“My old boss had a saying, coincidences are just connections that haven’t been made yet,” Quentin said. “I think this is a piece of that connection.”

“That accident was no accident. It was meant to scare him into silence.”

“Mission accomplished.” Quentin looked up at him. “Do you think your girlfriend can shed some light on it?”

Daniel dropped his head back. Staring up at the kidney-shaped water stain on the ceiling, he released a deep sigh. “You couldn’t wait to go there, could you?”

“I’m just saying.” Quentin held his hands up. “If you’re going to violate rules, at least make it work in your favor. Find a way to bring Mike’s name up in conversation. Ask her how his department is handling his absence, if coworkers have had to step in for Mike in the past. Maybe she can give you some clues that can help you figure out if he’s your tipster.”

“Or maybe I can go and see Mike for myself,” Daniel said.

“I’d clear it with FinCEN before taking that step.” He gestured at Daniel’s iPad. “Let them know about that ASAP. It may be all the evidence you need to convince Dwyer that you need to take this investigation to the next level. Who knows, you may be on your way back to Virginia sooner rather than later.”

Daniel nodded, but the sudden onset of nausea in his belly was telling.

He was here for one reason only, to uncover who had been using Hughes Hospitality as a front to launder money. He should be euphoric at the thought of catching a break in this case. That Vegas job—the prize—was waiting for him, like a golden ticket sitting behind protective glass, just out of his reach. This possible connection between Mike Epsen’s accident and the money laundering could be the key to unlocking that glass box.

So why did the thought of bringing this case to a close leave such a horrible taste in his mouth?

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Squinting, Samiah leaned forward until the laptop was only a few inches from her face. She could hear her mother’s voice in her head, yelling at her not to put her eyes too close to the screen or else she’d burn her eyeballs. Too late. Between her phone, laptop, tablet, and two computer monitors at work, she spent at least 80 percent of her day staring at a retina screen. The damage was already done.