Redemption (Colorado Crimes Book 4)

Chapter 11

Asher bit into his pizza and sunk onto Jack's couch. The information explosion meeting had officially begun and was off to a good start. Summer was a natural with people and had no problem being introduced to his friends.

Among the people there was Dominic, Jack, both of their wives, Reed Fellers and his fiancé Kinsley Craton, Matt Proger and his wife Jenna, Damon Stewart and his fiance Raelyn Mitchells, and Tyler. Besides Dominic and Jack, all of the other men had been Asher's friends from elementary school. They had split up after high school, but somehow each became friends with one of the members of Dominic Wagner's family. Through the Wagners they were all reconnected.

All but one of the friends. Noah Garrison was a professional football player for the Denver Broncos. Asher kept up with him via television, but hadn't seen Noah for a while. From what the media said, it looked like Noah was retiring soon.

Laughter rang from the kitchen and Asher was brought back to the present. All the women were laughing and chatting in the kitchen. Damon, Reed, and Jack had to practically drag their significant others out of the living room. Olivia, Jack's wife, was a CSI and Raelyn was a private detective. It was in their nature to want to help out. Kinsley was a former soldier in the US Army and had a knack for crime things. It took a lot of coaxing to let the men handle it.

"I'm just going to jump right in with my idea because I want to hear your opinions on it." Tyler set his plate of pizza on the armrest of his chair and wiped his hands on a napkin. "As crazy as this sounds, I think that the drug ring case and Summer's missing art are connected to each other."

Dominic's pizza hovered in the air, his mouth open for a bite. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I'm serious."

Jack shook his head, "Unless you have proof, I'm not buying it."

Asher gave his partner and friend a look. How could they even be related? "Explain."

Tyler folded his hands. "Think about it. Summer's paintings go missing on Sunday. Then the paintings in her home are missing. Monday and Tuesday, drugs start to show up in the school like crazy, being planted in kids' backpacks. Then, Adi is planted with drugs and sent home."

"Adi having drugs in her backpack could be a coincidence. You said earlier that random kids were being planted with drugs, there was no specific pattern, didn't you?" Reed asked.

Tyler got a mischievous grin. "See, that's where the biggest connection of all is. Each of the four kids who have had their backpacks planted with drugs have at least one immediate family member who is an artist at some sort of gallery. Two of them, including Adi, has a mother who is an artist, the other has an older sister who is one, and the other has a father who is a sculptor."

Matt's eyes almost bulged out of his head, "Actually?!"

Tyler nodded intensely, "Yes. This is why I think they are connected."

"Have you found whoever planted the drugs in Adi's backpack?" Damon asked.

"No." Asher responded. "But if what Ty says is true, if we find who stole Summer's art we will find who planted the drugs."

"And vice versa." A woman said. All heads turned. Raelyn was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. She made eye contact with her fiancé and suppressed a smile. "Sorry."

Damon chuckled. "You're fine." Raelyn disappeared quickly when she was called back to the kitchen.

Asher gave Raelyn points. She was right. If they found whoever was in control of the drug ring, they would also find Summer's art. And all would be well.