Shadow Of Betrayal (Margot Harris 4)

“Okay, but how does that help us now? He didn’t dig him up and if he marked the spot, I don’t see it.”

“It explains his actions. It might give us a clue as to who killed him.”

“How is that?”

“Whoever killed Randy most likely killed Stick.”

“Sure, but doesn’t that just make it worse?”

“How so?”

“Now we’ve got two unsolved murders.”

“I don’t think it's too hard to figure out what happened to Randy. The cartel gave him money to find someone they wanted dead. It didn’t work out too well for them.”

“How is that Randy’s fault?”

“From what I understand, they’re not big on failure or being fair...”

“No, I suppose they’re not. I hear they’re not very big on people getting in their way, but they gave you a break.”

“That doesn’t mean they gave one to Randy.”

“Too bad all we’ve got is speculation.”

“Well, we have to walk back to the car anyway, so why don’t we spread out. I’ll take the right side and you take the left.”

“Alright.”

They started walking, observing the sand. Even though she was specifically looking for any small anomaly in the sand to indicate someone had been digging, Margot almost missed it.

The stones were just enough off the path she was walking to not be obvious, but once she moved closer, it was clear they were arranged to form the letter X.

“I think I figured out the X!” Margot yelled over to Brantley.

“You have?”

“X marks the spot! Bring your shovel.”

Brantley walked over and saw the X.

“Well, I’ll be damned. It looks like Stickley did find that grave after all.”

“It looks that way.”

“You don’t suppose it could be buried treasure instead of Randy?”

“I guess you could find out. It is awfully hot out here though and he could be deep. You ought to call it in, get some help.”

Brantley stuck the shovel into the ground like he was going to start digging, but he left it there and stepped back.

“I should have thought of that phone thing,” he said, “It would have saved us a lot of trouble.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You didn’t know Stick asked about the phone.”

“No, I mean, I should have taken it off the poor bastard before I buried him.”

Margot turned to see Brantley draw his Glock.