[B.S. #2] Bound to Cyn by Dale Cadeau

table, he noticed that Chase was now dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. He was back to looking like the happy-go-lucky guy he liked to portray.
    Angel turned his attention to Grant and asked, “Did you find out anything new?”
    Grant pulled some pictures out of a briefcase he had by his side and spread them out on the table.
    “We finally got a pretty good side view of the guy. I did some more digging this morning and found out he is connected with Carlos but in a roundabout way. He was the second-in-command of a cult that was disbanded about five years ago. The leader of the cult was a Ward Commings. He took the fall when the Feds raided the compound and this guy came out smelling like a rose. The Feds thought at the time it was another cover for the distribution of drugs, but they couldn’t prove anything. They got Ward, the leader of the cult, on weapons trafficking and tax invasion, just like Al Capone. He just recently died in jail. It looked like a suicide but he was probably taken out by one of the inmates.”
    Angel picked up one of the photos and studied the man’s face. He didn’t look dangerous. In fact he reminded Angel of a used car salesman. How could this guy fit in with the Doms in the club and not get noticed? Angel didn’t think that it was possible. They would have to redo their thinking about this guy. “I don’t think this guy is after just any woman coming from the club. I think he is after just one. We just have to figure out if any of the women that have a membership also belonged or was ever associated with this cult. That’s the only thing that makes sense.”
    Chase perked up from his slouch in his chair. “Well that’s good news. I don’t think I have to worry about the guy calling me and the one stalking the woman being connected. I was never in a cult. Couldn’t understand how some people would join a group and give up all their worldly goods. I for sure couldn’t. I like the comforts of life too much. Maybe the calls are really for James? We do have the same last name.”
    Angel looked at Chase’s hopeful expression “I would like to tell you that you’re probably right, but you know any people connected with Carlos have to be smart. If they are calling you, I doubt they are making a mistake. You did make a tidy profit from buying the confiscated property and selling it to the developer before anyone else had a chance. And by the way, was that legal? You did have insider knowledge.”
    “It was perfectly legal. Clay’s buddy in the FBI just gave me the heads up the day the property was put up for auction. Can I help it if I’m an early bird and got my hefty bid in first? I know the market and others would have tried to pick that property up at a discount. But I’m not that greedy. I paid a fair price for it. I made a good profit and the Feds got the proper money for it. So everyone was happy. It originally wasn’t Carlos anyway, so why would he be after me?”
    “OK, I believe you, but remember that property was also hiding the two-million-dollar stash of his drugs that he lost. So maybe in Carlos’s mind, you ripped him off for the two million dollars and he wants it back now. I don’t know what we can do to protect you other than you working this case with us and keeping close at hand.”
    Chase, his hopeful expression gone at Angel’s words, looked intently at his hands holding his coffee cup “Well, I do like the excitement of your work. But the more I work with you guys, the more I think it would be a good idea to take some training. After all, you guys got your training in the army. I just climbed the corporate ladder, which does not really equip a fellow for this line of work. What do you think? I could go someplace off the radar and train. Next time, I would be able to help you more and also protect myself. The investment business is getting to be a petty cutthroat business.”
    I think that’s a great idea. With you gone and safe, we will be able to