Chapter Nine

Ogling the hotel’s spacious lobby, Minka gave Hamilton credit for good taste in choices of hideaways. The luxury resort welcomed their guests with towering tropical indoor plants, chic couches upholstered in suede and leather, and its own open-air market. It provided a far cozier feel than the motel Wes had stayed at when he faked his death, which he’d later described as a crime scene waiting to happen.

Men’s footsteps and women’s clicking heels echoed over the marble floor of the lobby. Caught up in the splendor, Minka paid no regard to the people around her—until an irritated voice spoke her name.

“Minks? Dec? What are you two doing here?” Cael quickened his pace to meet up with them but kept ahold of Autumn’s hand, while a sophisticated-looking woman trailed behind them.

“We’re following a lead. You’re considering this for the wedding?” Minka couldn’t imagine her frugal brother-in-law fronting the size of the bill this place would demand.

“It isn’t on the short list.”

Autumn made a face. “But it might be after we go to a couple more.”

“Or after we win the lottery.” He rolled his eyes. “Anyway, you have a lead? Are the Frasiers here?”

Following protocol, Declan drew Cael off to the side. “Can we speak in private?”

Cael excused himself from his fiancée and the woman Minka assumed to be their wedding planner. Minka, of course, joined the guys.

“This had better be worth interrupting our venue search. This consultant charges eighty-five bucks an hour.”

Declan stepped closer to him and lowered his voice. “Hamilton’s phone activity didn’t end after his crash. He keeps calling Tad, even as late as half an hour ago. I tracked it, and it originated from here.”

“You can’t mean—”

“Unless somebody else is using it, he didn’t die in that wreck,” Minka declared.

Cael shifted his weight then called over his fiancé and gave her arm a long caress. “I need to check on something. You go with Talia to the other site. I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.”

“But, babe, you promised nothing would take priority over this.”

“Why would you tell her that? You’re a cop.” Minka regretted the words the instant she noted Cael’s steely glare and Autumn’s grimace.

“This shouldn’t take long.” He kissed her.

Once the two women wandered away, the trio approached the concierge desk.

“Could you help us find someone?” Cael asked the woman in front of the computer, flashing his credentials as he leaned closer. “His name’s Perry Hamilton.”

She typed in the name in complete ignorance. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have a guest by that name. Could it be booked under someone else’s in the party?”

“This might help.” Cael showed her the picture of Hamilton he had on his cell phone.

She studied it well. “Yes, I remember him. In fact, he just checked out about five minutes ago. He left suddenly. We had to charge him for an extra night, since we can’t rent it out before housekeeping cleans tomorrow afternoon.”

“What name did he use?” Cael questioned.

She searched in her records. “Steadman Rissdale.”

The web of scenarios in Minka’s mind about the buddies spun faster and took on more intricacy. “How did he pay?”

“With cash.”

“I don’t suppose you heard where he was headed when he left,” Declan asked.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Did you see what he drove?” Cael posed.

“He registered a license plate number with us when he checked in.”

Cael wrote down the sequence of numbers, but before they left, Minka had another idea. “Would we, by any chance, be able to access his room?”

“Why not? Let me summon my assistant to show you to the floor.”

As they made their way up to the suite, Cael, via sign, reminded Minka they didn’t have a warrant. Likewise, she pointed out that Hamilton forfeited his rights to the room when he checked out, allowing the hotel staff to choose whether or not to grant them entry. While he relented and even complimented her strategizing, Declan and the assistant clerk stared at them, confusion written all over their faces.

The helpful worker gave them gloves from the housecleaners’ closet and opened up the room for them, leading the way. The fifth-floor suite, as big as Wes and Minka’s house, came complete with its own billiards table and loft. Hamilton was on the run, in style.

The three of them branched out, each strolling through separate rooms, hoping to find something he may have left behind. At first glance, it twinned any other newly vacant suite, with the bed unmade and dirty towels strewn over the bathroom floor. Minka had just begun her search for clues underneath them when the assistant clerk uttered a loud sigh from the bedroom.

Curious, Minka deserted her own task to join her. “Something wrong?”

“Oh, it’s just these inconsiderate guests. They lock the safe with their own combination and then forget to leave it open for the next occupant. I’ll have to page the janitor.”

