Free Fatal Transaction (Thriller & Suspense, Cyber Crime) by W. Richard Lawrence Page B

thought about his dinner at Jasper’s. Something was up with the woman’s credit card. But what? Coming into a restaurant and buying dinner was not a crime.
    If she was using stolen credit cards, the owner would know after the first night, wouldn’t he? Or at least he should. So why would he take a card from her again? Were they part of some credit card ring? That would explain how a restaurant with no business could survive in downtown Denver. But that would be dumb. The cops would be on top of them in no time at all, and Jasper would lose his restaurant. No, it had to be something else.
    And what was it with those other two men? One of them acted like he knew the woman.
    At home, Derry’s thoughts carried him into the backyard. He needed to focus on something besides the woman. Maybe running through some karate routines would help.
    “You’re back here, I see.” His friend’s voice broke his routine. Lamar came walking around the side of the house.
    “Hey.” Derry grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on.
    “Didn’t mean to interrupt. Just stopped by to see how things were going. Things still a little rough?”
    “What makes you think that?”
    “You’re out here after nine, working up a good sweat. Are you having trouble getting past what happened to your mom?”
    Lamar was a good friend. Even though he was as hard as they come on the outside, he was very caring on the inside, especially when it came to those he thought of as family.
    “No, that’s not it this time, but thanks for asking. The new job has helped there.”
    “Long hours?”
    “Ten plus hours a day.”
    “And still not tired?”
    “It’s—” Derry cut himself off.
    “Something you want to talk about?”
    He wasn’t sure he would make any sense. “Not yet, but I will let you know when I’m ready.”
    “I’m always available if you need to talk.” Lamar glanced at the garage. “Make any progress on the guesthouse?”
    “Some. Kevin said he’d be around this weekend to give me a hand. You want something to drink? Coke, water, anything?”
    “Sure. My mouth’s dry. Coke sounds good. But you know, there are other types of pop besides Coke.”
    “Not in my house.”
    Lamar preferred Dr. Pepper, but he wasn’t around enough for Derry to buy it. Derry stepped into the house and grabbed two Cokes. Returning, he gave one to Lamar.
    “Was it Mary that got you hooked on Coke? She always keeps it around for special occasions.”
    “Yeah, maybe.” Derry’s stepfather never had anything around the house to drink but water and beer. He said pop cost too much. Like beer didn’t? “When are you going to marry Mary, anyway? You know, I know, and I’ll bet most of the kids at Mary’s know, you love her.”
    The big man shifted his gaze away from Derry. “My life ain’t no life to share with a woman like her. She could do much better than me. Besides, she needs someone who can really help her with all those kids. I’m gone too much, and at all hours of the night.”
    Derry took a swig of his Coke. “Don’t you think she should decide that for herself?”
    Lamar moved toward the future guesthouse. “You want to show me what you’ve gotten done?”
    Derry smiled inwardly at Lamar’s poor attempt to change the subject. He decided to give in to him this time. “Sure, come on.” Derry opened the back door to the garage. It faced the main house. “Anything to avoid talking about Mary, huh?”
    Lamar mumbled, “Only the marriage part.”

Chapter 13
    D riving up US-36, Sara reminisced about the last time she had come to Estes Park. It had been when she was just a little girl, before her dad died. Before her life was destroyed. As she came down the hill and viewed the city below, it appeared nearly untouched by time.
    Passing through town, she pulled into the parking lot near the post office. The post office door looked just like Google Maps showed it. She let out a long slow breath. Even though she was sure she had lost Levy’s