I Bet on Losing Dogs - Patrick Jane

616 - Violets

It's been a couple of weeks since the kidnapping. Lilly kept having nightmares and insisted that Patrick would come over more often during the week. But Lilly would insist that she needed both of them close.

Since Lilly always ended up in Kenzie's bed, the two of them decided that they would sleep in the same bed. Usually, it would start off with Lilly being between them. But, by the time they woke up, Kenzie would always find herself in Patrick's arms while Lilly lay in her chest.

Kenzie could also tell that Lilly was starting to make new friends, specifically with one girl, Vivian. The girls would always spend time together. So, Kenzie managed to meet Vivian's mother, Hannah, at the beginning of school.

The two of them definitely became friends. They would spend time together on the phone, talking about the other parents at the high school, to their different experiences of being a single mother. Kenzie was just happy that she finally made a friend who wasn't involved in crime.

♥️

Kenzie had been a little bit late and tried to sneak her way into the team meeting for the case. Her eyes wandered for an empty seat. She sat down in a seat to her right and made eye contact with a man she'd never seen before. Being polite, she gave him a quick smile.

"This is Special Agent Marcus Pike from the art-theft squad," said Abbott. "He's being attached to our team while we work the case. Uh, I've asked him to get you guys up to speed."

Agent Pike walked up to the podium. "Art thieves used to be about sneaking – nighttime break-ins. Not anymore – the new generation prefers guns." A white man with a couple of gray hairs appears on the screen behind him. "This guy is the leader. He does the talking, runs the show. But until yesterday morning, he's never killed anybody.

"They've done about six jobs between Dallas and Phoenix in the last two years, taken down about $100 million worth in art and artifacts."

Kenzie raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Damn. We might be in the wrong business."

Pike let out a soft chuckle. "Stolen art can take a long time to sell, so our guess is that they're sitting on a lot of the art, including the paintings from yesterday's heist. If we have those paintings, we can nail them for John Hennigan's murder, so it's imperative that we find this art stash."

"Well, they've done six jobs. They must have left something behind."

"Well, they've only slipped up once. We found a glove a few blocks from a gallery they robbed in Phoenix. We managed to get a partial print, and we got a hit." Another white man with gray hair appeared on the screen. "Aaron Pulaski – time for armed robbery and battery.

"He's also the former middleweight boxing champ at Folsom prison."

"Can't charge a man for ownin' a glove."

"Yeah, we brought him in for questioning, but he lawyered up quick and told us zip. These guys are pros."

"Well, he's a felon. He has to have associates, hangouts, stuff like that."

"We do, but nothing's popped. He doesn't seem to have a lot of friends. He hangs out a lot at a bar on Sixth Street."

"We could set a tail on him."

Patrick pulled his newspaper down and sat up. "Eh, could be waiting for weeks," he said. "Uh, my plan is a little more elaborate, but it's much more entertaining."

Kenzie rolled her eyes. "'Course you have a plan already."

"Well, as you know, Agent Patterson, the key to a good con is always making the mark feel that he is in control. I mean, you can lead a man anywhere as long as he thinks that he is driving."