This turn of fortune excited Minka, making her wonder if anything may have been forgotten in the safe. The custodian told his co-worker he’d make his way up there soon, so Minka didn’t go anywhere until he arrived to assist. When the middle-aged balding man entered the room, she held her breath as he twisted the master key to unlock the box.

She restrained herself from lunging for the first glimpse inside, wanting to appear professional. Once the janitor carried a bag of trash out to the hall, she scampered over and swung open the door. At first glance, nothing lay inside, but upon further examination, she caught sight of something in the shadows. She stuck her arm in and grasped a fresh stack of hundred-dollar bills.

“Hey guys, I found quite a souvenir.” She’d never held that much cash at one time.

As they joined her, Cael crouched at her side. “I’d say so, except for the fact that they aren’t real.”

“How can you tell?” Minka wondered aloud. “You haven’t even touched them.”

“The Treasury ensures that all bills have an unbroken border. The ones on these are sort of warped.” He pointed out the flaws. “Plus, the president didn’t have a comb-over.”

She fingered through the stack. “There’s over two grand here. How could he forget this?”

“My guess is that wasn’t a lone stash,” Declan hypothesized. “He probably thought he had it all and just missed one, being in a hurry and all.”

“Which begs the question, ‘Why the rush?’ He couldn’t have guessed we’d show up,” Cael said as he stood.

“I’d say it has less to do with us and more to do with his designs,” Minka offered. “Maybe he and the Frasiers have plans.”

“Whatever the case, we have to contact the Secret Service. Counterfeiting’s under their jurisdiction. I’ll call Autumn and tell her I’m not going to make it to the other venue. This could take hours.”

“Don’t do that, man,” Declan said. “I can wait for them. She seemed pretty sore when she left.”

“Yeah, she did. Thank you, partner.”

Because of the breakthrough, Minka had almost forgotten about the awkward way the couple had parted. As she drove him to the banquet hall, he remained silent, but his worry proclaimed itself. She wanted to apologize for her thoughtless comment, but since Rissdale’s name had now surfaced in the investigation, she used the opportunity to catch him up on the man’s counterfeiting scheme.

At the hall’s entrance, Autumn sat alone on a bench. Minka stopped under the car port, not far from her. Cael stepped out but didn’t shut the door. “Thanks for waiting, sweetie. Talia inside?”

“No, I took her back to her office and relieved her of her services.”

Minka understood her sharp remark, but Cael didn’t appear to grasp the real message. “Thank you so much, Autumn. Maybe we can swing the resort if we aren’t paying out hundreds by the day to her.”

“You don’t have to spend another cent, Cael.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean there’s no wedding to plan. After today, I realize how low I am on your priority list. I’m ranked below your job, your partner, and most humiliating, your sister-in-law.”

Cael’s posture stiffened, and he pivoted toward Minka but stopped short of facing her. He seemed to want to avoid manifesting guilt. “That’s not true.”

Autumn crossed her arms and let out a tsk. “Well, you didn’t prove it.”

Minka commanded herself not to get involved, but she had to defend him. “Autumn, we didn’t intend to intrude. Declan and I were handling it by ourselves.”

“Yes, and that’s why it hurts so much.” She rose and sauntered closer. “Listen, I’ve accepted from the time we met how close you two were, and I appreciate all you guys have taken on together. That’s the reason I’ve tried so hard to make a good impression. I began to worry, though, that because of your history, she would always win out against me.”

“You two aren’t rivals,” Cael insisted.

“Aren’t we? Because when she appeared, I lost you right away. When we were supposed to be celebrating our future, you chose her.”

“I chose to protect this city, including you. It’s not for Minka.”

“Then, you caught whoever you were after?”

Her question received no response.

“That’s what I thought.” She stormed off to her car.

****

For it being one of the rare nights Caela hadn’t woken up, Minka didn’t get much rest. Her part in Autumn and Cael’s breakup hadn’t won her any favor with Wes, who’d accused her of trying to sabotage the couple’s relationship. Of course, she denied it, reminding him time and again that their run-in had been a complete and accidental coincidence. In her sleeplessness, though, she realized the ring of truth in his words.

