The man on the screen didn’t say anything, nor did it appear he was going to, so Brantley decided to nudge him along.
All social niceties escaped him as frustration filled him. “Mathis, the governor’s hired my team to look into this case; therefore, I expect your cooperation. I’m not here to step on your toes, but I will if I have to. Give me details, Detective. Start with who and when.”
“Has this been run past my chief?” Mathis asked, pinning Brantley with a hard stare.
“Your politics are not my concern,” he admitted, just as a picture of another man appeared to the right of the video screen. Name, age, and address appeared beneath. “Right now, my only objective is to find Cedric Hawkins. From the details I’ve got, he’s a fifty-seven-year-old male who lives in Lakeway. I assume you’ve been notified that he’s missin’ since he’s associated with your dead bodies?”
Detective Mathis’s eyes shifted, a look of frustrated resignation coming over him. “Yes. We were notified a short time ago by Austin police.”
Brantley glanced over at JJ, nodded, urging her to start digging into Cedric Hawkins’s life.
Before he turned back to the screen, Reese stepped over to join him, taking over the conversation.
“Why do you believe Cedric Hawkins is missin’, Detective?”
“And you are?”
“Reese Tavoularis. Brantley’s partner. Why do you believe he’s missin’?”
Mathis’s gaze bounced between them before finally settling on Reese as though it was a shun to Brantley.
“Personally, I don’t, but his secretary seems to,” Mathis stated. “Like I said, APD notified me that they received a call saying Hawkins did not come into his place of employment this morning, and they are unable to locate him. Since I’ve got two open cases for partners at his firm, they thought it might be connected.”
“I doubt it’s coincidence,” Brantley told him.
“I’m sure it’s not, no.”
“But you don’t believe he’s missin’?” Brantley asked. “So what? You think he’s dead?”
“I can’t make that assumption at this time,” the detective responded with the hint of a snarl.
From the screen, Mathis continued to watch him, and Brantley waited patiently.
“Fine,” the detective finally said. “You want to take these cases, you take ’em.”
“I’m not lookin’ to take your cases, Detective. I don’t work homicides, nor do I care to. I’m interested in findin’ Mr. Hawkins, if he is in fact missin’, and right now, I’m goin’ on the assumption he is. However, if you’re not interested in being a contributing member of this team, I’ll certainly do what’s necessary to solve it.”
That didn’t go over well, sparks seeming to ignite in Mathis’s gaze.
Reese took over. “Detective, if you don’t mind, we do need to focus our efforts right now. The clock is tickin’.”
More information about Cedric Hawkins appeared on the screen, fed from JJ’s computer.
Reese didn’t even pause to read, continuing to address the detective. “Based on what little we have, this does not sound like a random or even run-of-the-mill missing person. If it was, we’re certain you and APD could handle it on your own. However, you’re already workin’ two homicides that are possibly related. We’re here to help with Cedric Hawkins’s disappearance so you can focus your energies where they’re needed most.”
“And,” Brantley added, “as we all know, time is of the essence. So stop wastin’ ours and give us the lowdown so we can help.”
“I think it’d be best if you come here,” the detective stated.
Brantley saw JJ shaking her head. She mouthed, “An hour away,” as her reasoning.
“We’re an hour from you, and from what I understand, Mr. Hawkins was reported missing in Austin. I’m not interested in loggin’ miles unless it’s necessary.” He stood tall, hardened his expression. “Stop with the excuses, Mathis. I’ve got a team behind me who’ll start diggin’ into the information as soon as you provide it, and I assure you, we’ve got more resources than you do.”
The detective exhaled heavily, and Brantley saw the moment he decided to give in, albeit reluctantly based on the gritted teeth.
“Cedric Hawkins. Fifty-seven years old, married, three grown children. His secretary reported him missing as of seven o’clock, one hour past the time he was supposed to show up for work.”
“An hour isn’t a long time,” Reese stated. “Could it be he had a meetin’ somewhere? Maybe stopped off for breakfast?”
“Anything’s possible, Mr.… uh…”
“Just call me Reese. Please.”
“It’s possible Mr. Hawkins is otherwise engaged, but there’s a big possibility this could be related to two homicides we’re working on, and until we can rule that out, we’re treating it as a high priority, as we’ve informed APD.”
“How do they connect?” Brantley asked.
“Like our two dead guys, Mr. Hawkins is a partner in HJW Investments. They’re a private investment group, officed in downtown Austin.”
Information about HJW Investments appeared on the other half of the screen, with an address in Austin.
“If HJW’s located in Austin, how’d these cases come to you?”
“The vics are residents here, as well as members of the Lone Star Country Club.”
JJ’s fingers flew over the keys, likely looking for details on the country club.
“Were their bodies found at their residences?”
“One was, yes. The other at the country club.”
“And HJW Investments?” Reese asked. “You believe their deaths are related to the company?”
“Considering their recent dealings, it’s a good possibility,” the detective stated.
Now they were getting somewhere.
“I’ve heard of ’em,” Reese said, glancing over at Brantley. “Big company buyin’ up a lot of real estate and flippin’ it to commercial.” Reese turned to the monitor again. “And the dead guys? Who’re they?”
“Brian Wright and Seth Jacobs, the other partners.”
Brantley spoke up. “When were they killed?”
“Last week. Our medical examiner puts Brian Wright’s death around eight thirty p.m. on September seventh at his home. Call came in from Annie Hawkins from Wright’s residence. And Seth Jacobs”—the pause was followed by the sound of rustling paper as Mathis glanced down—“was found on Friday the tenth in the locker room at the country club, but the time of death is determined to be two days prior.”
Killed on consecutive days?
Curious as to why he was reading this information, Brantley asked, “Were you the detective assigned to these cases?”
“Initially, no. I just took over today.”
“So you weren’t at the crime scenes.”
“I was not, no.”
Brantley wanted to know more, wanted to know why they’d passed the buck on two hot cases so quickly, but he didn’t get a chance before Reese pushed forward.