Page 103 of Red Marked

“You’re right.” She bites her lip for a few seconds. “So what now? Do you think Jim’s Shop & Save will have CCTV cameras? Would they still have the footage of Tank accepting that envelope?”

“They might have cameras, but the standard practice is to keep footage for thirty to ninety days. It’s rare for anyone to keep footage for longer. A year would be considered a very long time. Over five years is unheard of. I will give them a quick call a little later to confirm my suspicions, but we should consider it to be a dead end. That’s the problem with working a case that’s this old. Leads go cold.”

“I guess you’re right. There’s got to be something we can do.”

The road bends around the lake. I pull onto the gravel shoulder and put the car in park, then take the folded page out of my back pocket.

“Red Gate Holdings is the company that deposited the funds into Tank’s account. They have an account number that does not look local.” I turn the page so she can see. “Does this mean anything to you?”

She leans across the console and reads it twice. I catch the scent of honey from her hair.

“Nope. Never heard of it.”

“Me neither.” I smooth the page flat on my thigh and take a photo of it. Then a second one, closer, of the line itself. “I need to make a quick call.”

She nods.

Magma picks up on the second ring.

“You’re alive.”

“Last time I checked,” I say, smiling.

“You sound like shit.”

“Long day.”

“It’s only mid-morning, Flint.” It sounds like he’s smiling.

“It is what it is.” I sigh. “How’s Star’s fake ID coming along?” I glance at her.

“I should have it in hand by tomorrow. I’ve got a few of my people heading your way for a training exercise. I’ll send it with one of them. If it isn’t done, I’ll bring it myself the morning after, before you leave for the center. It’s taking a little longer than expected. Something about my contact not having stock of the right paper.” He sighs. “He promises he’ll have it ready in time.”

“That sounds perfect. I can’t thank you enough.” I look at Star. She’s watching me with her hands pressed between her knees. “I’m sending you something. Check your messages.”

I send both photos and wait. It doesn’t take long.

“What am I looking at?”

“A bank statement from just over five years ago. It belongs to a male named Tank. He is the male who got paid to fall out of the sky onto Halleron’s car.” I remind him who Halleron is and all the details surrounding his death. “I need to know who Red Gate Holdings is. Who’s behind them? Where the money came from before it landed there. I need as much information as you can get for me. I have a feeling that Red Gate won’t be legit. That you’ll be led on a wild goose chase to find the real source.”

“Wow! A cool three mil.” Magma whistles. “Into a personal account. Seems stupid to leave a trail like that, which leads me to think you’re right about the wild goose chase.” There is a pause. “Do you have anything else for me?”

“Star saw the male who was there that day. The one calling the shots. He was an older male in a sharp suit. The male who handed the information to Tank was young and arrogant. Sounds like two different males to me.”

“They’re probably just the outside cogs in a much bigger wheel. Do you have any other angles to work? This might not lead anywhere.”

“I realize that,” I say. “There’s something else that’s bugging me. I’m not sure it’ll go anywhere.”

“Go on.”

“Tank said the police cleared him. It was ruled an accident. So, we’re talking about a perfectly healthy male in his prime, no history of any medical issue, who gets a wing cramp one afternoon and falls out of the sky onto a car on the road. Surely the cops would look deeper?” I say. “Is there any evidence to support his cramp claim? Tank told us he spent a night in the hospital. Who worked the case? And what made them close it so fast?”

“Let me find out,” he says.

“Carefully. I don’t want alarm bells ringing anywhere. Whoever paid for this has money and power. All we have right now is that they don’t know we’re onto them. It’s our only edge.”

“There’s a kid working at the Council buildings. He’s Reed’s hire. If anyone can get into those files without leaving a footprint, it’s him.” He clicks a pen. “I’m sure that rustling up a police report will be child’s play. I will send this to him and get back to you.”