Tyrone told Juan how they had tracked Chip down in Chicago. It wasnโt hard. Chip had left a rowdy drunk trail so anyone who wanted to find him could. Tyrone described how they worked Chip over for thirty-six hours. After being beaten for that long anyone would tell what they knew. Chip had given Juan, Sam, and Zeke up. He had even told them where he hid his cut of the money. During the conversation, Tyrone had given the girls more change to play more tunes on the box. Just like before, Chavez had walked with them. When they returned, Ginger got back in the booth and Nicolette remained standing next to a table. She didnโt look as petrified as before. Tucker James had taken a seat at the table with Juan with the gun still on him. Juan guessed he got tired of standing just as much as Nicolette got tired of sitting. It wasnโt hard for Tyrone to track down Zeke either. At least Zeke didnโt lose his mind with the money. He was enjoying a comf
By the time Matt had found out what was going on, it was over. He and Jodi were having a hot romp in the kitchen when Patty tried to call him. He had left his cell in the living room.Two ambulances, the forensics van, two cruisers, and Williamsonโs truck were outside. Matt and Jodi walked into Garveyโs bar. โSon of a bitch,โ Matt sneered as he put his hands on his hips, taking it all in.Otto was taking pictures of the body on the floor. Goldman stood tall as he was taking notes while Mindy and Cindy Pandock sat at a table talking to him. Juan was sitting at the bar looking like he had never been more relieved in his life as Carter took his statement.โOh my god,โ Jodi said with a shocked look. โIโm going to check on Juan.โโAll right, just donโt interfere with the questioning. Iโm heading for the lobby to see what else is going on,โ Matt said seriously.Jodi nodded and walked away.Matt strode to the lobby doors which were propped open. There was a body on a gurney covered by a shee
It was late Tuesday morning. Mindy was packing a gift basket. She was going to drop it off as she and Cindy rode out of town. Cindy wanted to go shopping in Phoenix. Of course, Mindy couldnโt afford to buy anything but she didnโt mind keeping Cindy company on her shopping trips. Cindy walked in. โWhoa,โ she said as she took in the basket on the kitchen table. โThatโs a big thank you.โ โWell, it is from both us. Canโt have it skimpy,โ Mindy said. Cindy shrugged and opened the refrigerator to retrieve a can soda. There was a knock on the back door. โWho in the world could that be?โ Mindy asked. Cindy walked to the door and opened it. The man raised his head so they could see his face from under the wide brim baseball hat. โHey, girls,โ Juan greeted. โJuan, come in,โ Mindy said with a smile. He darted inside and closed the door. โI parked my car two blocks away and walk
After Juan had left, Cindy had asked Mindy to grab items to put on her Nicolette persona before they left for Phoenix. Cindy wouldnโt tell her why. She had said they were going somewhere that she needed to see and it was a surprise. Five miles outside of Phoenix, Cindy stopped the SUV at a rest area, grabbed a bag out the back, and told Mindy she had to go to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, Cindy returned, but she didnโt look the same. Cindy had on a pile of make-up and a red-wig, and it wasnโt the red wig Mindy had given her. When Cindy got back in the car, Mindy asked what was going on and where were they going. Cindy begged her patience and assured her that everything would become clear. They were in the downtown area of Phoenix. They parked on the street. Cindy walked Mindy to a building that looked like it had glass for walls. They got on the elevator and went to the twelfth floor. There were two businesses on the floor; Grass
Deputy Nick Dalton carried the case file into the sheriff's office. โHere you go, sir,โ Nick said. โThanks, Dalton,โ the sheriff said and took the folder. โHave a seat, Dalton.โ He couldnโt imagine what the sheriff wanted to talk about. He had finished his reports yesterday and turned them in already. Nick sat down in the chair across from the sheriffโs desk. โDalton, normally I wouldnโt complain about a hard working man, but you have worked twelve-hour days, six days a week for almost a year now. Surely, you donโt need the money. Your brotherโs estate was settled three months ago,โ the sheriff said. He knew that because Nick had taken a day off to go to the hearing. Nick remained quiet. He had to come up with another excuse. His brotherโs estate was worth $1,500,000, so he couldnโt say he still needed the money. Nick figured out what to say and it wasnโt a lie. โI like my job.โThe sheriff got up and walked to his office do
Goldman, Carter, and Nick walked into Garveyโs Bar. There was a couple in a booth having dinner. A guy was drinking a beer at a table. The deputies walked up to the bar and sat down on the brown bar stools. A blonde with her hair up approached them. โWhat can I get yโall to drink?โ she asked. โUm, Becky, right?โ Carter asked. โYeah, thatโs right,โ she confirmed. โWhereโs Trina?โ Goldman asked. โItโs her night off,โ Becky answered. โWeโll have three beers on tap,โ Goldman said and reached for his wallet. โIโll get the first round guys.โ โThanks,โ Carter said. โMuch oblige,โ Nick said. Goldman gave her fifteen dollars. He reached up to scratch the side of his dark hair. โIโll be back with your drinks,โ Becky said. As soon as the bartender was out of earshot, Nick said, โYou guys didnโt tell me we were coming to Garveyโs.โโWhere else would we go
