Page 90 of Mr. Perfect
Jonah handed him a stack of pages he’d printed. “It looks like ledgers and financial documents. I couldn’t decipher it, but a forensic accountant could.”
“The feds won’t be able to charge him with a crime based on this information,” Sawyer said. “The statute of limitations for financial crimes was up fifteen to twenty years ago, which was probably why Mercy didn’t harass your family.”
“If that were the case,” Royce said, “why did Mercy turn up the heat on Jude after he interviewed Spencer about his Second Chance Program?”
“I think I know the answer,” Jonah said. “This information can’t be used to indict Mercy, but it could show a pattern the FBI could use now to infiltrate his current operations. That’s why we’re giving it to you.”
They’d talked about it before Royce and Sawyer arrived. They all agreed that letting the proper authorities investigate Mercy and Spencer from here on out was in everyone’s best interest, especially Felix and Jude’s. Which brought them to their second reason for inviting the detectives over.
“Don’t be mad,” Felix said.
Royce groaned. “A conversation that starts out with that phrase never goes well.”
“I feel like we’re practicing for fatherhood,” Sawyer added. “You might as well come clean now. We’ll go easier on you.”
Jonah cleared his throat. “We obtained a list of the parolees currently working at the Savannah dealership. I plugged them into Marla the Magnificent, and she drew some interesting conclusions.”
“Which are?” Royce asked.
Jonah handed him another printout. Royce held it between them so Sawyer could read the report too.
“A document forger, a counterfeiter, and an embezzler walk into a bar,” Royce teased as he read.
“Do you have lists of the program enrollees at the other dealerships?” Sawyer asked without looking up from the report.
Jonah nodded. “It’s the same kind of offenses. White-collar crimes and con artists.”
Sawyer finally looked up when he got to the supercomputer’s assessment. “Spencer has put together a crew of individuals who could create a false identity for him.”
Felix nodded. “And he’s been skimming money off the dealership for who knows how long with his scams.”
“Holy fuck,” Royce said. “Cameron Spencer is going to disappear.”
Sawyer blew out a frustrated breath of air. “And we don’t have a single shred of evidence to bring him in for questioning.”
Felix wanted to ask about the van and CCTV footage, but he didn’t want to make trouble for Minerva. As much as he hated to sit by and do nothing, he trusted Royce and Sawyer to run down every possible lead.
“We’ll take all this to Chief Mendoza and find out what he wants to do,” Royce said. “We’ll apprise you as best we can.” He smacked the documents against his palm as he rose to his feet. “Thank you for turning this over to us instead of investigating it on your own.”
“It’s for the best,” Felix said. So why did it feel so wrong?
After Royce and Sawyer left, Rocky checked his watch. “I gotta get going. I have overnight surveillance duties for a client, so I need to get in a nap or else risk falling asleep in my car.”
“Overnight surveillance, huh?” Jude asked.
Jonah quirked a brow. “Do we know this client?”
“I bet they just happen to live in Spencer’s neighborhood,” Avery added.
Rocky winked. “Plausible deniability, gents.”
“Be careful,” Felix said.
Rocky held up a hand. “Always.”
“What are you in the mood to eat?” Jude asked once they’d left Jonah’s. “I have a couple of steaks and chicken breasts thawed out.” When Felix didn’t answer, Jude reached over and covered Felix’s hand with his. He must’ve assumed neither option appealed to Felix because he continued to verbally roll through the alternate choices. “I always have ingredients on hand to make breakfast. I also have spaghetti noodles and a jar of sauce in my pantry.” Still no response. “Felix, are you okay?”
Okay. It was such a generic word and didn’t come close to describing how Felix felt. As a writer, words were his weapon of choice, and Felix wielded them mercilessly. Fighting wasn’t his aim though. Felix found himself stumbling on how to express the emotion swelling inside him. He knew how to communicate fear and fury and a bevy of other feelings. But this was… This was love, and he was fucking clueless.