Page 87 of The Body in the Backyard

“Maybe their lawyer’s psychic?”

“A psychic who got on a private plane in Dulles and arrived at Harrisburg International Airport half an hour ago.”

“Who’s the plane belong to?” Nick asked.

“A holding company based in Grand Cayman.”

“That’s helpful,” Nick said dryly.

“It gets better. The lawyer came armed with extradition papers,” Weber said.

“Seriously?”

“It seems our gun-toting, compact-car-loving friends are getting a free ride back to Colombia, where they’re wanted for murder and extortion.”

“Columbia, Maryland?” Nick asked hopefully.

“Colombia, South America. Do you want me to draw you a map?”

“I’ve played Pictionary with you before. Your South America would look like a three-legged horse wearing a bucket on its head.”

Weber ignored the justifiable jab at his artistic skills. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

“That I was right and they’re hired guns who work for someone with private plane money.”

“Someone with private plane money who wants Griffin Gentry dead,” Weber said.

They stared at each other stonily for a few long seconds. Weber gave a subtle nod at the two detectives who were obviously eavesdropping. Nick lifted his chin in acknowledgment.

“I guess we’ll see who bags the bad guy first,” Weber snapped loudly.

“Yeah. I guess we will,” Nick shot back. “Spoiler alert. It won’t be you.”

“Get the hell out of my chair, Nicky.”

“Gladly. Oh, and enjoy your lunch,” Nick said, getting up and heading for the exit.

“What did you do to my sandwich?” Weber demanded.

Nick answered with a middle finger over his shoulder. He was still smirking when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a call from Riley.

“What’s up, beautiful? Miss me already?”

“Hi. We, uh, have a small problem. Actually two problems, and I can only handle one at a time.”

22

1:32 p.m. Saturday, November 2

“What’s the plan?” Josie asked, poking her head up between the front seats of Jasmine’s car when Riley disconnected her call with Nick.

Burt squeezed his head in next to Josie’s.

“Nick’s going to handle Fred and Claudia Mendoza’s building security. Which means we’re going after Mrs. Penny and Mr. Willicott,” Riley said.

She was making an executive decision. Nick could handle the underpaid security guard who had detained Fred after he couldn’t produce a building key card, but his PI license couldn’t handle a potential breaking and entering that would be required to save two under-the-table employees from a trespassing situation that would likely end in a Code Cold Burrito.

“Where does suspect number two live?” Jasmine asked from behind the wheel.