She hadn’t liked Autumn from the beginning, so she supposed her lack of care had translated to a lack of respect. She displayed that more than ever when she hadn’t persuaded Cael to stay with Autumn and instead, made an insensitive comment. To boot, she’d listened weeks earlier to Josie Walton’s account of Hamilton disregarding her in a similar way, which ended their relationship, too.

She cringed over how she’d failed Cael as a friend, in light of all the ways he’d supported her. In fact, he’d saved her relationship with Wes once when they’d broken off their engagement. She reflected on that day in the hospital room seven years prior.

As Cael lay asleep in bed, she was trying to read the novel in her hands but couldn’t concentrate. Two weeks had passed since his motorcycle accident, and though he was recovering well, the pain in his broken arm and leg still robbed him of his energy. She didn’t normally mind the silence, but on that particular day, she could’ve used a distraction from her ailing heart.

Ever since the accident, she’d had to spend time with Wes every day. Having broken up the month before, they hadn’t spoken a word to each other until he’d called from the hospital when Cael was rushed to the emergency room. Tension lingered between them at first, but slowly they were inching their way back to where they once were. They even had dinner together the previous night, which had stirred up this quandary inside her. No matter what, the universe always seemed to nudge them together, but she couldn’t decide if she wanted to concede to its prodding.

She hated this inner conflict. She was a strong person and never wanted to admit to being dependent on someone. After the fight that led to their split, she had no intentions of crawling back to him. Now, though, she was realizing how petty it’d been to break off their engagement over him wanting her to meet his old friends and not understanding her insecurities about how they might treat her because she was deaf.

Cael’s condition didn’t help matters, either, as his near-death experience had jarred her. His vulnerable state exposed more of the features he shared with Wes, which conjured up the scenario of what would’ve happened if he were lying in that bed. She couldn’t bear the idea of losing him, especially while they weren’t on speaking terms.

Nonetheless, she was too stubborn to confess her true feelings. To ensure that her helplessness didn’t rat her out, she decided to leave before Wes swung by after work. It was later than she realized, so she’d have to hurry. Thus, she collected her purse and whispered a goodbye to Cael on her way out of the room. Her quick-footedness proved useless, however, when Wes and she almost collided right outside the door.

“Hey, there. What’s the rush?”

“Sorry, but I’m late for work.”

“You don’t have to report for three more hours.” Wes had become familiar with the schedule she’d had for the past ten days. She’d switched to nights so she could sit with Cael when everyone else was working.

“I just need some time to rest beforehand, okay?” Minka replied, her manner brisk.

He took a step aside but then must have noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks, because he grasped her arm. “What’s the matter?”

His question made her weeping intensify to sobs, making it impossible to answer him. When he wrapped her in his embrace, she couldn’t put up any resistance.

“Nothing new happened with Cael, did it?”

“No.”

“Then, what’s bothering you, honey?” He wouldn’t relent, stroking his fingers through her hair.

“We’re not together, that’s what’s bothering me.” Her tears dried up and yielded to her wrath. “And yet, you talk to me and look at me just like you are right now…and just like you always have. I can’t stand it! I like being angry with you, but I can’t when you do this. Plus, it could’ve been you on that bike, and I couldn’t have lived with myself if it had been. Not after I threw away everything we had over a stupid dinner party.”

Wes just stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, appearing baffled by her loving yet disdainful outburst. Just when he opened his mouth to speak, Cael piped up from inside his room.

“You done, Minks?”

“I think so,” she told him, snapping out of her fit.

“Then, just kiss her already,” he commanded his brother.

****

In the morning, Minka continued to stew over what the future held for Cael and Autumn and how the mess would impact their feelings toward her. In every scenario she pondered, she earned the label of being the bad guy. If they broke up for good, she’d be to blame, but if they didn’t, Autumn could force Cael to sever ties with her. She may not even need to coerce him. Her actions could result in him disowning her, putting a permanent strain on his bond with both his brother and niece.

The tragic predictions in Minka’s imagination spiraled on and on. After getting Caela dressed, she drummed up a plan she hoped would repair the damage she’d done. She didn’t run it by Wes, for fear he’d command her not to get even deeper involved. Her family’s future happiness lay at stake, and she owed it to Cael to intercede like he had for her and Wes.

