“No, Mitch, listen to me. I respect your—”
“We’ll pay for the local celebration in Miami.” Kelly cuts me off and places her hand on his. “It’s going to be a huge party, here at the house, and it’s going to be extravagant. Extensive guest list, catering, open bar, wait staff, dance floor, huge band—everything we’d do if you got married in Miami. We pay for that and get to give it to you both.”
“I can deal with that.” I agree. “But we’ll need to discuss security. Shaw’s going to insist on background checks on the staff you hire. There’s a chance, besides my brother, we’ll have some highly popular athletes attending.”
“Done,” Mitch barks, handing the packet back to Kelly. “For your information, I own a tux as well.”
“Good to know. Another item handled.” I sit back, taking a gulp of my beer. “We good?”
He glances sideways at her then back to me, his color back to normal. “Considering my daughter is getting a dream wedding and my wife gets to plan the party of the year, I guess we’re good.”
“I have to call Maria right away.” Kelly reaches for her phone, and thankfully, Mitch seizes it first.
“Don’t you understand the meaning of secret?”
Her face falls. “I can’t discuss with Maria?”
“No one until after he talks to Claire.”
“Shit, this is going to be torture.”
“I suggest you get organized because, when Monday comes around, you are going to have your hands full,” he reminds her.
“Yes, you’re right.” She sits straighter, focusing on me. “Big picture planning. I can do this.”
“I’m counting on it.”
She finally looks pleased and leaps out of her seat. “I’m going to refresh our drinks and finish dinner.”
I open my mouth to offer to help when my phone rings again and the screen displays Dr. Andrews again. “I’m sorry, I need to take this.” I walk to the other side of the patio. “Hello.”
“Mathis, I know you’re busy, but this couldn’t wait. There’s a mandatory staff meeting tomorrow morning.”
“On a Saturday? What’s happened?”
“More information will be available in the morning. In the last twelve hours, three cancer centers have reported a massive theft in drugs. DEA is involved.”
“Cancer drugs?”
“Class-A, narcotics, low-dose painkillers, multiple class opioids… the reports are coming in.”
“Fuck.” I squeeze the bridge of my nose.
“You have no idea. First estimates are that a million dollars worth of drugs are roaming the streets right now.”
“What does this have to do with our department?”
“DEA is investigating the cancer center connections. They don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
“What about the staff?”
“Right now, no one is a suspect, but that doesn’t mean we can relax.”
“Why’s that?”
“This is about to blow up, and it’s going to rock the city. The story of theft has been leaked to the press. The theory is this is going to initiate some heavy heat on the drug community, which can cause escalations in the gangs.”
“What does that have to do with us? This kin