Agent Ren Bryce Thriller Series Books 1-3: Blood Runs Cold, Time of Death, Blood Loss

‘Was Waites a user?’ said Ren.

Gary nodded. ‘He was working as a prep chef in a restaurant. There was a lot of blow going around. That’s when he got caught up with the gang. One of the distributors brings in meth, Billy tries it, gets hooked. After a year, he packs himself off to a cabin in the mountains for two months to detox. And he did it. But came right back into the business.’

‘So he cleans up, comes out of his cabin rehab, and throws himself back into the whole scene?’ said Ren. She paused. ‘Will power.’

Gary gave her his patient look. He kept talking: ‘He was dealing again, but not using, according to Jean, who would recount her meetings with Billy Waites to her colleague, Todd Austerval.’

‘But how did she know he wasn’t still using?’

‘She’d know. Jean didn’t have a problem with him. He was relieved to co-operate. He was very grateful –’

‘Aren’t they all?’ said Colin. ‘Grateful … and manipulative.’

‘The head guy in the gang was insane,’ said Gary. ‘By the end, Waites had had enough.’

‘So … Waites and Jean,’ said Ren.

‘We have no record of her calling Waites that night, but if this Salem guy is correct, she did pay him a visit around the time she disappeared.’

‘I’ll go talk to him tonight,’ said Ren.

‘OK,’ said Gary. ‘I’ll pass his file over to you. Maybe you could go with Todd Austerval.’

‘Sure,’ said Ren. ‘I just need to go home, pick up my Jeep.’

Chapter 20 (#u8bb60e53-87b4-54e1-a600-62c12d8c99b9)

Ren needed a ride back to her house in Golden – an hour’s drive east on I-70 toward Denver – to pick up her newly repaired Jeep and some supplies. Robbie offered to take her. She wasn’t feeling sociable enough for him, but she said yes. She threw him one-word answers, but he had enough questions to keep it going indefinitely. It had been a while since she rode with him.

‘So – big case,’ said Robbie.

Ren glanced at him. ‘Yes.’

‘Murder of a federal agent.’

‘Yes.’

‘And you’re heading it up.’

‘Yes.’

‘I wasn’t going to say anything, but …’

Uh-oh.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘Colin thinks you and Paul Louderback … you know …’

‘That’s so weird,’ said Ren. ‘When Gary got Colin to head up whatever, I thought he and Gary … you know …’

Robbie glanced at her. ‘I was just saying what I heard.’

‘Who else was in on this conversation?’ said Ren.

‘A few of the others.’

‘You’re like a bunch of old ladies in a hair salon. Christ. Paul Louderback and I did not … you know.’

‘Really?’

‘Really.’

‘So, how’s Vincent?’ said Robbie.

‘I don’t know,’ said Ren. She paused. ‘I might be about to find out.’

‘He’ll be home?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Why don’t you call him?’

‘Why? It doesn’t matter if he’s home or not. I’m just going in, picking up clothes and leaving.’

‘Are you sure? I’m not going to sit out in the car like a loser while you have some big, emotional reunion.’

Robbie’s cellphone rang. He answered. ‘Really? Sure. OK. Not a problem.’

‘Slight detour here,’ said Robbie. ‘There’s a body in the cooler I need to check out.’

‘Here?’

He nodded.

‘Did it come in from Summit County?’ said Ren.

Robbie shook his head. ‘No – Clear Creek.’

* * *

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office was in a government complex ten minutes from Main Street, Golden. Dr Tolman was an on-call pathologist for sixteen counties, including Summit County and Clear Creek County.

‘Male, late forties,’ said Tolman as he let them in. ‘He was found in the Clear Creek River. Some numb-nut deputy coroner brought him here, didn’t call anyone, didn’t quite pick up on the fact that this was a gunshot wound. The water had washed all the blood away.’

‘Even so …’ said Ren.

‘I know,’ said Tolman.

They walked in to where the body was laid out on the stainless steel.