“As far as the media goes, gang violence is escalating in the area, and Portland PD is doing everything they can, blah, blah, blah,” Wylie said. “That’s how they’ve been covering the murders too. What we really had is some fucked-up shit I can’t explain. You were clearly the target. I’m guessing cartel for hire like all the rest. C.T. texted and said he had something. He was parking in the garage and should be up in a minute.”
“No IDs? Nothing at all?”
Liam turned to Dace and pointed at the screen on the wall as five faces appeared, one at a time. “These are the guys collected at the scene, and none of them come up in facial rec. I don’t have footage from the scene to scour because the cameras in the area – city and private – were all conveniently down. I’ve broadened my search to see what we can pick up in a larger perimeter, but it may take a while to back into any kind of lead.”
“Of course they were,” Dace said. “Who has good news?”
“We have someone,” C.T. said as he walked in, tossing a file on the table. “I’d like to present guy number four.”
“Four?” Dace asked, opening the folder to a mug shot. “One of the shooters today?”
“How about from the alley the night Ivy was attacked.” C.T. smiled. “He was a getaway car today, but nobody showed up but us.”
“He told you that?”
“Eventually. He had a black mask, guns, and a few other things in his car.”
Dace shook his head as he read the guy's rap sheet. “How does that link him to either crime?”
“Oh, he told me he was there when he couldn’t explain the picture of Ivy – same as our three murder houses had – or being in possession of the cell phone that belongs to the mysterious number on all the phone logs from the other victims' phones…and Ivy’s.”
“He had all that on him?” Dace sat back, wearing a scowl. “Doesn’t that seem awfully convenient?”
“What, being two blocks from a major crime, with weapons that will likely math ballistics from other crimes, the picture, the phone…yeah. He was set up. He’s willing to talk but wants a deal. The DA is working on it now. Carter, I’d love it if you could sit in on that since this will probably come your way anyway.”
“You got it.” Carter tipped a lazy salute. “Where am I needed?”
“He’s being transported to central booking right now. I’ll make sure you’re in the loop so you can meet them.”
“Whoa. Should we escort?” Wylie asked. “He’s the key to the top. And set up to take the fall. Am I the only one concerned here?”
“Nope. Get a team over there,” Dace ordered. “He’s under our protection.”
“I’ll back that up if you get any shit,” Carter said. “Sometimes, it helps to flash the credentials.”
“They’re the only reason we keep you around,” Wylie teased.
“How quickly can we sit in with him?” Dace asked, eager to get answers. “We need names.”
“Shouldn’t be long. We can probably get a round in with him this evening.”
Dace leaned back in his chair and locked his fingers behind his head. “Well. Maybe this shit day still has a chance to turn around after all.”
“Yeah, and it only took a fucking shoot-out in the middle of our city to get a break,” Declan added. “Let’s stay on top of this guy. There’s something way too convenient here to let our guard down.”
Wylie pecked at his phone screen. “Team’s deployed. They should be downtown shortly to escort him in.”
“He won’t go to the general population – he’s in protective custody now,” Carter said. “Just got the okay and set it in motion. He’ll be moved to federal custody and held in isolation, so no one will have access to him. Looks like we may get the win we’ve been waiting for.”
An alarm on Liam’s system caught everyone’s attention.
“What the fuck?” he said. “We have company, guys.”
The men all stood and waited for the details.
Their attention was turned to the wall where surveillance feeds populated the screens.
“Front fucking door,” Liam said, selecting that feed to populate the screens for a closer look. “Who the hell is this guy?”
The man they were all watching live, outside their building slowly turned, looking over each shoulder.
“Is he hurt? You guys seeing what I’m seeing. He’s holding his left arm, and I think he’s bleeding,” Wylie pointed out.
Dace stepped closer and squinted his eyes as if it would help him see through the man’s makeshift disguise. “Look up, motherfucker. Let us see your face under that hat.”
“I don’t have a hot vehicle in the area,” Liam said, scanning data used to scan for potential car bombs and the like. “I think he got out of…an Uber?”
The man pulled off his hat and looked directly into the camera above him.
“He knows where the cameras are. How the hell does he know where the cameras are? You can’t see them with the naked eye. They’re too small.” Liam seemed offended by the man’s outing of the cameras almost more than the fact he was on their steps for no good reason.
“He’s been beaten. His face…”
“Son of a bitch,” Dace said. “It’s David Kimble. Ivy’s dad.”
***
Dace remained in the lair with Eli and Carter while the rest of the brothers and C.T. sat in the conference room next door, waiting for their cousins, Ronan and Ryker, to escort David Kimble to be interviewed.
“We’ll be able to see and hear everything. Let the guys take this one and see what he has to say.” Dace clicked at a few buttons. “Lobby should remain on the left, and the screen on the right will follow Kimble.”
“This is some wild shit,” Eli said. “I understand why they frisked him, but what’s the vest they’re putting on him? Worried someone in here might shoot him?”
Dace snickered. “Would you like second shot? I get first. It’s actually designed to interfere with any wire transmission and even smart dust.”
“Smart dust?” Eli asked. “What the hell is that, or do I want to know?”
“It’s nanotechnology used for a number of things but in most cases, tracking. It’s literally the size of dust but packed with the technology of something like a satellite.”
“And that’s…real?”
“Very much so. Used all the time. It’s quite convenient when you’re on the right side of things. Just bumping into someone, shaking their hand, or patting them on their back can transfer it. Then you can watch, listen, and track their every move.”
“That’s…wow,” Eli said.
“Wow is right. Last thing we need is him walking in here with it and someone hacking everything around him.”
“They can do that? From a speck of…dust?”
“Sure can. We’ve done it many times. Liam can give you the nerd version of it, but that’s basically it. The vest will block any in place and de-arm or deactivate as well. Kind of like a magnet on a computer type thing. Wipes it clean.”