She set out for Autumn’s fitness center, arriving early enough to talk before the first class. As she hoisted the stroller out of her trunk, she glanced over at Autumn’s car in the gym’s parking lot, anxious. This was the first time, she realized, that she’d met with her future sister-in-law without Cael present. Only having been in her company a handful of times, it’d be that much more awkward to approach her, especially given the occasion. She lifted Caela out of her car seat and hoped the little one would act as an icebreaker.

A couple of mothers were already in the studio with their children. Autumn was talking to one when Minka peeped through the glass door, which made her hesitate further. The intimate group was a welcome sight, but it also made her more nervous, since they could’ve been discussing her at that very moment. Plus, it wouldn’t go unnoticed if she confronted the instructor. She took a step back but had to stop when Autumn gazed outside and locked eyes with her.

Minka offered a timid wave and opened the door. Meanwhile, the disgruntled bride-to-be kept a poker face as she ambled toward her. She left no doubt her anger hadn’t subsided overnight. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I have a full class this morning.”

“No, you don’t, Autumn,” the perky young mother beside her corrected. “Daphne cancelled, remember?”

Minka stifled a chuckle.

Autumn squirmed. “Yes, but this is an advanced class, and she won’t be able to keep up. Someone else always brings her daughter.”

Minka could’ve proven her athleticism with a number of tactics she’d become skilled in on the force, but she kept to her goal of making peace. “They’re all under two. I doubt that I need tae kwon do training.”

Autumn gave up the act. “Please, just leave, Minka. You know, like you did with my fiancé yesterday?”

Nearby mothers failed to conceal their shock and suspicion, until Minka nodded. “I deserve that, but I also deserve a chance to apologize. Please, just let me explain.”

Autumn glanced at her watch. “My shift doesn’t start for another three minutes, but that’s all I can give you.”

After the nosey moms inched away, Minka began, “I would have never split you and Cael up on purpose. Even so, I’ll admit I didn’t make any effort to make him stay with you, and believe me, I would’ve been just as angry in your position.

“In all honesty, I keep denying it to myself, but I can’t get used to the fact that I’m not Cael’s partner anymore. Because of everything we’ve been through, he was more than my work partner. Whether Wes and I had a fight or Wes was on the run from the mob, Cael’s was always the first face to greet me when I stepped out of the house. There was a time in my life when the world was so cruel to me that I didn’t even want to leave home. That’s why it meant a lot to be able to start the day with a kind smile like his flashing back at me.”

“You mean very much to him, too. I never wanted to wedge you guys apart.”

“You didn’t. If anyone did, it was this one here.” She touched Caela’s head. “Someone was bound to sooner or later. That’s just the way life works. It’s been harder than I expected it’d be to adjust, and I still hadn’t when you entered his life. I guess I was just overwhelmed by it all, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry for that, and I would hate to rob Cael of somebody he loves so deeply.”

She smiled, clearly touched. “I appreciate that, and you’re welcome to stay for class. Maybe afterward, we can take Caela shopping for her flower girl dress.”

Minka grinned. “Sounds good to us.”

****

After he and Autumn reconciled over the phone, Cael’s mood lightened, making it much easier to focus on work. With the exception of his personal drama, the morning dragged on, pretty monotonous. He and Declan had already checked out the license plate number Hamilton had given the hotel, only to find that, like his money, it was fake. Then, they spent the next hour trying to get the Secret Service to collaborate with them on the investigation. According to Declan, the agents who’d responded to their call the night before lived up to their mysterious reputation, refusing to confirm that the money was counterfeit. Hence, they doubted they’d get any better response today, but they had to persist.

Their call was transferred to several different departments, none of which had a human operator. At last, a human voice answered. “Agent Craig Nichols speaking.”

Declan rolled his eyes at his partner, indicating this one was the tougher of the two who showed up to the hotel.

Cael hoped he might meet with more cooperation from him than his younger partner had. “Hi, Agent Nichols. This is Detective Cael Avery with Orlando P.D. My partner and I were the ones who reported the fraudulent cash yesterday, and we were just wondering if we might be able to assist in your investigation in some way?”

“Thank you, Detective, but it’s in capable hands here. We appreciate your tip and will inform you if we need anything else.”

