Jonas nodded. “The sooner we have proof, the better.”
“I’m sorry to just burst in here like this without an appointment. I didn’t know where else to turn.”
“It’s not a problem.” Jonas watched as Ray Moseley paced back and forth. He’d known the guy for years. They’d met at a Cleveland Browns football game and had been friends ever since. Still, Jonas had never seen him so frantic. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in weeks.
“Just start at the beginning, Ray,” Jonas offered.
“It’s that damn Valdez,” Ray said, waving a hand in the air. “That bastard has Cade hooked on cocaine.”
Jonas tensed when he heard the drug dealer’s name in combination with Ray’s seventeen-year-old son. “Terrance Valdez?”
“The one and only.”
Jonas was getting a headache, and he was beginning to really hate that goddamn name. “How did you find out that Cade is mixed up with that guy?”
“I installed a chat-nanny program on Cade’s computer without him knowing it.”
The computer geek in Jonas was impressed. “Some would say that’s an invasion of privacy. Not me, of course. I’m all about invading one’s privacy.”
“Some don’t have a son bent on destroying his future.”
“I don’t imagine raising a teenager is a picnic.”
“That’s just it; Cade has always been a good kid. Always on the honor roll. He plays the trumpet in his school band too. He’s really good. Cade isn’t the type to skip school and go to parties. I’ve never had to deal with any of that like most parents do.” Ray shook his head. “Lately that’s all he seems to be doing, and I’m not sure what to do.”
“Let’s take one problem at a time. So, you decided to find out what he’s up to. That’s a good start. What’d you find out?”
“Nothing at first. A lot of talk about girls, favorite bands, lame movies. All the normal stuff. Then the other day he was instant-messaging with someone with the user name ‘addicted241. ’ ” He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. “It’s all there. See for yourself.”
Jonas scanned the chat transcript and whistled low when he reached the bottom. “ ‘Gonna take you up on that offer,’ ” Jonas read aloud. “ ‘Valdez is loaded. Might as well have a piece of that since he’s willing to share.’ ”
“He’s supposed to meet with him on Friday, Jonas,” Ray said as he started pacing again. When their gazes met, Jonas could see his friend’s anguish. He looked as if he’d aged ten years since Jonas had last seen him, which had only been a few months ago.
Jonas folded the paper and said, “I’ll take care of it, Ray. In the meantime, hang tight. Cade’s a good kid. He’s mixed up with some nasty people, but he’ll come around.”
“Everything changed after Karen died last year.” He looked down at the floor and shook his head. “She was a terrific wife and the best mom a kid could ask for. Unfortunately, I haven’t been the best father.”
After Ray’s wife had died from breast cancer, Ray had fallen apart for a while. But he’d picked himself up, for Cade’s sake. “Don’t beat yourself up. Let me see what I can find out about Valdez. The sooner he’s put away, the better off this whole county will be.”
“How will you get enough evidence? He seems to be untouchable.”
“That’s because he has kids like Cade do all his dirty work for him. But we’ll get him. Don’t worry. In the meantime, get Cade into rehab. The sooner you two confront this issue, the better.”
“He’s not going to want to go, not without a fight.”
“Then you fight,” Jonas insisted. “When it’s family, when it’s someone you love, you do what you have to.” Jonas thought of Deanna. He loved her and he would do whatever he had to in order to keep her safe.
Ray nodded. “Thanks, Jonas. I owe you.”
Jonas waved a hand in the air. “You’re a friend, Ray. Do what you can for Cade and let me handle the rest. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”
After Ray left, Jonas headed back into his office and started continuing the search for information on Michaels. He wanted to get it out of the way so he could concentrate all his efforts on taking down Valdez. After about an hour, Jonas found what he was looking for.
“Okay, I had to do a bit of hacking, but I got it,” Jonas said as he looked at Wade across the room.
Wade glanced up from his computer. “What do you have?”
“Catherine Michaels, twenty-five years old. Adopted by Russ and Jean Michaels. She’s an only child.”