco parked in the driveway beside Drake’s truck.

“You were right,” Dawes said. Held the bag out long enough for Drake to see it before tucking it into his palm. Crossed his arms over his chest. “Somebody’s been here.”

Drake felt his eyebrows rise. Glanced from the device up to Dawes beside him.

When Mintz had first reacted the way she did, he hadn’t known what to think. Finding her in the hall, crumpled against the wall, pointing at her son’s door, he’d assumed it was in reaction to trying to enter his room.

Just one more slap to the senses. The reality of the situation hitting her square.

A stance that fast shifted as he walked out back and examined the lock on the rear door. Spotted the smudge on the door casing.

Was taken a step further as Kade joined him, sharing what had just been discovered.

Even with all that, he hadn’t expected something like this.

“They bugged the place?” he muttered, the words out before he really even realized it.

Beside him, Dawes flicked his gaze over. Set his jaw. Bobbed his head three quick times.

“So far, just this one. My partner is still in the back bedroom finishing the sweep.”

Without waiting for Drake to reply, he added, “Looks like someone picked the back lock. Came in through the kitchen, planted the device, hit the back bedroom.

“In and out as fast as possible.”

Even though it was the same progression Drake had pieced together earlier, hearing it out loud still made it seem that much more pronounced. The invasion that much more heinous.

The danger Mintz was in infinitely more imminent.

“And they made no move on Maile at all,” Drake whispered.

Again, Dawes flicked his gaze over to Drake. “She happen to mention anything they might be after?”

“Just what I told you,” Drake replied. “She said there might have been some paperwork gone. Mentioned specifically the storage key. Sounded like her son had moved from home a long time ago. Didn’t really keep much else around anymore.”

Nodding slightly, Dawes turned back to stare straight ahead. “You say she’s over at the Keuhl place now?”

“Yeah,” Drake said. Paused just slightly before adding, “Kade drove her over a few minutes ago.”

Heard a quick intake of air beside him.

“She was already beating herself up pretty bad from finding out her son had left Lakeside. Discovering someone had been in her house, too...”

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Dawes nod.

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