Page 88 of Facing the Enemy

“How? Where?”

I scrolled through my phone and showed him a pic of Florakis. “Sir, do you know this man?”

He peered and frowned. “Absolutely not. Are we finished here?”

I scrolled and pretended I had a pic of him with Florakis. “Here is one with you two together. Are you in the habit of keeping company with strangers?”

He pointed to my phone. “You photoshopped those. I’m no fool.”

I sat back and nodded. “You’ve been on our radar for months. We’d like to work out a deal.”

Ethan startled. “What kind of deal? I haven’t done anything.”

Gage cleared his throat. “We need Florakis’s contact information, and we’ll work out a deal with the alarm business investigation.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Ethan crossed his arms over his chest. “That means I admit to installing faulty equipment, which I haven’t done. What makes you think I have a way to get hold of a man I’ve never met?”

“All right, Mr. Mercury,” Gage said. “Your choice. We have the evidence to charge you with withholding information in a federal murder case unless you choose to cooperate.”

Ethan shook his finger at us. “I’m wondering if you two are running a scheme on the side. I might be better off to talk to those higher up than the likes of you.” He stood. “I came here in good faith, thinking you’d exonerated me of false charges. Instead you fabricate photos of me and a stranger. Trust me, the FBI will hear about this.” He headed for the door with Gage and me staring after him.

I watched Ethan leave. “He might earn an Oscar after that performance.”

Now as Ethan made his way to his Jaguar, I prayed for success. He touched the handle of his vehicle, then retraced his steps to the Starbucks entrance. Anger ripped across his face, as though ready to level both of us. He swung open the door and headed straight for our table.

I gambled on what would happen next. Ethan wore a bug ...Come on, Florakis, call Ethan.

The Jaguar burst into a fiery inferno.

My plan had drawn out our subject, but not in a way that resulted in his arrest. Now I had to face Gage. My foolishness could have killed Ethan.

47

GAGE

In the distance, the whine of fire trucks and police cars drew closer. I’d reported the explosion but not the particulars. Fortunately, no one had been injured. We waited for the ER vehicles, and I fumed. I stared at Risa and Ethan seated across from me in Starbucks.

Ethan could have been killed.

Risa could have been killed.

Innocent people could have been killed.

Risa’s idea would get her a reprimand if not worse.

For sure my head would spin on a platter.

To think I’d allowed her irresponsible game to take place. Her determination to find who’d killed her brother and the source of the fraudulent adoption agency had put others in danger.

Trembling, Ethan pulled the burner phone from Florakis from his pant pocket and stared at it as though willing it to ring. “My family could have been in there. Have you set me up?”

I dove into our acting mode. “Mr. Mercury, your family has left you.”

“How did you know? You—”

Ethan’s burner rang, and he answered. He walked outside, and we listened through the listening devices in our ears. Thankful the FBI’s tech team had successfully installed a monitoring app.

“Hello.” Ethan’s tone lifted with agitation. “What do you want? I’m in the middle of something.”