Chapter 39

“Did you hear?”

“No.”

“It’s all over the media outlets. Pictures showing Leon Pace in flagrante delicto with one of his employees.”

Detective Jones was pleased. The surveillance at Sparkles had gone one for weeks with little result.

“So someone caught Leon with his pants down. Interesting, but how does that help us?”

The FBI agents considered the question.

“We are wondering how the information got released to the press.”

“A disgruntled ex-employee, perhaps?”

“But how did they get the photos? You think Pace leaves them laying around?”

“There’s a lot of new BLM member employees. Perhaps one of them dropped dime on Leon.”

“Doesn’t figure. New employees are on probation. They are watched, performance is analyzed, and for sure no one is giving them access to sensitive information. Furthermore, there are other factors at work here.”

“Such as?”

“The Pace cousins have greatly increased security at the club. The night security guard was dismissed and replaced by four fresh new bodies. They’re bringing an updated fancy security system with them. New alerts on every window and door, plus motion sensors and electronic eyes.”

“You think our B&E friends paid them a visit?”

“Seems likely. We figure the pictures were part of the loot and found their way to the press.”

“Leon must be blowing a gasket with rage.”

“Good. Maybe he’ll make a mistake.”

“Speaking of mistakes, if there was a burglary, how come our surveillance missed it?”

“They are watching the entryways for people coming in and out. We don’t have cameras on every window. Plus, there’s lots of bushes and trees around the club. If this guy was a professional he’d know how to avoid the club's security cameras. He could sneak through the darkness, crawling from bush to bush, and gain entry through a window.”

“Wouldn't we hear him blow the safe open?”

“We think in this case, the combination was cracked. From our information, the safe was a floor model, not a sophisticated wall mount.”

“Think Leon is fixing that now?”

“Oh yes. The new safe will be the best that money can buy.”