John hung up his phone and came inside. He had a little grin. Hunter and Randall looked at each other as John sat down. John said, “It’s bullshit. They say Jason had an ounce of coke on him, and Jesse’s nose showed a small amount of powder, and that was swabbed at the scene. It checked positive for cocaine. The initial take is that Jesse and Jason are crooked, and were killed during a busted drug deal.”
Randall said, “No way.”
Hunter said, “They were murdered, then set up so it looked like a drug deal gone bad.”
Randall and John looked at her, and she said, “We had some surveillance footage of something real similar to this. They plant it, rub the coke on mucous membranes, and leave a trace on the nose or mouth, like that.”
John said, “Did you catch them?”
“No, they made it to Mexico before we got to the house.”
The three friends talked the rest of the evening and waited for the ten o’clock news to air. By ten-fifteen, they’d seen all the news, including the death of a man on a jet ski, two robberies, an abandoned puppy story, and traffic reports. Again, they muted it but left it on. Randall said, “We going down there tomorrow? We’re still covered under the task force designation.”
John said, “We should. Not to step on anybody’s toes, but to help out. We’ll let them know right up front about that.”
Randall glanced at the television, then pointed at it. “Take a look.”
The weatherman pointed at a large, circular cloud formation in the Atlantic as he said, “–is tracking steadily west. Initially, strong wind shear prevented the system from developing, but since turning westward, Hurricane Kyle has entered a stage of rapid intensification and is expected to become a major storm.” He changed the weather map to show Kyle’s projected path, saying, “It is still two days away, but be aware, South Florida. We may be in for a bad one. Start your preparations now.”
Hunter looked at John and Randall, saying, “It’s never dull with you two, I swear.”
John said, “It could miss us, too. We’re near the edge of the projected path. Key Largo is in the center.”
Randall said, “I’m for it missing us. Now, you two get out of my house so I can clean up and watch a movie or something before I go to bed.”
Hunter said, “There’s nothing to clean up. I already did it.”
“Why, yes you did. Thank you. Now get out. I don’t want you making fun of my movie choices.”
John said, “See you in the morning.” He stood, “Hey, you’re not watching the one with Jar Jar Binks in it again, are you?”
“Out.” John grinned as Hunter joined him and they walked out of the house.
Hunter left him to go to her car, “See you tomorrow.”
“See ya.” He drove home and parked in the drive, choosing not to put it inside the garage tonight. He unlocked the front door and went to the bedroom to place his pistol and badge on the chest of drawers by the bed. As he entered the living room, his phone rang. It was Young Anson. He answered, “Hello, Young.”
Young said, “I’m sorry for the late call, Detective, but I hope you will help me.”
“If I can. What’s the problem?”
Some friends in Little Haiti told me that Ariel Baimby is missing.”
“The fortune teller?”
“She is not a fortune teller, but yes, that is her. She’s been missing since yesterday, but was seen today, riding on a jet ski with a muscular young man.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much. It sounds like she’s having fun.”
“The young man was on the news tonight. He was killed in Biscayne Bay.”
Young had his attention, “Was there a report that Ariel was on the jet ski when he was hit?”
“They didn’t see the accident, but saw her earlier with him as he left the Miami Marina. It seems those at the marina thought she was Rihanna, the singer.”
“I can go down there and put word out with the other agencies and look around myself.”
Young said, “I believe she is here, in Pembroke Pines, held against her will. I would like for you to help me check this.”