“And what about the truck that was taken by the cops? They’re going to track us down. They’re going to question us.”
“Calm down, Luke. They cannot attach us to the women and the stolen art. I still have that connection in the police department.”
“And you still trust him? We nearly lost everything because of that one asshole who nearly blew the entire operation.”
“Did I not get rid of him?”
“You did. But the scare of him destroying this entire operation, and leaking it to the cops was too close for comfort.”
“I sure did get rid of him, and no one was any the wiser. And I’ll do it again if I have to. If these two detectives get too close, they’ll die, too. You’re the one who has been insistent upon completing this final deal. You talked me out of running before it gets too hot. We’re in this until the end and before long we’ll be sitting back relaxing and safe, out of this country set for life. Now just relax yourself and know that the cops don’t have shit.”
* * * *
Justice answered his cell phone and stepped out of the bedroom. The guys were starting a hot bath for Ellie as her body was beginning to feel sore from the attack.
He closed the door and stood in the hallway in boxers.
“Hey, Vin, what’s up?”
“First, how is Ellie? Is she all right? Did that dick hurt her?”
“She’s okay. Some bruises and she was really shaken up, but she seems okay around us. Thanks for asking. I’m sorry I didn’t head to the gallery with you guys.”
“Hey, she’s special, and she was in trouble. You belong there. Sam and I have this covered, and Sam called Gunny McCallister, too.”
“Gunny? Why? Isn’t he working in some special unit for the Texas Rangers?”
“He is, and coincidentally, they’ve been tracking numerous trucks just like the one the troopers pulled over. Gunny said they have a connection between some stolen artwork that’s being imported into the states illegally. Supposedly, from Gunny’s investigation, their team of investigators has linked numerous high-profile contributors, to this operation. We’re talking embezzlement, prostitution, and recently drugs.”
“Drugs? Is Gunny certain?”
“Justice, Gunny said that these routes these people have organized to sneak past the authorities were so good these individuals running the business expanded into prostitution. I’ve got copies of the files on my laptop. Gunny notified the Feds as well and we’re waiting on more information. Get this, Gunny believes that other people have been paid off to turn their heads and allow these trucks and this artwork to make it to their destinations, and the team of investigators believe them to be cops.”
“No.”
“Yes. Un-fucking-believable to know that some good guys have gone fucking bad. Sam is working with Gunny now to see if there are connections to these women being murdered and any other murder cases in the last several years. They have a list of people who were involved or locked up along the way. There’s been a huge investigation taking place right in our own neighborhood for months now.”
“Son of a bitch. Well, does it look like Sentinel and Phillips are involved?”
“Well, if they are, they’ve covered their tracks pretty well. However, Gunny was very interested in the information I provided to him from these murder cases of ours about Sentinel and Phillips’s interest in art and women.”
“I don’t want Ellie near them.”
“Um, that’s another thing. I mean, she’s safe now, she’s with you and your brothers, but I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“We looked over the surveillance video at the gallery. There was a delivery, but the video was tampered with. So we didn’t actually see what was in the truck besides some pieces of art. Only four, but this was a big tractor-trailer. Anyway, we watched the video, and Sam and I saw Sentinel and Luke with Ellie. They were looking over some art and she was writing things down and taking pictures with her iPad.”
“Vin, just fucking spit it out and stop stalling.”
“He was all over her. Touching her, whispering in her ear, and she got pissed. She kept pushing him away and although there was no volume, it appeared she was saying she wasn’t interested. Now I don’t know what he was asking.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m sure he was just hitting on her and it has nothing to do with—”
“I’ll ask her about it and see if it can provide any assistance to what you, Sam, and Gunny have so far.”