The Eligible Suspect(78)
Korbin stiffened again, waiting for the agent to go on. He’d either help him or not.
“Tony Bartoszewicz checks out. I ran every background I could. He’s got no arrests. His company is a bit questionable, but there’s nothing any cop would raise a brow at. You’re a better suspect than him, I’m afraid.”
Not the information he’d hoped for. “Why is his company questionable?”
“A janitorial service that doesn’t show much profit. Until recently. He’s showing a three hundred percent markup in revenue. Could be that it just took some time to get the business up and running.”
“Or it could be that he’s using the business as a front.”
“I found no evidence of that.”
And evidence he’d need.
“Why’d you ask to have him checked out?” Tennessee asked. “Julio told me about Damen, but what connection does he have with Tony?”
“That’s what I was hoping to find out. They’re planning something. I just don’t know what. What’s Tony’s business called?”
“United Janitorial Services. Headquartered in Miami, but he’s got contracts all over the US and he’s flown to Denver on numerous occasions.”
Likely to meet with Damen. “He contracts janitors all over the US?”
“Appears so.”
“Can you get me a list of them?”
“The contracts?” The agent sighed. “I don’t know. You’re a suspect in two homicides. If I help you I could get in trouble.”
“I’ll get them myself.” He’d hack his way to the information if he had to.
“Sorry I can’t be of more help. My brother-in-law is a good man and a good judge of character. I’m inclined to believe you’re innocent. But—”
“Without evidence, yeah, I know.” He was painfully aware of the need for evidence. “Thanks.”
“If I find anything that will help you, I’ll see that the proper authorities receive it.”
He’d hand what evidence he found—if any—to the police, not him. “Thanks again.”
After disconnecting, Korbin accepted that he’d never hear from the agent again. But if he did find evidence that would help him, he didn’t have to turn it over to anyone. It was good knowing that the agent would. All Korbin needed now was a computer.
* * *
In order to do this right, Korbin had to go home and gather some gear. That would be risky. Cops would be watching the place. Although it had been torture waiting until dark with nothing to do but think about Savanna, he had. She consumed him. Memories of his wife faded to the recesses of his mind, and repentance kept him unsettled.
He drove Julio’s car to a side street a few blocks away from his house in Lone Tree. The houses were spaced farther apart than average subdivisions, but there weren’t any lone trees here. Each yard was impeccably landscaped. He stuck to shrubs and trees.
Nearing his house, he spotted an unmarked car parked on the street. It was too dark to see who was inside, but he’d bet someone was. Out of sight of the car, he made his way to the back door. He used a patio chair to break the window. It was cold out so the men in front had their windows up and hopefully wouldn’t hear anything. With a quick glance back at the nearest house, he was fairly sure no one had seen or heard him.