Gabriella drove on the Arizona back road. The wind from the open windows blew her long, dark hair. She was going to visit her cousins. She hadnโt seen them since her father died. The last time she had spoken to them on the phone was fifteen months ago. They didnโt know she was coming. She didnโt either until she had stormed out of her motherโs house in Mexico for the last time.She had no idea where her older brother was. If you looked up the word, drifter, his picture would be next to it. A loud pop echoed from the front of her Honda Civic. The car leaned to the right.โShit!โ Gabriella pulled over on the side of the road. She got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side. The side wall of her front tire had a hole in it.Gabriella dug in her purse for the directions. She looked at the computer printout. She was fifteen miles away from her destination. She had a donut in the trunk, but she didnโt know how to change a tire. โUgh, great.โThirty minutes later, Gabriella st
Nick was in the locker room getting dressed for his shift when Goldman strolled in like the cat that ate the canary. He plopped down on a bench with a goofy smile on his face.โAh, Dalton, you should take lessons from me when attending to women on the side of the road,โ Goldman said with a big grin.Nick turned around. โYouโre referring to my story about Jackie Garvey,โ he said as he buttoned his deputy shirt.Goldman shook his head. โYep. If you were as charming as me, it would have gone a lot differently for you.โโLet me guess. You met a good looking woman on the side of the road.โโYep. A pretty young thing traveling through.โโWhere was she headinโ?โโDonโt know, but I do know she made a pit stop,โ Goldman said and pulled a sky blue piece of cloth out of his front pocket.Nick wasnโt sure what it was until Goldman spread it out between his hands. Nickโs jaw dropped at the sight of the thong. โAre you crazy? You fucked a chick while you were on duty? What if the sheriff finds out?
After Juan had left, Cindy had asked Mindy to grab items to put on her Nicolette persona before they left for Phoenix. Cindy wouldnโt tell her why. She had said they were going somewhere that she needed to see and it was a surprise. Five miles outside of Phoenix, Cindy stopped the SUV at a rest area, grabbed a bag out the back, and told Mindy she had to go to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, Cindy returned, but she didnโt look the same. Cindy had on a pile of make-up and a red-wig, and it wasnโt the red wig Mindy had given her. When Cindy got back in the car, Mindy asked what was going on and where were they going. Cindy begged her patience and assured her that everything would become clear. They were in the downtown area of Phoenix. They parked on the street. Cindy walked Mindy to a building that looked like it had glass for walls. They got on the elevator and went to the twelfth floor. There were two businesses on the floor; Grass
It was late Tuesday morning. Mindy was packing a gift basket. She was going to drop it off as she and Cindy rode out of town. Cindy wanted to go shopping in Phoenix. Of course, Mindy couldnโt afford to buy anything but she didnโt mind keeping Cindy company on her shopping trips. Cindy walked in. โWhoa,โ she said as she took in the basket on the kitchen table. โThatโs a big thank you.โ โWell, it is from both us. Canโt have it skimpy,โ Mindy said. Cindy shrugged and opened the refrigerator to retrieve a can soda. There was a knock on the back door. โWho in the world could that be?โ Mindy asked. Cindy walked to the door and opened it. The man raised his head so they could see his face from under the wide brim baseball hat. โHey, girls,โ Juan greeted. โJuan, come in,โ Mindy said with a smile. He darted inside and closed the door. โI parked my car two blocks away and walk
By the time Matt had found out what was going on, it was over. He and Jodi were having a hot romp in the kitchen when Patty tried to call him. He had left his cell in the living room.Two ambulances, the forensics van, two cruisers, and Williamsonโs truck were outside. Matt and Jodi walked into Garveyโs bar. โSon of a bitch,โ Matt sneered as he put his hands on his hips, taking it all in.Otto was taking pictures of the body on the floor. Goldman stood tall as he was taking notes while Mindy and Cindy Pandock sat at a table talking to him. Juan was sitting at the bar looking like he had never been more relieved in his life as Carter took his statement.โOh my god,โ Jodi said with a shocked look. โIโm going to check on Juan.โโAll right, just donโt interfere with the questioning. Iโm heading for the lobby to see what else is going on,โ Matt said seriously.Jodi nodded and walked away.Matt strode to the lobby doors which were propped open. There was a body on a gurney covered by a shee
