Page 56 of Kevin's Destiny

“Remember when I said the ex-wife killed someone in prison?” At Jake’s nod, Kevin continued. “The victim was named Abby Strokes. My deep check showed blood ties between the deceased, and the alleged trainer on this application. It seems too coincidental that the victim and an alleged trainer would be interested in a racehorse. There is no horse acumen in any of these guys’ pasts. So, the question is, why are they suddenly interested in a multi-million-dollar racehorse?”

“Question?” One of the FBI agents that came with Harmon had raised his hand as he said that.

“What’s that?” Kevin asked, and saw Harmon look at his co-worker with a scowl.

“In your background check, does this Shedrick have the funds to purchase a horse of this caliber?”

“No.” Kevin’s firm, but precise answer had everyone whistling. “I called you guys here because I need to know if they are after me? Do they know I work here? Or are they interested in a horse for different reasons? Are they trying to break into the horse business legitimately, or are they going to do something to the horse for insurance purposes? If their intentions are bad, are they here to check out the security in place?”

“Because,” Yvonne said as she pointed to a certain section of the blank application, then where it was filled out on the application in question. “The application clearly states that Cole and Naomi, or a representative of New Double will check out the location that the horse will be boarded before any sale will be made.” She pointed to the line that was signed. Then she walked over to her laptop and brought up the map from earlier, and showed the red dot. “This is where Shedrick says the horse will be kept.”

“That’s not possible,” another FBI agent said as he rose to walk over to the wall. He looked at it, and pointed out a house on the street behind the location in question. “I live in this house. I own less than a quarter of an acre. There is no way in hell you can store a horse here.”

Kevin looked out at the crowd and nodded. “Are they after me?” he asked quietly. “If so, how did they find me? Why are they after me? Karen and I had been divorced for over two years before she killed Abby. I had nothing to do with what happened in that prison. I sure as hell didn’t know that there were any female gang affiliates there. Not that I had any pull with her sentencing, and I never would have abused my power in the police force to try to get her anything reduced. Her original charges were federal.”

Everyone in the room turned to stare at him. As they looked at him, a phone went off, and every person there grabbed their phone. “It’s mine,” Kevin said and stared at the number. “What the hell?” As it continued to ring, he looked at them. “My former boss, Captain Boggs.”

“Lassiter, and you’re on speaker.”

“Are you alone?”

“No, I have about forty people with me, all former military, former FBI, and current FBI.” The line was silent for a good two minutes before a gigantic sigh came across the line.

“I got a call from the Warden from the original prison that housed Karen.”

“Okay?” Kevin answered with a shake of his head, but knew his former boss couldn’t see it. “Why does that matter to me? You know I washed my hands of her way before her trial.”

“I know, I’m not saying anything like that. Brooks reached out to the prison to see if there were any other instances of Abby Strokes reaching out to the person she talked to the day she died. They’ve been combing through the call logs.”

“Oh, shit, I never thought of that,” Kevin said. “Was Brooks doing it to see how to charge Karen?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Wow, okay, what did the Warden find?”

“You might want to sit down.”

“Boggs,” Kevin said with gritted teeth.

“Sorry, I forgot you liked the brutal truth right out of the gate. First, a little background Abby Strokes was in prison ten years before Karen arrived. Within Karen’s first two weeks on the inside, she had been beaten three times.”

“By Strokes?”

“Yes, though when nothing was done after the second attack, she started telling the guards and the nurse in the infirmary that she fell.”

“Covering for someone?”

“Don’t know. Anyway, that’s the background. Being a former cop, you know that the prison phone calls, and visitations are recorded. DA Brooks knows this also, that’s why he reached out to the Warden to see if there were any other instances of Strokes talking to gang members.”

“What is the name of this gang?” Jake Cogburn asked.

“Flying Dragons,” the active FBI agents spoke as one. “They have gangs all over the country, and it’s international.”

“Correct,” Boggs said. “Strokes didn’t make the first phone call until after Karen’s first visit to the infirmary.”

“Do you think Strokes beat information about Caleb and me out of her?”

“According to the recordings, yes.”