we agreed to.
I know. He sounded miserable. Since hes in the security business, it seemed more likely to get a response.
Though she might not care for the changeup, she couldnt fault his logic. What else is going wrong with this story, Bill? Warning bells were ringing in her mind, and that twitch between her shoulder blades was back. Im thinking we need to back off and reassess.
Not yet. I know were onto something important.
Where are you right now? She swiveled around and checked the clock by her bed. Maybe they could meet and tweak the plan before her date arrived.
Some hole-in-the-wall diner off Pier 80 waiting on Theo Manning.
Pier 80 meant there was no chance she could get there and back, or convince her date to go by the area before the gala. We confirmed he was the commanding officer of the team at the time, right?
Yes, Bill answered.
And hes late? Her intuition was humming. That doesnt fit my image of a CO.
Hes a civilian now, Bill pointed out. A crane operator. Late doesnt mean hes changed his mind about talking with me. A thousand things could have happened on the job.
True. Propping her phone on the bathroom counter, she wriggled into the dress. Tell me what youve found on Lawton while we wait. Bill might be a capable grown man, but she wasnt going to leave him sitting alone in a diner in a rough part of town until she absolutely had to end the call.
Lawtons finances and net worth were a big surprise.
She unzipped her makeup bag and started adding shadow and eyeliner to go from office to gala-ready. Is he destitute or filthy rich?
The latter, Bill said. If your definition includes newly minted billionaires, he added in a low murmur.
Becca bobbled her mascara tube and it fell to the floor. What? Scrambling, she fished it out from under the counter with her toe as she kept talking. Why did you hold on to that detail? Is private security that lucrative? Are the others rich too?
I didnt lead with that tidbit because I hadnt finished my due diligence. Security might be that lucrative. His client list is privileged.
She snorted. Not legally.
Possibly legally. At any rate, Im still trying to find out where and when he made his fortune.
Selling or hoarding Iraqi gold would certainly boost anyones bottom line, though a net worth of billions seemed unlikely when the gold had been split between six thieves. Or so the source said. Huh. Maybe the source wasnt the victim as theyd inferred from the tip. Maybe their source was bitter about being cut out or shorted of his part of the fortune. Send me what you have on Lawton right now and Ill help you sort it out.
Your date wont appreciate you canceling at the last minute, he said.
Im not canceling, she promised.
Oh? Bill chuckled. Even better. Hell love watching you google another man between bites of hors doeuvres.
She laughed with him. Better that than letting him know how close to the mark his teasing struck. A personal life is essential to true happiness, she said. Shed written the reminder on a sticky note and kept it on her mirror where she could see it every morning. Send it. Ill sort it out after my date. We can go over everything in the morning.
Fine. Ill give Mr. Former CO another fifteen minutes and then Im bailing. Id rather give the Lawton tree another shake anyway. Maybe money will fall on my head.
If he tries to bribe you, youd better share.
Bill laughed again. Not a chance, he said, and ended the call.
Bill was as effective and persistent as a bloodhound when he caught the scent of a story. Producing for him had taught her a great deal about how to piece together clues, unravel a background and identify the essential nature of what wasnt said in an interview. She liked to believe hed benefitted from working with her as well. She enjoyed making sure her reporters came across with compassion as well as reliable authority for the audience. Unlike many of their competitors, they never broadcast a story until they knew they had the facts, and she used her specific skills to create a show that kept viewers coming back week after week.
They were definitely onto something with this gold theft story. She added highlighter strategically around her eyes and swept a shimmery powder just above her neckline while her mind sifted through the public records and recent articles on Lawton and his business.
Theyd started the research file with the obvious and easily accessible details on each of the names listed by the source. Last known addresses, employers, positive or negative publicity, etc. Returning to civilian life
as a security expert wasnt a big stretch for Lawton, whod served in the army for twelve years. A stash of stolen gold in his pocket would have made it easier to set up shop in the Bay Area, to be sure.
She poked through her makeup bag, seeking the perfect lipstick for the evening. Finding a tube of her favorite soft peach color, she slowly dragged it over her lips. Her mind drifted to Parker Lawtons publicity shot. His thick brown hair had plenty of waves, despite the short cut. The photographer had captured a savvy glint in those serious dark brown eyes. Considering his chiseled jawline, she figured if the man hadnt stolen any gold, hed definitely stolen more than one heart along the way in his thirty-two years.