Later that night, Luna approached Sayeh. “Do you have a minute?”
Sayeh eyed Luna warily, saying, “If this is about me going to the archives—”
“No, something I need your help with,” Luna answered, hoping Sayeh was feeling in a helpful rather than adversarial mood because Luna didn’t have the energy to fight.
Sayeh relaxed. “Oh, sure. What’s up?”
“A case came across my desk, a kid who overdosed on drugs mixed with fentanyl.”
“Always tragic,” Sayeh murmured, shaking her head. “But not uncommon these days.”
“True, but when forensics went over the packaging they found a howling wolf printed in invisible ink and that particular label is showing up all over the database. Have you heard anything about this?”
Sayeh perked up with immediate interest. “A howling moon? Yes, it’s a growing network of drug distribution that has so far managed to avoid getting busted. If it wasn’t so damn dangerous, I’d be impressed by their slippery connections.”
Luna frowned. “How have they managed to elude the FBI?”
“It’s very sophisticated and they are good at slipping away. They have friends in high places. It always seems like they’re one step ahead of the investigators. I wasn’t on the team chasing after the network but I know a few people who are.”
“Do you think the operation is based out of New York?”
“We don’t know. The base of operations could be anywhere in the world. All we know is that the Howling Wolf has become one of the most powerful drug networks since the Mexican mafia got into the game and started running the border trade.”
“Damn, that’s scary,” Luna said, troubled that something so big had made its way to Cottonwood.
“You said a kid died?”
“Yeah, a seventeen-year-old boy.”
“Might’ve been a bad batch,” Sayeh said. “Did you run a check on fentanyl-related deaths in the area?”
“Not yet. We’re not used to having these kinds of problems here.”
“Welcome to the big time. Fentanyl is a growing problem. It’s shocking how many people have died and yet people still keep taking it. Talk about survival of the fittest,” she quipped, adding with a regretful exhale, “If I were still at the office I could run some numbers for you but as it is right now I’m dead in the water, and if I go anywhere near a case file while I’m suspended, my ass could be bounced for good.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want you to do anything to jeopardize your job,” she said quickly. “I’ll have Wes run some numbers tomorrow and see if anything pops up locally. Is there anything else you can tell me about the Howling Wolf network?”
“I can tell you whoever is running the Howling Wolf distribution chain is sophisticated as hell and when you have this level of sophistication there are many layers of protection. It’s not like it’s going to be one person in charge. They run these networks like corporations with a distinct chain of command.”
“Yeah, but somebody has to be the boss.”
“That’s true, but finding that boss? Damn near impossible. People end up conveniently dead before they can testify.”
Luna rubbed at her forehead, trying to figure out if the pieces connected to the Leicki case or if the Howling Wolf showing up in her area was a different problem altogether.
Sayeh regarded Luna with rare understanding. “Sorry to hear about the kid. It’s never easy to hear about a young kid dying over a bad choice.”
“Thanks,” she said with a brief smile. “I plan to talk to the parents tomorrow, see if I can get any information on the boy’s crew. Whoever dropped him off at the hospital dumped a body. The kid was already dead. I need to make sure there aren’t more kids in danger of dying like Dougie Branch because of the drugs they’re doing.”
“Drugs are a pervasive problem everywhere, even Cottonwood.”
Luna nodded. She ought to leave it at that but was still thinking about what Bonnie had shared about the explosion and was curious to find out what Sayeh had found out.
“So, I’ve been thinking about your decision to dig into our past... Even though I don’t understand it, I won’t stand in your way of finding the answers you need,” she said. “All I ask is that you try to be kind. Dad’s not young and he hasn’t been the same since Mom died. I’m not sure how much he can take with this kind of stress.”
At first, Sayeh started to bristle, but she backed down with a short nod. “Okay, fair enough.”
It was the best possible outcome between them, and both silently agreed to the terms.
“I was thinking of taking a drive out to the reservation tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to decline, but something had her agreeing. Sayeh, surprised but glad, smiled with genuine happiness, and Luna felt terrible for always seeming like the overbearing older sister. “Any particular reason?” she asked.
“I want to see the property where we used to live, maybe talk to a few people.”
“It might be difficult to find anyone who remembers anything about that night,” Luna said.
“I know but it’s worth a shot,” Sayeh said. “Plus, I don’t know, I have this need to connect to my roots. Cottonwood never felt like home and it’s always been a challenge for me to admit that because it made me feel guilty.”
“You mean, I made you feel guilty,” she clarified quietly.
“Yeah,” Sayeh admitted with a slight shrug. “But I don’t know, maybe going out to the reservation will give me the closure I need to move past whatever is keeping me stuck.”
“Maybe.”
They shared a tentatively warm moment—the first in so long that Luna didn’t know how to proceed—but before she could inadvertently break the fragile peace, Kenna, carrying groceries, walked in with Ty as she announced with glee, “I have a job interview!”
And Luna gratefully turned her attention to her middle sister’s welcome news.