“I understand, sir, but we’re on another case, which, we believe, may be connected to the counterfeiting.” He gave him a summary of Hamilton’s assault and supposed accident. “To that end, we’d be grateful if you could give us updates, particularly about him or a Tad Frasier.”

“I’ll make a note of that,” Nichols said and abruptly hung up.

Not encouraged by the conversation, Cael and Declan crossed off the prospect of combining efforts with them. Instead, they pursued what they could on their own. To start with, they contacted the banks in the area to determine if they’d encountered phony bills, but none had any claims thus far. If Hamilton had been scattering the crummy ones like those in his hotel room, he was choosing the right merchants to con.

Since Hamilton had registered under Rissdale’s name, Cael was reminded of Minka’s suspicions about them working together. He read through the same developments she had about the scandal, and the similarities between the investigations were undeniable. The biggest difference was the fact that Rissdale’s plot had been discovered, and his buddy’s hadn’t, even though Hamilton had been bold enough to produce larger denominations. Given that the bank that held Stags’ accounts didn’t have any reports of fraudulent cash, he assumed Hamilton hadn’t involved his business to the same degree Rissdale had, which allowed him to take greater risks.

He wondered again where “the dead man walking” had fled so suddenly. If Hamilton had stayed at the hotel since his faked demise, it struck Cael as odd that he’d ditch it right before they scouted out the place for him. Could he have seen Cael from afar as he and Autumn toured the site? Cael doubted it, given they spent most of their time in the events complex. Like Minka, he concluded the runaway wasn’t aware of their presence but just had somewhere else to be.

To learn where that was, Cael called the resort to request their surveillance footage of the time period covering his abrupt departure. Able to review the video before the lunch hour, he managed to make out the suspect under a navy hood entering a gray sedan and driving off. The detectives skipped their break to track Hamilton’s next movements with the help of Orlando’s many traffic cameras. Things seemed promising—until he abandoned his car at a local bus station parking lot.

“Why would a millionaire take a transit bus?” Declan protested.

“To frustrate any cop who’s trying to keep up with him, and it’s working.”

“Let’s call the station to ask if there’s any record or surveillance of where he stopped. If not, we can at least go there and scope out the car.”

Following through on the idea, the detectives learned the company didn’t have cameras in most their buses, nor did they take note of where their passengers boarded and departed. That left them with no other choice than Declan’s plan B, which they didn’t hesitate to initiate. Eating lunch on the way, they were soon standing in front of Hamilton’s getaway car—or one of them.

It wasn’t as stylish as the car that was involved in the not-so-fatal crash, no doubt to veer attention away from him. Still without firm evidence of his wrongdoing, they couldn’t obtain a search warrant, but hopeful Declan tried the handle. To their shock, it was unlocked, allowing them inside. At first glance, it appeared he had a reason to be so trusting, as it contained nothing of value. Upon further investigation of the backseat, though, their persistence proved worthwhile.

Cael untangled the dark jacket from under the driver’s seat. Its wrinkles couldn’t disguise the blood stains. “I guess he had someone along for the ride.”

“Yeah, and I have a hunch who it was.”

Cael’s eyes caught sight of something else on the floor, so he wedged his arm farther into the cabin. He latched on to a cashier’s badge, which bore Jemma’s name. “We don’t need to rely on our own intuition on this one.”

“Apparently, there’s no bad blood between them,” Declan quipped.

“Or is there?” Cael had to wonder.

****

Minka could barely stay upright by the time she returned home. The aerobics class had been more exerting than she’d imagined, but the dress shopping gave her more of a workout. They’d perused five bridal shops and changed Caela into at least one dress at each, only for Autumn to choose the typical, gouty frock made of scratchy fabric almost any toddler would hate. The exorbitant price didn’t help matters, but Autumn’s happiness after she and Cael reunited over the phone made it worthwhile. Everyone was forgiven—except, of course, for whoever dressed the grumpy little flower girl on the big day.

Nonetheless, Minka collapsed on the couch after she put Caela down for a nap. Upon tripping over the mess her brother had made while they were gone, however, she was reminded of the case that had started this fiasco. The controversy over the past eighteen hours had wiped her memory clean of the counterfeit bills in Hamilton’s hideaway. Staring at the disaster her house had become, she rediscovered her fortitude to hasten this nightmare to its end.

