Privilege (Special Tactical Units Division 2)

Bianca raised her eyebrows. “What’s whose first name?”

“The kid you mentioned. Dr. Epstein’s son. What’s his first name?”

“Really, Chayton…”

“Really, Bianca. What’s the boy’s name?”

Bianca sighed. “David. His name is David Epstein.”

“Dec?” Chay said. “Add one more name. David Epstein. The son of —Mary? Meryl?”

“Marilyn,” Bianca said, “and this is silly.”

“The son of Marilyn Epstein,” Chay told Declan. “He’s just a boy, but see what comes up.”

“Will do. Just give me a couple of hours.”

Chay ended the call. Bianca was glaring at him.

“It’s called due diligence, honey.”

“It’s called being ridiculous.”

“Will you look at that?” Chay said with delight. “My girl is pissed off.”

“I am not pissed off, and I am not your—” Her expression softened. “Is that what I am?”

“Damn right,” he said softly, and he took her in his arms.

• • •

At nine o’clock, they took the Harley to Dec’s place. He looked rumpled and weary, and Annie wasn’t with him.

“Problems?” Chay said softly.

Dec shrugged and said maybe.

“Hey, man, if there’s anything I can do…”

Dec laughed. “Yeah. You can figure out why the female of the species is so impossible. With all apologies to the lady present, of course.”

“No apologies needed,” Bianca said, smiling..

Dec reached for a couple of sheets of paper, and handed them to Chay. “Here’s what I found. It pretty much comes down to nothing. All the names came up clean, except for this guy. Douglas A-for-Anthony Vitali. Works at a coffee shop. Has a degree in electrical engineering. And he’s not really dirty. Just some interesting stuff about him.”

Chay took a fast look. The barista had a couple of old misdemeanor arrests for drugs. A breaking-and-entering charge during that same time frame, but the charge had been dismissed. He was in a drug treatment program and he’d kept out of trouble for the last two years, but you never knew.

Chay nodded at Sanchez.

“Thanks, dude.”

“And the Epstein kid… Take a look at him too.”

“Because?”

Sanchez shrugged. “There are lots of blank spaces.”

“Yeah, well, he’s young.”