Page 129 of Trace of Doubt
“I assume Liu didn’t care. Not worth killing a man when he’s making millions from him. Rudder’s paid a hefty price for auto parts.”
Mike spoke into the conversation. “But Rudder might not have been careful in other areas, and some of his practices could have made him a liability, especially in dealing with heroin.” He nodded at me to continue.
“Mike and I have a theory about the heroin. Liu is known for making his millions with it, and we’re sure he’d been supplying Rudder. Problem is, without proof of him shipping the drug with the auto parts, we didn’t have a case. Neither do we know if the heroin was packed in specific boxes of auto parts or a mix.”
“We need to find out who’s in control of Rudder’s business now that he’s dead. I’ll keep you two updated,” Van Dyke said.
An agent escorted Shelby into the interview room. Her pale face alarmed me. I didn’t understand God allowing this. I wanted to hold her... want and necessity were at opposite ends of the pole. I heard her wheezing. “You don’t have your inhaler?”
“No.” She eased onto a chair and greeted Mike and me. “Glad you’re here. The situation has escalated, and I know you two have reservations about my part, but I can’t give up with Aria involved. I have an idea.”
“Let’s hear it.”
She smiled at me. “Agent Van Dyke says the FBI will release me, but I want to remain in custody until tomorrow. My person-of-interest status keeps Marissa satisfied. She won’t leave the country until she knows my fate. Besides, a sudden disappearance stacks the guilt against them after Rudder’s death. I assume she has a passport for Aria, so time is critical.”
“Your plan?” I said.
“I’ll lift my sister’s purse while she’s sleeping, take her phone, which has all her dealings and contacts, and get Aria out of there.”
My blood pressure rose. “How do you plan to walk past Marissa and the bodyguards?”
“I’m not finished.” She punched each word. “Every night, Marissa, Eli, and the two bodyguards have a drink before she goes to bed. If I have a few strong sleeping pills, I can make sure they’re drugged.”
“That’s crazy. You’ll never get away with it.”
She stared at me, those blue-gray eyes resembling thunderclouds. “Do you have a better idea? Marissa and Liu set me up to take the fall for Rudder. Why else use cyanide when it’s easily detected? In the car, she told me not to drink at the restaurant. There Rudder was already drunk. He wanted more wine, and Liu told him he’d had enough, and Marissa offers my full glass.”
I ground my teeth. Shelby couldn’t go back there. “What are the chances the FBI will hand you a controlled substance?”
“None. But they know the people on the street who could get them for me.”
“I have a prescription,” Mike said.
I shot Mike a glare. “What? Aren’t you the agent who follows protocol like an addict chases heroin? You can’t give Shelby sleeping pills.”
“I have a prescription. But I didn’t say what kind. Neither did I say I’d give her anything.”
Van Dyke ran interference. “Agents. Back to business. We haven’t been successful in hacking into Stover’s or Liu’s devices. Rudder’s missing phone must contain incriminating evidence.”
“When I went for help at the restaurant, Marissa and Feng stayed behind. If my sister has the phone, I’ll find it.” She leaned into the table. “You need evidence to make arrests. I want the murders solved, and my niece free to live without fear.”
“Shelby, this is—”
“And I never requested your help. One more bit of information. Rudder liked to talk about himself. He claimed to be Liu’s largest heroin buyer. He mentioned loving what was inside those boxes of spark plugs and washer blades. Or he could have been speaking figuratively.”
“Rudder must have gotten greedy and demanded more money,” I said. “Look, we have enough with his murder to request a search warrant into his business. No reason for you to go back.”
She shook her head. “No point arguing with me. My mind is made up.”
78
SHELBY
The look on Marissa’s face when I entered the condo the following morning hit the top of the startled list. Priceless, but I kept the smug satisfaction to myself. For certain I looked a mess after spending a night in jail.
I was thankful Denton arranged for me to receive an inhaler. He always seemed to have my best interests at heart, even if he did border on overprotective.
“Shelby, you’re a wreck.”
