Denouement by E. H. Reinhard Page B

“Did you get anything on your end?”
    “We’ve been trying to hunt down any video in the area of my house to see if we can get Azarov driving anywhere. So far, nothing. It’s tumbleweeds on that front. I have a couple guys that are out in undercover work with their ears to the streets. I’m their first contact if they hear the slightest peep of the name Azarov. It’s just eating at me that he got away. I had him, but I let him get to me. That’s why he got away. I should have just tuned him out and held his ass at gunpoint until my guys showed up.”
    “I have to ask, why didn’t you just cuff him?”
    “I damn well would have if I’d had a set.”
    “You don’t have a pair of handcuffs?”
    “Not at the house,” he said. “I guess you could say that I’m in the process of moving.”
    I didn’t press the matter. I didn’t know enough about his personal life for it to be any of my business. “So how are you feeling?” I asked.
    “Some bumps, bruises, and a couple of stitches. I’ll make it.”
    “Good. I’ve had my share of brawls with him. He’s no joke.”
    “Meh,” Faust said. “The guy is all power, no brains. If my hands weren’t wet, things would have gone down a little differently.”
    I didn’t really know how to take his comment or how to respond, so I changed the topic. “Okay, well, let me know on those phone records, and I’ll let you know when I hear back from the Miami PD.”
    “Sure thing,” Faust said.
    I hung up and heard Bostok and Hank talking through the glass window separating Bostok’s office from mine. I pulled myself from my chair and walked next door.
    Bostok looked up at me as I walked in. “I just got off the phone with Captain DeMartino at the Miami department.”
    “And?” I asked.
    “I gave him a little background on the situation. They are going to track Blok’s cell phone to see where he is.”
    “Good,” I said. “Did you get anything else from the captain there as far as what was said between him and Blok?”
    “He basically just told me the same story that you heard. They approached the topic of this guy’s girlfriend in connection with the time-and-weather phone number and website. The sergeant disappeared shortly after. The captain told me they sent a few guys to his house in search. They were also going to make a stop at this Iris Sanchez’s apartment.”
    “Okay,” I said. “I just got off the phone with Faust. He’s going to do some digging into Sergeant Blok and see what he can come up with.”
    “This guy was never on the FBI’s radar?” Bostok asked.
    I shrugged. “Faust said he had never heard of him.”
    “Well, if he is involved, which it appears as if he is, he’s obviously done a good job of covering his ass,” Hank said.
    “We should find out soon,” I said.
    “Hank said that Azarov was in Faust’s house last night?” Bostok asked.
    “Yeah, I guess I didn’t get to tell you about Ray breaking into Faust’s house. Faust said he put a beating on him and then tied him up.” I paused. “But, apparently not good enough because Ray broke free, returned the beating on Faust, and got away. I got the story from Faust in the middle of the night while he was being stitched up.”
    “Why wasn’t Azarov cuffed?” Bostok asked.
    “That’s funny you mention that. I just asked Faust the exact same thing. He says he didn’t have a pair at home.”
    “What?” Hank asked. “I probably have, like, five sets at my house.”
    “He said he was in between moving or something. I don’t know.” I shrugged.
    “Is he all right? You said that Ray took the fight back to him?” Bostok asked.
    “He says he’s fine. And yeah, he described putting a pretty good licking on Azarov, so apparently, he can handle himself.”
    The captain scrunched his face.
    “What?” I asked.
    “I just kind of always figured Faust for a desk jockey,” Bostok said.
    “Who knows,” I said.
    “Maybe he’s like a super spy or something. Or maybe