Becoming Rain (Burying Water 2)

Maybe I’ll still have my chance to ask him myself.

But for now, I have to look disappointed for Warner’s sake. “Do you think someone tipped them off? Or did they find the bugs?”

Warner shrugs. “Hard to say. We knew it was risky to begin with. But it means we’ve lost that lead. At least we got a few names and locations out of it, though.” He clamps up as low voices pass by in the hall. “There’s more.” Turning, he levels me with a hard stare.

It makes me uncomfortable. Like I’ve done something wrong and am about to get called on it. “What?”

“A G-Class Benz and a Lexus LX were hijacked last night.”

“Hijacked?”

“Yeah. One of the drivers has a few scrapes. The other one’s in the hospital for gunshot wounds. Both SUVs are black.”

Black SUVs. Exactly what Aref’s African buyer wants.

“Rix’s guy called him this morning, asking him to help out with a couple of rush orders that just came down the pipes. They need the SUVs within the next forty-eight hours. We’re thinking that someone’s pushing up the date for a shipment and bringing in guys from around the street to fill the order fast. 24’s usual crew isn’t normally sloppy, but someone is definitely still running the show. Too coincidental to be anything else.”

“It’s not Luke. I mean 12. He’s too preoccupied. His phone hasn’t even left his nightstand in the last two days.”

“Well, it’s sure someone.”

“Vlad.” I say it with certainty, though I can’t be 100 percent sure that it’s not Aref. “I’m betting one of those two cut Rust out of the mix and took over.”

“Maybe. All I know is that we’re about to lose whatever edge we had on this investigation.”

I hold my breath as I ask my next question. “Is Sinclair about to haul Luke in?” I’m not ready to say goodbye yet.

“Not yet. He’s still hoping for a break.”

“Was there anything coming out of the investigation on 24?”

“Some grainy video from a business that we’re analyzing, and a ton of fingerprints on the SUV that are probably the registered owners’.” Warner peers at me through hard eyes. “Stay on him. Don’t let him out of your sight, and . . .” He heaves a sigh. “. . . do whatever you have to do to get him talking. Sinclair’s orders.”

Suddenly Warner’s risky in-person visit and shutting off the wire makes sense. This is off the record. I don’t back down as he looms over me. “What exactly does that mean?”

“It means keep doing what you’ve been doing.” His jaw clenches. “Like that night after you met 24 at the club . . .” He leans in farther, until he’s so close his spearmint-scented breath tickles my nostrils. “. . . when I watched 12 show up at your building and not leave until the next morning.”

Warner was spying on me? “You said you—” I bite back the accusation because I have no right, after everything I’ve done. Swallowing against the bubble of hysteria rising, all I dare ask is, “Does Sinclair know?”

A wicked smirk answers me. “Sinclair doesn’t give a shit as long as he gets what he wants and our hands stay clean in the courts. And you’ve worked hard to make sure everything on the wire keeps us looking good, haven’t you?” His eyes drift to my mouth. “You even had me fooled for a while there.”

“Warner, I . . .” I can’t seem to find the right words. There are no right words for this kind of betrayal.

“Just keep the case conversations on the wire and everything else . . . off.” His iciness melts slightly. “And promise me you won’t blow your cover.”

I swallow. “I promise.”

He looks about ready to say something else but then presses his lips firmly shut. Cracking the door open, he checks the hall, and then disappears.

Leaving me shaking with guilt.

Chapter 51

LUKE

I hang up as I pull into the lot at the garage. “Rust’s partners at RTM, offering their condolences.”

“That’s . . . nice of them?” Rain offers hesitantly.

“Yeah . . . I give them two weeks before they start talking about buying me out of Rust’s share.”

“Is RTM . . .” she pauses, “part of that business you mentioned you had with Aref and Vlad?”

“No. This is completely separate. A hundred percent legit. Just like this garage. Rust kept that other stuff away from here.”

“And it’s all yours now?”

“Yeah. Or it will be, once it goes through probate. He already signed the garage over a few weeks ago.” All kinds of thoughts have been crawling into my head these past few days. Namely, did he have an idea that this might happen? And if he did, why the hell didn’t he do more to protect himself? Why didn’t he tell me to fuck off when I pushed him on the Aref deal?

“So, what are you going to do?” Her eyes land on the garage sign hanging above us.

“I don’t know. There’s definitely more than enough here to keep me busy and comfortable.” I take her hand. She’s been more quiet than usual since leaving the funeral home. This must be a lot for her to deal with. It’s one helluva way to meet my mom and sister.

“It’ll take months to sort out all the legal stuff, so I have time to decide if I want to step into Rust’s place or—”