A Barlow Lens Read Free

was on our fugitive list, which is now why my office is involved. There’s more to it than that, but that’s the basics. The family of one of the other victims is also Fells’s wife. She won’t let anything go forward with the building or the remains until she has answers about what happened. I need someone with criminal investigative experience who can work with what is basically an archeological site. Fells works for the insurance company handling things, but he’s not involved professionally with this claim. Mrs. Fells is footing the bill for a private investigation. That’s how I got your name,” Griff paused. “Whatcha thi nk?”
    â€œHer name is Lily.” Wyatt drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I’m in Baltimore now and have to be in Belmont, New York by the first week of June. I’ll need to talk things over with my fiancé. We’re getting married a few days after the Belmont Stakes. Can I get back to you?” He had the thought again, why was he explaining all this?
    â€œSure, and hey, more congratulations. Let me give you my personal number. Mrs. Fells had boxes of family documents in storage, and now it’s all piled in my living room. My partner is less than enthusiastic about our new decorating scheme.”
    Wyatt snickered, twisted, and reached to the table beside the bed for the pad of paper and pen he knew every hotel in the free world placed there. Val took the paper and pen from him and sat poised to write. Wyatt repeated the numbers Griff gave him, said good-bye, and disconnected the call.
    He set the phone on the bed and looked at Val. “How about a trip to Cleveland?”
    â€œOhio?”
    Wyatt nodded, and Val shrugged and said, “Okay. Thistledown is a sweet track; too bad the Ohio Derby isn’t until July.”
    â€œYour internal calendar really does revolve around the race circuit,” Wyatt said. He reached out and cupped Val’s chin, kissing him. “Let’s get cleaned up and go to breakfast. I’ll fill you in.”

Chapter 2
    Â 
    V AL PUT his fork down and sipped his coffee, wearing the expression that told Wyatt he was working things out in his head. “So you wouldn’t be a private investigator, but some kind of consultant who does investigations?”
    â€œTechnically, since I’m still with Homeland Security, I’ll need consent from them. I’ll have to find out more from this Griff Diamond, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t approve my retirement, and I’m sure they won’t take issue with me working as a consultant on US soil on a case for US law enforcement.”
    â€œDo I get to help?” Val asked.
    Wyatt smiled. “I’m counting on it. We are a team, after all.”
    They had driven to Baltimore, so after spending another day with Janelle, Vin, and Izzo, Val and Wyatt packed their bags in Wyatt’s car and were on their way northwest to Cleveland.
    Wyatt shifted in his seat, readjusting his grip on the steering wheel. He fiddled with the side and then the rearview mirror. When he started the entire ritual all over again, Val reached out and rubbed his hand over Wyatt’s knee.
    â€œWill you just tell me about this Fells guy? All I know about Jack is his name, you two were together a long time, lived in Europe, and he was some kind of investment banker. And now I know he had a brother, Kevin. Jack got sick. It wasn’t your fault he died. His brother must know that,” Val said quietly.
    Wyatt glanced at Val for a second before turning back to the road. He took a few deep, slow breaths. “I know I had nothing to do with Jack’s death, and I don’t think Kevin blames me. In fact I don’t think he cared enough to blame me for any of it. Funny thing is, I met Jack because of Kevin. We worked together, drank together, spent more time with each other than our families. There was a time I thought he was the