Page 66 of Ultimate Justice

“Don’t worry,” Brett cut her off. “We’ll all take care of you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she countered. “He’s only inviting us because he wants to keep an eye on Noah.”

“That’s part of it.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “But I don’t think he would have invited you unless he wanted you to be there, too.”

“Why would he want me to be there?” Lord. Was there anyone she wouldn’t pump for information?

He grunted. “Can’t say. That’s for you guys to figure out. You really should come.”

“See, Marlie?” Noah grabbed her sleeve, shaking her arm. “Pleeze, say yes.”

One look into his animated green eyes, and she was lost. “Fine,” she said on a heavy sigh. “We’ll go.” She was such a sucker. Noah had her twisted around his finger.

“Yesss.” Noah stuck his fist through the window for Brett to fist-bump.

“Here he comes.” Brett hitched his head.

Evan came down the front steps and started across the asphalt. His long legs—legs she’d wrapped hers around as he’d thrust deep inside her last night—quickly ate up the distance. She really needed to stop thinking about last night.

Brett chuckled as he swung his gaze from Evan back to her. “Yeah. You should definitely come to the wedding.”

Wonderful. He’d caught her ogling Evan. For the second time in five minutes, heat flamed her cheeks.

“Problem?” Brett asked.

“I spoke with Brian.” Evan rested his hand on the window ledge. His jaw clenched so hard she thought it would crack. “Lakewood PD just reported another boy missing.”

Chapter Nineteen

Evan eyed the board in the war room crammed with photos of all the missing kids and the dates they’d disappeared. Most now also had the name of one of the pool cleaning companies beneath the photos. Blue Waters had been written beneath the Polaroid of his sister. With this latest missing boy, they needed to roll in another board.

Brian had called a meeting the second Evan got back from Wyoming. Frustration hung over the room like a thundercloud about to cut loose. He couldn’t speak for anyone else, but he was ready to punch his fist through the wall.

“Before we get started,” Brian said from the head of the table. “Where are Marlie and Noah now?”

“They’re at Deck’s house.” His friend would protect them the same as Evan would. Plus, Brett’s girlfriend, Gemma, would be there, going over wedding stuff with Tori. Like Marlie, both women were capable, intelligent, and quick thinking. Hell, Gemma had shot a man with a pneumatic nail gun. “Let’s go around the table, starting with the latest missing boy.” He indicated a Lakewood PD cop, Sgt. Blake Hayden, whom Evan had worked with on a case last year.

Hayden began reading from his laptop. “Cody Skillman, lives in Lakewood off Wadsworth. He’s thirteen, been missing for two days. Parents only just reported it, since he’s run away before but always came back.” He paused and held up a finger. “They used to use Mile High Pool Cleaning but fired Manello two weeks ago.”

“Why?” The timing was too coincidental.

Hayden arched a brow. “The parents caught him talking to Cody too much and thought it was creepy.”

“Have there been any other reports of Manello getting fired?” Everyone in the room shook their head. “Noah said he’s in a hurry to get more kids. Maybe he’s getting careless, focusing too much on his targets and calling attention to himself.”

“There’s more,” Hayden said. “After Cody never came home, the parents dug into his social media accounts. The kid took his phone, but not his laptop, and he was still logged in. Right after they fired Manello, Cody started talking to someone named Ian Coombs. We’re working with the parents to get a full transcript, but based on the conversation they showed me, Ian Coombs is an alias for Frank Manello. Cody tells Coombs his parents were dickheads for firing him. Then Coombs says to meet him behind the King Sooper on Alameda in Lakewood. That was two days ago. No cameras back there, by the way.”

This was happening right under their noses. They were close, but not close enough. “Check back with the families of the missing kids who didn’t have a pool. See if those kids were talking to Coombs online.”

“Will do.” Hayden nodded.

“Where are we with the return on Manello’s email provider?” Evan asked Tony Wong.

“Just came in.” Tony plugged his laptop into the USB hub in the center of the table. Photos of eight kids populated the screen, including Noah’s. “These photos were attached to emails Manello sent to [email protected].”

“What do we have on Tangier Industries?” He looked at Sammy. “Any connection to Purple Dream, LLC?”

“No.” She shook her head. “That company has no online presence. They’re not in Dun & Bradstreet or any other database, and FINCEN has nothing on them.”