Free The Observer (Derek Cole Suspense Thriller Book 3) by T Patrick Phelps

mentioned?”
    “Badr Irani. He is the Imam of a UN sponsored mosque. I met with him just before Abdul blew himself up.”
    “So you were sent to visit two mosques, and the other area mosques were probably divided up between the other 11 private eyes. We received complaints from around 15 mosques in the area. Each one with the same complaint: sick of being targeted and demanding that the Police Department leave them alone. We told them we had nothing to do with the investigators visiting them, but I don’t think any of them believed us.”
    “Badr said that he had five visitors. Any from your team visit him?”
    “We don’t make a practice of visiting people unless we have reasonable evidence to suggest they might be involved in something. I’ll check with my team, but I can almost guarantee that no one from the NYPD visited anyone name Badr Irani.”
    “So either Henderson, Cortez or any of the other 11 on the case made the visits,” Derek said.
    “Who’s Cortez?” Connor asked.
    “Henderson’s partner. I met with him and Henderson up in Yonkers yesterday.” Derek thought back on his visit with Cortez and the note that Cortez put in the folder for him. He thought about telling Detective Connor about the note but decided to hold off until he felt he could fully trust him. “Didn’t Henderson bring a partner with him when he met with your team?”
    “Said he was lead investigator on the case. Claimed that the FBI was spread thin tracking down leads all over the country and that they didn’t have the manpower to assign him a case partner. I guess that’s why he hired you and the other 11 private investigators.”
    “He never mentioned a Juan Cortez?” Derek asked.
    “Never,” Connor replied. “But that doesn’t concern me. It is not uncommon for the FBI to only send their lead agent to meet with local authorities. They don’t like to show a sign of force that may be interpreted as them wanting to take over. They’ll show up with one, maybe two agents, then, when the shit hits the fan, agents come crawling out of the woodwork. We know that where’s there one agent, there’s a whole lot more where that one came from. Why are you so concerned that Henderson didn’t mention Cortez?”
    “Something that happened after I left them in Yonkers,” Derek said.
    “You gonna share what happened?”
    Derek paused for several seconds before remembering what Juan Cortez wrote in his note: “Trust no one.”
    “No reason in particular,” Derek said. “First time working with the FBI and am more curious about their procedures than suspicious.”
    Detective Patrick Connor sat silently, staring at Derek while tapping a Bic pen on the notebook in front of him. “Not sure if you’re keeping something from me or not, but I wouldn’t blame you if you are,” he said. “So tell me, what’s your next step in your investigation?”
    “Honestly,” Derek said, relieved that Connor didn’t push the issue of Derek’s curiosity over Henderson not mentioning Cortez as his partner, “I’m not sure. Abdul did ask me to make sure his kids were safe, so I guess that will be my first priority.”
    “We already have two uniforms out to pick them up. If we feel they are in danger, we’ll protect them.”
    “Trust no one,” Derek said to himself.  
    “I’m sure you will, but I have this annoying sense of obligation. Abdul said that my visit caused his death and asked me to make sure his kids are safe. Seems like I need to take an active part in their protection.”
    “I appreciate your concern,” Connor said. “But not exactly sure how you think you can take an active part in protecting his kids. You don’t have the manpower or a facility that can provide protection. Nor do you have any idea if they are in any danger, who they may be in danger of, or why they may be in danger. How about this,” Connor said as he stood, “once we pick up the kids and the wife, if Abdul was married, I’ll contact you. You