Tyrone told Juan how they had tracked Chip down in Chicago. It wasnโt hard. Chip had left a rowdy drunk trail so anyone who wanted to find him could. Tyrone described how they worked Chip over for thirty-six hours. After being beaten for that long anyone would tell what they knew. Chip had given Juan, Sam, and Zeke up. He had even told them where he hid his cut of the money. During the conversation, Tyrone had given the girls more change to play more tunes on the box. Just like before, Chavez had walked with them. When they returned, Ginger got back in the booth and Nicolette remained standing next to a table. She didnโt look as petrified as before. Tucker James had taken a seat at the table with Juan with the gun still on him. Juan guessed he got tired of standing just as much as Nicolette got tired of sitting. It wasnโt hard for Tyrone to track down Zeke either. At least Zeke didnโt lose his mind with the money. He was enjoying a comf
Juan had gotten Tyrone to chat a little. He got detailed about how Sam suffered before he died to Juan, Nicolette, and Gingerโs horror. Tucker even had the nerve to say that at least Sam wasnโt a rat - if it was any consolation to Juan. Now, he was talking to the girls as Nod Ya Head by Will Smith played on the jukebox. Chavez was bobbing his head to the song. โAre you two sisters?โ Tyrone asked. โYou look like youโre related.โ โCousins,โ Nicolette choked out. โAh,โ Tyrone said with understanding. โItโs shame we didnโt meet under different circumstances. You two are cute. Oh, well, back to our friend Juan. So, Juan, where the hell is my twenty million dollars?โ Mindy and Cindyโs eyes bugled. โIโll tell you, but I have to know something first,โ Juan said. โYeah, whatโs that?โ Tucker said and put the barrel of the gun to Juanโs temple. โHowโd you figure out it was us?โ Juan asked ask he foug
Tucker had Juan sit down in a chair out on the bar floor. The silence made the situation more terrifying. Tucker pointed his pistol at his chest. How the hell did they figure out it was us? โLadies, do you want to listen to some music,โ Tyrone asked. โHuh?โ Ginger said. โMusic,โ Tyrone repeated. โNo reason for the situation to be unpleasant for you because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. What kind of music do you girls like?โ Nicolette shrugged stiffly. โSome country and . . . I just started to listen to some hip hop lately.โ โOkay,โ Tyrone said as he nodded his approval. โWhat about you, babe?โ he asked Ginger. โSame including R&B,โ she answered. Tyrone dug into his pocket and pulled out some change. He took Gingerโs hand and placed the change in it. โPlay some hip hop. I donโt like country music โ oh, and no Eminem, Justin Bieber, or Justin Timberlake. I hate t
It was Sunday morning, and Juan was feeling pretty good despite what had happened last Sunday. No one in town or the surrounding areas knew about Sam being found dead at the hotel, which surprised Juan because he was sure the EMTs would have talked, but it didnโt seem like they had. Juan just thanked his lucky stars.Matt and his team were still working on Samโs case. Forensics believed Samโs death was an accident per cloth fibers that were found on his body and the ice bucket bag. Matt tended to agree based on the staff statements and security camera footage from the lobby and exit doors down stairs. He did have Juan come in to look at some of the footage that Matt found suspicious. Juan identified the two blondes Sam had been with. They had appeared to be in a hurry and they went out the side door exit. Juan only knew their first names. Matt had put in the Arizona state police database that they were wanted for questioning, but he didnโt suspect them of foul play. Samโs valuables ha
Monday afternoon, Juan prepared himself for the verbal assault as he settled in the office with Jodi and Jackie. He had asked Matt not tell the twins about Sam Ellis. Matt had said that it should come from Juan since they still own a part of the business, so they had a right to know. Juan didnโt want them to know because he knew they would blame him somehow. Sam was Juanโs friend not some random guest off the highway. In the end, Juan had refused to call them about it and told Matt to do what he felt was right in regards to informing the twins. โWhatโs up?โ Juan asked. โI think you know whatโs up,โ Jackie said. โJackie, what happened yesterday couldnโt be avoided. I donโt know how you think I could have prevented -โ Juan began. โOf course, you couldnโt stop it,โ Jackie interrupted. โWe came here to see how you were and how we can help.โ โYeah. You canโt stop someone who really wants to kill themselves โ or partici
The forensics team combed the room over while Matt and Juan waited in a room across the hall, so Matt could take Juanโs official statement. Both room doors were propped open. Otto was able to just walk a few feet to give Matt immediate need to know information.Matt noted Samโs license information on a pad so his license could stay in an evidence bag. Sam had one suitcase filled with clothes, normal toiletries in the bathroom, a bottle of aspirin, a hundred and fifty dollars in his wallet, a paper bag with eight thousand four and thirty dollars in it, no credit cards, a cell phone, a photo of a woman, a man, and three girls, a key chain with a car key, two regular keys, and a lock key, and a few business cards.โDo you know why he had so much cash on him?โ Matt asked.โSam still lived the life of a drifter,โ Juan said. โPlus, he liked casinos. He stopped at a couple in Arizona before he came here. Probably had a good run.โ โHmm,โ Matt mused. โYeah, but to keep that much cash in your