Chapter 15

Khai's adrenaline was pumping as he stood next to Jagger on the porch of a well-kept home in a nice neighborhood just outside Denver. He'd participated in some dicey situations in the Army over the years, but none involving someone he loved.

A man who certainly could be the owner of the Airbnb answered the door.

Jagger held up a badge. "Good morning, sir. Mr. Harold Williamson? Sorry to bother you. I'm Agent Whitley with the FBI. This is Khai Dervis. We have some questions about your Airbnb in the city."

The man's eyes went wide. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. Not at all. We think someone who might have rented your place committed a crime. We're hoping you have records of who the property was rented to."

Mr. Williamson opened the door wider. "Holy shit. Come on in."

"Who's at the door, hon?" A woman came around the corner, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. "Oh." Her eyes went wide as Jagger and Khai stepped inside.

"Sorry to bother you this morning, ma'am," Jagger stated. He held out a hand. "Agent Whitley with the FBI. Don't worry. You've done nothing wrong. We just have some questions about a man who may have rented your property in the city."

The woman shook his hand before placing hers over her chest. "Oh my."

Her husband motioned for everyone to step inside farther. "This is my wife, Margaret. Please, sit. Tell us what this is about."

Jagger and Khai sat on the couch. Harold and his wife took the armchairs.

"We're hoping you have records going back at least two years and can tell us who rented your place on a specific date."

"Oh, yes," Margaret stated. "I'm meticulous about our records. We have to be for tax purposes." She stood. "Let me get the laptop. Everything is saved in the cloud." She rushed from the room and returned moments later, nodding toward the dining room table. "Why don't we move in here."

Khai rose next to Jagger and followed the Williamsons to their dining room, where Margaret opened the laptop and turned it on.

"We had no idea anyone who stayed in our rental property had committed a crime," Harold stated as he took a seat at the head of the table.

"Most likely, you would have been completely unaware, sir," Jagger assured him.

Margaret's hands shook as she waited for the computer to come on. "I hope someone wasn't selling drugs out of our apartment. We try to be diligent about the property. I always go over there and inspect it myself when someone checks out before the cleaning crew comes in. We've been so lucky. I've rarely found anything broken or missing. Usually harmless accidents."

"This wasn't drug-related," Jagger informed her, not giving her more details.

"Oh, good."

Harold lifted his brows. "There are worse things than drugs, Maggie," he stated dryly.

She cringed. "Right. Of course."

She pulled up a spreadsheet. "Here we go. This goes all the way back to when we bought the place seven years ago. What date are we looking for?"

Jagger pulled a sticky note out of his pocket and slid it across the table.

Margaret typed into the computer and then scrolled down, narrowing her gaze to look closer. "Oh. I remember this one."

Khai stiffened. What on earth would make this woman remember a rental from two years ago? That was promising.

She beamed at them before her face fell. "Well, what I remember probably isn't going to be helpful. We rented the apartment out to a man for two weeks. He was in town on business. He prepaid, stayed one week, and then checked out early, stating that something came up and he had to leave. He didn't even request a refund."

Jagger scooted his chair closer. "How do you know why he was in town?"

Margaret shrugged and smiled at him. "Like I said, I'm meticulous. Whatever information I get from a renter, I put it in the notes." She pointed at the notes section and turned the computer toward Jagger. "Take a few screenshots or notes if you need."

"Thank you." Jagger pulled the computer between him and Khai, letting Khai see what he was looking at.

"Obviously, I'm not supposed to share credit card information or any other data from a customer, but if you're investigating a crime…"

Jagger glanced up at her. "Yes, ma'am. We'll need this information. I promise it won't get in the wrong hands, but we'll want to trace that credit card and see who owns it."

"Of course."

"One other question. Do you allow dogs? And do you know if this man brought one with him?"

"We do allow small pets, but he didn't indicate he was bringing one. That doesn't mean he didn't do it, though. Some renters leave that detail out so they don't have to pay the extra pet deposit. We might never know if the pet is well-behaved and doesn't leave any evidence of his stay."

Jagger nodded. "Thank you."

The woman was most helpful, and she should have been, considering a crime occurred on these people's rental property. They would look guilty if they refused to help. Khai didn't get a single vibe that this nice couple had anything to do with human trafficking. They were victims, too.

Jagger took several notes and pictures.

"Oh." Margaret's eyes lit up, and she straightened, snapping her fingers. "I just remembered. The same man rented the place a few months after that. He said he was back in town on business again and rented it for a week. He didn't leave early that time."

Jagger pushed the computer back in her direction. "Can you find the information and exact dates for that rental?"

"Yes, of course." She clicked the mouse in several places and then turned it back toward Khai and Jagger.

Khai stared in disbelief. They had a name, phone number, and credit card information. Could the criminal be that stupid? No. Of course not. Chances were everything about the renter would be a fake dead end, but it was something.

Jagger rose when he was done. He extended a hand to both Margaret and Harold. "Thank you so much for your help."

"I hope it's enough," Harold said. His brow was furrowed. "What if he happens to contact us again?"

"To be honest," Jagger stated, "I'm surprised he stayed at the same place twice. I doubt any of the information we just pulled from your notes will lead to a real person, but if by chance you ever hear from him again, don't confront him or say a word. Simply take the reservation and contact me immediately." Jagger held out a card.

Harold took it. "We will do that. Are we culpable in any way?"

"Not at all, sir. You can't control the actions of your renters. We're glad you keep such amazing records and don't dispose of them. That was very helpful."

Khai followed Jagger out to the SUV, not fully breathing until they pulled away from the house. "Those people are going to be up all night speculating."

Jagger chuckled. "I bet you're right."

Thirty minutes later, Jagger opened the electronic gate to his house and drove around to the back.

Kally, Robert, Ella, and Grace were in the kitchen, sitting at the island, each with a mug of tea or coffee in front of them.

Grace sat up taller as Khai stepped inside. She blew out a long breath, too. She'd been worried.

He went to her, wrapped an arm around her where she sat on the stool, and kissed her.

Jagger did the same to Kally, but then he rushed toward the table—command central—and got to work.