Stone Investigations (Stone Series Book 4) by Bob Blanton (open ebook txt) 📗

where Malcom was sitting.  I think it’s stuckthere with double-sided tape.  There’s a slot in it, and .. . three money envelopes.”

“So there’s what, like three thousand dollars there?”

“That’s my guess.  I think the box could hold eight to tenenvelopes.  It’s about an inch deep.”

“How can you fit ten thousand dollars in a box that small?”

“Hey, ten thousand dollars is less than half an inch.”

“Really?”

“Yep, look it up.  U.S. money is just over one-tenth of amillimeter in thickness.”

“And you know this how?”

“I looked it up in the summer when we were tracking Sayid’sactions.  I wanted to know how he was moving money around.”

“Okay, so do we tell the cops about the money?”

“That might tip Malcom II off.  We need to figure out who hissupplier is.”

“Okay, what’s he doing now?”

“He looks like he’s getting ready to head out, just what Ineed.  Brea’s playing in one hour and I’m stuck having to keep tabs on him.”

“Quit whining.  It’s not like you have to go out and followhim around.  You can just check in once in a while.”

“Like that will be easy to do without my mom wondering why I’mzoned out.”

“Then stay here and watch it with me.”

◆ ◆ ◆

Matthew watched Malcolm II head out.  Since he was at Emily’she figured it would be a good time to search Malcom II’s apartment while he wasout.  Using Emily’s flashlight, he was able to see inside of drawers and files.

“What have you learned?”

“That he lives in an apartment and that you have nopatience.”  Matthew shouldered Emily away; she was leaning against him, tryingto see through his portal with him.

“Sorry.”

It was a small apartment so there wasn’t a desk or somethinglike that where one would expect to find a file.  It took a few minutes oflooking around before Matthew found a file box.  It only took a few seconds tofind a utility bill with the name Dante Cruz on it.

“Okay, his name is Dante Cruz.”

“Nice name.”

“Sure.”  Matthew leafed through the files until he found thetitle to Dante’s car.  “And he owns a new three series Beamer, no lease or bankloan.”

“So, he’s getting lots of money from his drug dealing.”

“Looks that way,” Matthew closed his portal and turned hisattention to the TV.  Brianna was just coming out onto the court for herwarmup.

“You’ve got a few more minutes; check on him again.”

“Yes, boss.”  Matthew did a quick check on Dante.  It wouldbe easier to keep the two guys straight now that they had  real names.  “Hejust parked at a lot downtown.”

“Okay.  You better start watching, Brea is getting ready toreceive.”

Matthew and Emily watched Brianna bounce on her toes as sheprepared to receive the first serve.

“Oww!” Matthew cried as Brianna barely got her racket on theball.

“Relax, it’s just one serve.”

On the next serve, Brianna made a return, but her opponenthit a cross-court winner off of it.  Matthew started to sweat.

“I said relax.  It’s just the first game.”

Brianna only managed one point off her opponent’s serve.

“Now, it’s Brea’s turn.”

“Alright,” Matthew exclaimed time and again as Brianna hitace after ace.  Eventually, she won the game at 40-Love; her opponent only gother racket on one of Brianna’s serves.

“Her serves are hot.  She’s going to dominate from here onout,” Emily predicted.

“Come on Brea!”  Matthew was crossing his fingers as Briannaset up to receive again.

Brianna returned the first serve and rushed the net behindit.  She hit an easy cross-court volley to win the first point.

“See, I told you.”

Brianna won the third game, only giving up two points duringplay.  “She’s cruising now,” Emily said.  “Check on Dante, they’re changingends, so there’s a ninety-second break.”

Matthew opened his portal.  Malcom was riding the trolleysouth toward San Ysidro.  He was just sitting on an outside seat, relaxedlistening to tunes on his i-pod, his backpack clutched between his feet.

Emily nudged him when Brianna was set to receive again. “Anything?”

“Not yet.”

They watched Brianna dominate her opponent, winning all butone point to take the game at 15.

“Quick, check again.”

“Still nothing.”

Brianna won the fifth game with four aces.  “Another ninetyseconds!”

Matthew tuned back to Dante.  The trolley was just leaving astation.  Matthew watched as a guy wandered down the aisle.  As he passedDante, there was a very discreet passing of a thick envelope to Dante, whowaited a few seconds before slipping it into his backpack.

“Got him.  He just got a money drop.”

Matthew continued to check in on Dante during the breaks, asthey watched Brianna win the match 6-2, 6-0.

“She was pretty amazing,” Emily said.  “The match tomorrow isfor the title.”

“I hope she wins.”

“She’s got a good shot.  She’s at the top of her game.  Butnow what did you see with Dante?”

“Just a second.”  Matthew grabbed the flashlight and used itto look inside the pocket that Dante had slid the envelope into.  “I see eight envelopes,and they each have around twenty thousand in them.”

“Wow!  That is a lot of money.  Now we need to figure outwhat Dante does with it.”

“You keep saying we!”

“Well, I’m helping.  I’m your timekeeper.”

“Right, thanks for that,” Matthew said as he pushed on Emily’sshoulder and laughed as she let herself fall on the floor.

“You’re mean.  I’m going to sue.  Maybe I can get the samelawyer that Frankie called.”

“Right, we’ll have to see if he gets anything out of that.  Ihaven’t heard any news about it.”

◆ ◆ ◆

On Sunday morning, Matthew staked out Dante’s apartment. When he left for the trolley, he swapped backpacks with a skateboarder.  Thiswas a different kid than the one Frankie had used at the Starbucks and thatDante had continued to use.  Since Matthew was pretty sure Dante was heading tothe trolley downtown, he decided to follow the kid.

The kid took the bus to the North Clairemont Library. Matthew watched him tape dark boxes to the underside of the eight lower shelvesin the various bookcases in the library.  It didn’t take him long to verifythat the boxes had pills in them.

That afternoon, Matthew went to Emily’s again to watchBrianna’s championship game.  Jason and Alex were supposedly watching it at theWinthrop house.  Mrs. Stevenson was taking Hanna and Sonja to a party for theafternoon which meant that Mr. Stevenson was free