The detective shrugged. “There’s nothing on the twobodies. No phones, no wallets. I mean, we’ll run their IDs andprobably figure out who they are eventually. But whoever killedthem wanted this process to be as slow as it possibly couldbe.”
“Maybe they won’t show up in IAFIS.” Adrian mulled itover more, even after he’d said it. The FBI’s database didn’t havean ID for everyone they ran. If these guys were foreign nationalswho were here illegally, they might not be in any US-baseddatabase. “Maybe this is a wild goose chase on purpose.”
“The killers may even have assumed it would takelonger before someone discovered their bodies and called it in.”The detective shrugged. “We could be ahead of their anticipatedtimetable. That’s why I’m going as fast as I can on this. If it wasa turf war between foreign nationals, we might only have a limitedtime before someone hops a plane back home.”
Adrian said, “Why do you favor the idea they’re notAmerican?”
“Couple of the tattoos.” The detective pulled out hisphone again. “We have a Sergeant in the department who was Army. Hespent some time in South America. Says they were likely Venezuelan.Connected.” He glanced at Megan. “Tattoos are often a resume ofaccomplishments. No need for references when your ink speaks foritself.”
Megan nodded like this was news to her. “Thank youvery much for your time. We really appreciate it.”
“Sure.” The detectivewandered off, but kept an eye on them while they made their wayout.
They headed for the car. Megan said, “So thatconfirms they were Venezuelan. Probably men brought into this byEl Cuervo.” She paused by the driver’sdoor, even though he was the one with the keys. “I can’t seeour homegrown blackmailer hiring outside help. I prefer the ideathey were outside his plan, and he cleaned them up. Maybe gonerogue.”
“Like he cleaned up Zimmerman’s house?”
She nodded and leaned back against the door. “He haspeople on his payroll. But I don’t think it’s the Venezuelans.”
“Could be a loose arrangement, and they went offtopic. Or they got the flash drive from us at the hospital. Nowthey were no longer needed.”
Megan mashed her lips together. She was frustrated,but it kind of made her look cute. She cocked her head to the side.“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“If you don’t want me to check your temperatureagain, don’t ask that question.” He lifted the keys and beeped thelock.
“We hardly have time for that.”
“I didn’t say it was high on our priority list.”
She moved out of the way and rounded the car, slidinginto the passenger seat. Adrian got in. He turned into a Chinesefast food drive-through, and they both got lunch. Then he pulledinto a space in the parking lot with good visibility of thesurrounding area. The last thing he needed was someone getting thejump on them. Or anyone in the restaurant overhearing theirconversation.
There had been entirely too many surprises so far.And instances where Megan had been injured.
She stabbed at her honey shrimp, frowning while sheate. “Doesn’t really make any sense, does it?”
“If there was something in that car that couldpotentially expose our blackmailer, and he made sure it wasretrieved or gotten rid of, that means his intention is to remainin the shadows.”
“So he doesn’t want to get caught and possibly hasmore plans he doesn’t want ruined.”
Adrian nodded. “Right.” Heforked orange chicken into his mouth and thought for a minute orso. “If he’s in this for the long haul, then we really haveto find him. He can’t go unchecked anymore. He’s ruininglives.”
And the last thing Adrian wanted was for Megan tohave caught the blackmailer’s eye, the way Rachel, Alexis and Emmahad. She’d been through so much. He would hate to see her get evenmore hurt over this as well.
His phone rang. The sound came through the carspeakers since the engine was still running. He pressed the buttonon the dash screen. “Walker.”
“It’s Agent Cromwell. Megan there with you?”
“I’m here, Hank,” she said.
“Good. I just got word through a few back channels.”He paused. Megan glanced at Adrian, as though he’d be able toexplain it. Hank did that when he had something he didn’t want toadmit. Adrian shrugged. He didn’t know what it was related to. Hanksaid, “We think El Cuervojust landed in the US.”
“How?” Megan barked the word. “Who let him in thecountry?”
The authorities had his picture, so immigration wouldbe alerted if he showed up. And the man would be immediatelyarrested.
Hank said, “He used diplomatic papers, and the word Igot was that he was disguised. But my contact was sure it washim.”
“Who?”
“El Cuervo,”Hank said.
“No,” Megan said. “Who is your contact?”
“I can’t give you that information, Meg. You knowthat.”
Adrian hadn’t heard anyone call her “Meg,” except forHank. And he’d used “Meggie” in theoffice. One was a chastisement, the other likely designed to gether to relax, maybe get her a little annoyed by the father figurein her life.
Megan sighed. “I need toknow if it’s him. He can’t move around unchecked.”
“You can’t kill him.”
“Under the right circumstances,” she said, “Iabsolutely could.”
Hank said, “This isn’t about revenge. It’s aboutfinding Zimmerman. I told you this because it can’t be acoincidence.”
Adrian figured he was right about that.
This was no coincidence.
Chapter12
Megan climbed in the back of the SUV and slid acrossthe seat, careful not to jostle her arm too much. Adrian enteredbehind her and settled on the opposite side. How many places wouldthey fly to this week? She didn’t even like flying.
“How was your trip?”
Her eyebrows lifted. Their contact here in Austin,Texas—was Hank?
He grinned. “You didn’t think I’d let you have allthe fun, did you?”
Megan shook her head. “No, sir. I did not.”
Adrian shifted and held out his hand. They shook.“Sir.”
“Walker.”
“So what’s the situation?” she asked.
Hank sat in the front passenger seat, the driver anagent she didn’t know. Hank said, “El Cuervo entered thisrestaurant two hours ago. One of the local agents did awalk-through and he’s reportedly still enjoying his carneasada.”
“How do we know it’s him?”
Megan was glad Adrian was the one who asked thatquestion. She wanted to know the answer, but didn’t think she couldspeak
