Chapter 2

TWO

Aidan snaked his rented Outback through the Port of Long Beach, following Danny's and Mel's directions past the shipping terminal with its giant red cranes and through the seemingly endless container terminal, until they finally turned into the Talley Enterprises yard. "How do you keep all the ports straight?" he asked as he pulled in front of the modular office structure. "And where our yard is in each?"

"Muscle memory," Danny answered with a wink. "And generally making sure our yard is in the same directional quadrant at each port."

"You picked that up from Dad."

"I did!"

"There's also an app for that," Mel whispered conspiratorially, flashing her phone screen in his direction, before she followed Danny out of the car.

Aidan was glad to see the stress they'd both carried when leaving the arena had been somewhat eased by whatever texts and emails they'd been working through on the car ride over. Hopefully, the angry client was satisfied that they were giving the matter the attention it deserved, including Bureau assistance from Aidan and the other two agents waiting for them outside the office.

Aidan approached the black-haired agent first, arms open wide. "Happy holidays, Matty K!" He ignored the other agent's rolling dark eyes and yanked him into a hug. "We keep running into each other like this, and a certain ASAC we both know and love is gonna get jealous." Before landing in Southern California, Agent Matthew Kim had been partnered with Aidan's ASAC and Jamie's best friend, Cameron Byrne, when they'd both been assigned to Boston.

Agent Rick Lorton was no stranger either, previously reporting to Aidan in San Francisco. "Rick, it's been too long," Aidan said, hand outstretched to the field agent who used to moonlight as a cover model for romance novels to pay his Bay Area bills. Aidan didn't ask if his current salary was enough to cover LA rent; he wasn't Rick's boss any longer. "Wish it were under better circumstances. You both remember Mel and my brother Danny."

"What can you tell us?" Danny asked once the introductions were over.

"Truck driver had the cargo loaded," Rick said. "Left the truck running while he hopped out to take a leak in the office."

Danny wiped a hand down his face. "There are no less than a dozen ‘Avoid Cargo Theft' signs on the way in here, and he does that ?"

"Said there were plenty of people around," Matt replied. "Even some kids visiting the port on a school trip."

"Any of whom could be the thief," Mel said. "Video?"

"As soon as we can wrest it from LBPD."

"It's our video. "

Rick held up a hand. "The detective on this case, Berat Namal, is former LAPD commercial crimes. Works for Long Beach now. He's severely overworked but well-versed in cargo theft. He's cooperated on all our cases together."

"He's also the only one still giving me the time of day on that jewel thief cold case," Matt said. "I'd like to stay in his good graces in case it ever gets hot again."

"Fair enough," Aidan said. "We don't mean to cause waves." Matt failed to stifle his laugh. "Got something to say, Matty K?"

"Not as long as you stop using that nickname."

Losing battle, and Matt knew it. Same as Aidan knew their attempt not to cause waves would likely fail too. But he really didn't want to on this case, for the sake of his brother and for the sake of the clearly exhausted man who trudged out of the office, his shoulders slumped and face drawn. Nevertheless, as Detective Namal glanced up and spied Rick and Matt, he flashed them a smile that was as nonhostile as any Aidan had ever seen from local law enforcement. "Rick, good to see you." Namal shook Rick's hand, then Matt's. "Agent Kim, good to see you too."

"Sorry to ruin your Friday," Matt said.

"Nah," he said with a wave of his hand. "You saved me from the holiday office party." Namal's gaze skipped past the known variables to the rest of their gathered group. "Gonna introduce me to your friends? You guys come straight from the tourney downtown?" Local, Aidan judged, by non-accent-California-accent, distinct enough from the San Francisco one to peg him as SoCal born and raised.

"Detective Berat Namal, this is my former boss," Rick said. "Special Agent in Charge Aidan Talley from the San Francisco field office." He pointed at Aidan's game day sweatshirt. "His husband is an assistant coach for the team."

Namal pointed a different direction, toward the stacks of shipping containers just past the parking lot. "Talley? As in the name on the side of those? And on the boats?"

"The same," Aidan said with a nod. "Though he"—he jutted a thumb at Danny—"is the one in charge of the boats. My brother, Daniel Talley."

He shook Danny's hand, then aimed his sparkling hazel eyes at Mel. "And you, I suspect, are the one in charge of all of them."

"Melissa Cruz," Mel said, taking his offered hand. "Former SAC, former chief of security for Talley Enterprises. Filling in until the current chief gets here." She tilted her head toward Danny. "Also his wife."

"So I was right," he said, the warmth in his laughter reflected in his cheeks, color seeping back into the pale tan skin.

Aidan could see why Rick liked him. Smart, genial, and charming. Seemed Danny liked him too, chuckling and relaxing a measure further, deciding this was someone he could work with. "What do you need from us, detective?"

"Berat, please," he said. "We'll need manifests first and foremost, particularly what cargo was off-loaded and stolen so we know what we're looking for. Your captain and general counsel are stalling."

Aidan had heard those instructions in the car ride over, not that either of them needed to be told. The captain of the vessel was one of their most seasoned, and their general counsel also bore the last name Talley—Aidan's and Danny's older sister .

"It was headed across state lines," Mel said.

"Right," Berat replied. "So my jurisdiction to the gates," he said, gesturing the general direction of the exit, then at Matt and Rick. "Then yours. We'll all get a lot further if we work together, like we usually do."

"We're fine with that," Rick said before looking to Matt and Aidan, who each nodded.

"We'll get you those manifests," Danny said.

" If we can get the surveillance video," Aidan added.

Berat's victory smile fell. "Sure, but it won't show you anything. View was blocked by another vehicle when the thief climbed into the truck and drove off."

"Footage from the exit gates?" Mel asked. "Plates?"

"We've requested it. Port security is pulling it now." He leveled his gaze on Danny. "What was in that truck?"

"It's official now, baby bro," Aidan said. "Share with the class."

"The part that matters—red diamonds, multiple carats worth."

Matt's eyes grew wide. "That's at least multiple millions."

Danny nodded. "Plus various other luxury goods the owner was shipping into the country for his new home in Las Vegas. Insurance covered the lot up to twelve million."

Aidan whistled low. "You need to get that cargo back."