Tomorrow she and Sayeh would go to the reservation for a trip down memory lane that Luna had been avoiding her entire adult life and didn’t have time for.
Yay me.
Since Luna would spend the day with her sister at the reservation, Benjamin decided to meet the Realtor out at the ranchette to discuss putting the property up for sale.
The dry heat was already crisping the air before noon as he waited for the Realtor to arrive. Since the last time he and Luna were here and discovered someone had been rifling through the house looking for something, the chief had found extra money for a patrol officer to remain stationed at the property for a few days, but that funding ran out quickly. The house was vulnerable again, but the situation wasn’t easy to solve. He didn’t want Luna out there by herself and he didn’t want to be there either.
He figured maybe the problem would solve itself if he could get it sold.
A sleek Mercedes rolled up the drive, and a man in a sharp suit and designer sunglasses exited the vehicle with an appreciative whistle at the ranch. “Roger always had excellent taste,” he said, reaching out to shake Benjamin’s hand. “Preston McGovern, Cottonwood Realty. We’re here to make this process as painless as possible. I know it can’t be easy to have to deal with this situation.”
“It’s not,” Benjamin agreed, gesturing for Preston to follow. “Well, let’s get this over with. I’m sure you know the property specs and all that. Your office said to leave the furniture for now, something about dressing the house makes it easier to sell, but I’m going to need to box everything up. We’ve had some issues with vandals camping out in the house with it fully furnished.”
Preston nodded, accepting the lie without question. “Sure, sure, no one would begrudge you any request, Mr. Reeves, given the circumstances.”
“Great. I don’t care about the price. Sell it for the lowest possible amount. I just want it gone.”
“I certainly understand your need to move the property but let’s not allow grief to color your business sense. This property is worth a lot of money to the right buyer and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t caution you against making decisions based on emotion.”
“Look, I’m not trying to be rude or ruffle your feathers or anything but I know the real reason you don’t want to undercut the price and it has nothing to do with your need to make sure I’m getting a fair deal. The more money in the sale, the fatter your commission, I get it, but I don’t want this house sitting in the hopes of landing a better deal. I just want it gone. If I could burn it to the ground, I’d do that.”
Preston looked appalled but didn’t push Benjamin any further. He admitted, “In that case, I might have a buyer.”
Benjamin did a double take. “Already?”
“It’s a seller’s market right now and the buyer is motivated. I think we could’ve went higher on the price, which is why I didn’t say anything right away, but seeing as you’re eager to unload the property, there’s no reason to wait.”
“Who’s the buyer?” Benjamin asked.
“You might know him. Scott Johnson. He owns the Johnson Ranch.”
“I know of him,” Benjamin said with a frown. “And why does he want to buy this place when he’s got his own fancy ranch?”
“Well, the actual Johnson Ranch is owned by his father, so while he’s set to inherit the ranch, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon as old man Johnson is pretty hale. Scott thinks the Leicki ranch would fit his needs perfectly and he’s not squeamish about the circumstances of the sale.”
Benjamin kept the growl behind his teeth. He shouldn’t care that Scott Johnson wanted to buy the property, but he did. “I was told it was unlikely a local would want to buy the ranch because of what’d happened here. Don’t you think it’s a little weird that it doesn’t bother Scott?” he asked.
“Not my place to question people’s motivation,” Preston said. “Frankly, this is a blessing because you’re right. Not a lot of locals would want to take on this house with its baggage—no offense—but Scott is willing to look past the ranch’s circumstances, which would help you as well.”
Benjamin didn’t like how it made him feel that Scott Johnson was riding in to save the day. Maybe it was unfair of him to feel that way, but he didn’t appreciate that the man had tried to put the moves on Charlotte knowing she was married.
Preston was surprised Benjamin wasn’t more receptive to Scott’s offer. He frowned, perplexed. “Is there some reason you wouldn’t want to sell to Scott?”
His misgivings weren’t grounded in anything but emotion, and that was the last thing he needed to stop this sale. “No reason. Give me a few days to think it over,” he said.
“Sure,” Preston said with a quizzical frown. “I’m sure Scott will understand. He’s a good guy.”
Yeah, real good guy.
Preston clapped his hands together, ready to do a quick once-over on the property, but halted as he stepped on the porch. “Everything is...clean, right?”
“Yes,” he growled, walking past Preston. “I hired a professional company to take care of the biohazards.”
“Ah, excellent,” Preston said with a relieved smile. “All righty then, let’s take a look at this gorgeous place and see what we’re working with, just in case the deal with Scott falls through.”
Benjamin bit down on his urge to fire the Realtor and find someone else. It wasn’t Preston’s fault that he was a cranky ass when it came to this house, and he couldn’t blame him for doing exactly what he wanted the man to do—sell the property. But the longer he stayed in this house, the more he really did consider the idea of it mysteriously going up in flames during the night.
If he knew it wouldn’t be Luna investigating possible arson, he might be tempted to give it a shot.
This house was a goddamn cancer.