Because the latest developments all pointed back to Steadman Rissdale, she began searching for the most recent news on him. As in every other case, there wasn’t much to tell before his trial commenced. She figured the proceedings would answer many of her questions, but Rissdale wouldn’t set foot in the courtroom again until summer.

One report stated that he was out on bail, but she didn’t believe he was with Hamilton in that hotel. It would’ve been foolish for him as a felon to leave Canada and then use his own name. Nonetheless, that didn’t mean the two weren’t in contact. Concerned about what crimes the duo may commit while Hamilton eluded the law, she tapped into her detective skills in an attempt to pluck out a lead that may have been there all along.

Focusing her thoughts on all the information she’d collected about the friendship between Hamilton and Rissdale, she looped back to the very beginning. Rissdale had been there the night Hamilton was attacked at the bowling alley. It still seemed odd to her that two millionaires would choose to catch up at a low-budget bowling alley…unless it wasn’t low-budget after all.

Suddenly, the revelation she’d longed for hit her, and she unraveled what they needed to do.

Her fingers speed-typed a message to Cael.

—Want to go bowling?—

****

“Please, tell me you’re kidding,” Cael cried after Minka related her true motive for inviting him.

“It’s our best chance at finding answers, especially since you guys couldn’t figure out Hamilton’s next move.”

“We’re working on it,” he protested. “You could’ve at least told me this wasn’t just an innocent and well-deserved peace offering.”

“I already made my peace offering. It cost me over a hundred bucks and a grumpy toddler. Besides, I assumed coming to the scene of Hamilton’s assault would be enough of a hint.”

He shook his head, and Minka followed his gaze in Autumn’s direction. Unaware of her future sister-in-law’s schemes, she’d been wearing the same carefree smile all night long. When she rejoined them after her turn, Cael kept up an appearance of enjoying himself, rising to his feet to congratulate her on another mediocre attempt at a strike. Long past her newlywed days, Minka feigned a gag at Wes, who shot back a warning look.

To keep herself out of trouble, she shifted her focus away from the love fest and concentrated on her theory. She took in her surroundings, hoping to find where this typical bowling alley became something more. It wasn’t the cleanest place even by bowling alley standards, and the rubbery pizza she’d shared with Wes and Cael didn’t let on to stellar cooking, either. She was sure Hamilton and Rissdale had to have convened there for more than bowling.

It’d be easy to imagine an underground operation going in such a dimly lit and loud building, but it featured nothing else to back up her assumption. There were a couple of leagues competing on the opposite side of the alley and a few employees, but none of them seemed suspicious. With her radar on the entrances all evening, she had yet to spot any unscrupulous characters arrive or exit. It appeared to be a normal Friday night of bowling.

Autumn’s voice jarred her from her thoughts. “Your turn, Minka.”

She recovered, handing Caela off to Wes. As she readied herself to thrust the heavy ball across the floor, she noticed an employee open the door leading to the service room behind the lanes. She glanced over at the other bowlers, who seemed to be having issues with the pins resetting themselves, and she reproved her wild imagination. Just before she released the ball, the worker reemerged, and for an instant, she was sure she beheld Bryant Maxwell in the shadows, exiting through a back door.

“What was that?” Wes echoed her thoughts, but he was referring to her shameful throw. Unlike Cael with Autumn, he didn’t reward her lousiness.

“Well, at least we all kissed the gutter once tonight,” Cael remarked.

Minka couldn’t form a reply, stunned by what she’d just witnessed and deliberating on how to proceed. She could drag Cael outside and pursue Maxwell, but she doubted they’d catch up to him. More than that, she’d ruin a second evening in a row and dismantle the credibility of her apology to Autumn. As much more lay at stake, she didn’t dare take the risk.

Thus, she retrieved her bowling ball and finished the frame. She pretended to be disappointed to leave just one pin standing and swapped off the baby with Wes as he rose to take his turn. Her daughter had a wet bottom, which gave Minka an idea.

