Page 60 of Blake

Blake ignored the voice in his head and gave the team a quick rundown of Devon’s findings. Small amounts of money were being moved through a series of transactions, then adjusted and reposted in a way that made them difficult to track. Devon filled the gaps, explaining how the unfamiliar destination codes suggested the money wasn’t ending up where it should.

Gwen frowned. “So somebody’s been skimming money from the company Carol Jenkins worked for?”

“Possibly,” Blake answered. “But we don’t know where it’s going yet. And given how quickly they connected Devon to everything, it’s reasonable to assume they had an alert program set up to catch anyone looking into the listed IP addresses.”

Devon’s focus returned to the screen. “The weird part was what happened afterward. When I tried to access the original records again, the system crashed. Luckily, I’d already saved a copy of the data I was analyzing.”

“Crashed how?” Lucas joined in the conversation.

“The data I’d been examining was gone.”

Emmett folded his arms. “Accidental?”

“I thought so at first.” Devon shook her head. “Now, I’m thinking no.”

A system failure wasn’t proof of criminal activity by itself, but it was another piece of the puzzle. And Blake intended to do what he could to figure out where all the pieces fit.

The meeting had barely ended when Claire appeared in the conference room doorway.

“Emmett? Sorry to interrupt, but a Detective Boone is here.”

Blake glanced at his team leader. “You called Lincoln?”

“Last night.” Emmett stood from his chair, sending Devon and Janie a quick glance. “He knows Billy Crawford as well as any of us. Before we decide this is an entirely new threat, I want his perspective.”

Blake couldn’t argue with that. Lincoln Boone had earned Echo Team’s respect during the investigation that brought Janie into their lives.

He was a good detective. More importantly, Lincoln was a man they could trust.

The D.C. detective appeared in the doorway a moment later dressed in khakis, a dark jacket, and carrying a folder beneath one arm.

“Morning.”

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Gwen remarked without looking up from her tablet.

Lincoln stopped just inside the doorway. “Winslow. Still charming as ever, I see.”

“Only with people I like.”

“Then I must be special.”

Gwen snorted. “You wish.”

Lincoln’s mouth curved as he walked past her seat. “Don’t have to wish for something that’s already come true.”

Blake caught the brief twitch of a smile Gwen tried to hide behind her coffee mug’s rim.

Interesting.

Emmett stepped forward. “Thanks for coming.” The two men shook hands. “Detective Boone, I’d like you to meet Devon Brighton. Devon, this is Detective Lincoln Boone.”

Devon stood as Lincoln made his way over to her side of the table.

“Nice to finally meet you.” He shook her hand. “Wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Me, too.” Devon rewarded him with a small smile.

Blake noticed her studying the detective. She knew who the man was, of course. Janie had told her plenty about the man who’d helped bring down the people responsible for what happened to both women six months ago.