Ryker (Hope City #6) - Kris Michaels Page 0,21

my paperwork in there and do it. We’ll get her through this. She’s the key to Peña.”

He followed Brody. “Your office?” Brody motioned to Detective McBride when he grunted and headed toward his desk.

The men came in and Brody shut the door behind him. “Have a seat.” He waited until the detectives sat down before he leaned his forearms on his desk and pegged McBride with a stare. “We are working a possible conduit of cocaine into the city. According to my detectives, one entity that keeps bubbling to the top is a shipping company called Artog Shipping. When I briefed my major on it this morning, he indicated you might be able to provide some background. What can you tell me about the company?”

McBride groaned. “The gift that never stops giving. Congressman Dell is the majority shareholder of Artog Shipping.”

He blinked as that tidbit of information registered. “As in the congressman who has been charged with interstate prescription drug theft and campaign fraud?”

Kyle McBride nodded. “The feds worked that portion of the case. I’m out of that end of it. But what we saw when we were working our investigation was that, occasionally, when a shipment with highly marketable prescription drugs went out to a major city, it would end up being stolen. The entire shipment, poof. Gone. Of course, it was usually a one-off, so it didn’t ring on the city or county’s radar. Artog Shipping has so many subsidiaries that, following the trail back to the primary company, owned by Congressman Dell, was difficult. Then the people getting rich got greedy and stole from their own backyard. We got lucky and found a trail of crumbs, crumbs the other cities wouldn’t have been able to identify.”

He leaned back and stared at the detective. “I wouldn’t call it lucky. From what I heard it was damn good police work.”

McBride looked uncomfortable with the compliment but muttered, “Thank you.”

“So, we need to get with the FBI. If they are already looking into Artog, this will just be another feather in their cap.” Brody rolled his shoulders as he spoke.

He hit his mouse and woke up his computer screen, glancing at the cases that were active and the detectives assigned. “I’ll make the call to the feds, but until they pull us off this, make sure Cantrell and Lewis follow through with their informants and see what you can dig up from other sergeants working narcotics in the other precincts. If Artog is associated with prescription drugs and cocaine shipments, it may run deeper. I don’t want us to sit on this if the feds are just going to drop it back in our lap, and if they take it, we might have a bit of information to make their lives easier.” He glanced up at a tap at his door.

“Cap, sorry for the interruption, but Alston Towing called while you were in the interview room. Said they were leaving to pick up your SUV?” Amber cocked her head. “Thought you drove a sedan?”

“Not my vehicle, it belongs to a friend of mine. Thanks.”

“No problem.” She waved at Kyle and winked at Brody before she shut the door.

“Thank you, Detective McBride. I appreciate you stopping by.”

Kyle stood, as did Brody. “No worries, sir. I was in the area and decided Brody and Amber need to take me to lunch.”

Brody chuffed and pointed at him. “My captain just gave me more work. You’ll have to find someone else to buy your food, mooch.”

Ryker cleared his throat. “Actually, those calls can wait for an hour or so.”

Kyle laughed at Brody’s crestfallen expression. “Captain Ryker, you just moved up to being my favorite officer on the entire force. Come on, tightwad, I want lunch at Horizon.”

“Call ahead for a table, today is clam chowder day.” He snapped his mouth shut, realizing what he’d just said. He glanced down at his desk blotter as if the scribbling there held the secrets to the universe.

“How do you know that?”

Brody’s brow was scrunched together when Ryker glanced up. “It’s the best damn chowder in town. What? Is it illegal to like chowder?”

“Ah, no, it’s just that my sister owns that place and it’s kinda out of the way from this part of town.” Brody shrugged. “Strange that someone else would know about it.”

“You’re not the only one who owns a vehicle or likes to eat, King. Get out of my office and shut the door on your way out.”

“Yes, sir.” Brody was out of the seat