She excused herself and carried Caela back to the room of storage lockers but didn’t head straight for the adjoining restroom. A bowler was changing his shoes when they entered, so Minka bounced her daughter in her arms, as if trying to keep her occupied. Once alone, she made her way over to the door in the corner, which she assumed led to the area behind the lanes. She put her ear up to it but detected nothing. With curiosity and adrenaline welling up inside of her, she jiggled the knob and almost shrieked when the door opened—only to reveal a maintenance closet behind it.

Her excitement waned, so Minka moseyed toward the restroom, figuring she’d better just change Caela’s diaper as she’d told her family. Scanning the lockers, one in particular caught her eye. None of the others were marked, available to whomever used their own lock, but this single one seemed to have initials marked on it. Minka closed in on it to examine it and almost dropped Caela when the letters PH jumped out to her.

Perry Hamilton.

It seemed too good to be true, but given all that had taken place over the past month, Minka believed this was the landmine they’d been seeking. She could only wish her winning streak would continue with the locker being unlocked, but no one could be so fortunate. She had to decide yet again whether to seize the opportunity to crack the case wide open or to keep her relationship with her in-laws intact.

Cael’s arrival gave her another shock. “What are you doing now, Minks?”

“Why’d you wander back here?”

“Because I reckoned you were up to something. Now, just tell me what it is so we can go back without worrying anybody.”

His insight amused her, but she remained focused. “I threw that gutter ball because I caught sight of Bryant Maxwell exiting the alley through the back door. I hoped to sneak a peek into the area, but instead, I encountered this locker.”

He ambled over and studied it. “A lot of people have those initials.”

“But Hamilton was attacked here, and his employee was lurking around back. The same employee who supposedly bought Robin’s watch and who helped the wounded Frasiers off the grid.”

“If it is Hamilton’s, it doesn’t prove anything other than the fact that he frequented the place enough to rent his own locker. However, I agree it’s worth some consideration but on my terms. Just follow my lead…after you change Caela’s diaper. I can smell her from here.”

Minka obeyed his command—as unpleasant as it was—and returned to her family. She expected to spring right into cop mode, so Cael’s relaxed posture disappointed her, as he portrayed that nothing was afoot. Neither Wes nor Autumn seemed aware of their discovery, so she doubted he’d questioned the staff during her short absence. The firm expression he aimed at her, though, told her not to argue with him.

After they’d played two games, everyone agreed to call it a night. Untying her shoelaces, Minka leveled a miffed, sidelong glance at Cael, which he ignored. Rather, he announced that he intended to hitch a ride home with her and Wes, since his apartment was out of Autumn’s way. His fiancée protested a bit, voicing her desire for some time alone with him, but she acquiesced in the end. Eager to execute whatever he was planning, Minka’s mood turned around, as she wanted to leap with glee.

Cael escorted Autumn to her car and gave her a proper goodbye, before he retraced his steps into the alley and approached the cashier’s desk. Minka stood by his side. The worker didn’t notice them, preoccupied with disinfecting shoes.

“If I could just have a moment of your time, miss,” he asked. “I’m with the police department, and I’m working a case that involves one of your regulars. Would you happen to know Perry Hamilton?”

She shook her head. “This is my first week here, so I’m not familiar with our patrons yet. I’m sorry.”

“Would you be able to find out if he has a rented locker?” Minka beat Cael to the punch.

“I don’t think so. I wasn’t given any information like that.”

“Is your manager around?”

“No, he just clocked out.”

Cael tapped his fingertips on the counter and blankly stared at Minka.

She, too, was perplexed but decided to take a risk. “Can I ask what the purpose is for the room in the back? The one across from the rear of the alley?”

“I’ve never been in there, but I’m pretty sure it’s just for storage.”

“Could we take a gander?” Cael requested.

The young lady obliged, grabbing her keys and leading them back. The narrow hall they entered wasn’t wide enough for them to stride side-by-side, so Cael and Minka gave her space as she unlocked the door. She hesitated after she opened it, mounting Minka’s intrigue.

Her eyes grew to the size of saucers. “I am so getting fired.”

Cael and Minka slipped in to join her. They, too, stood astounded at the major counterfeiting scheme surrounding them. Printers filled the room, accompanied by stacks of fake bills.

“The world’s first multimillion dollar storage room,” Minka remarked.