“It alerted you to the deer when it had breached some sort of line?”
“Yes. And it was eliminated.”
The deer was still on the ground. Unmoving.
“So this is some form of security as well as a killer of animals,” Jackson said sarcastically, nodding at the computer.
“Yes. And before you ask, there are hidden screens in every room that I can access to check data like this as soon as my system spots it. That’s how I knew the other person sent to kill me was on the property. I actually watched him run across the grounds and attempt to break into the east wing.”
“That puts paid to me needing to give you a lecture on having gates and walls constructed then.”
Randall smiled. “It does a bit, doesn’t it? Of course, this alarm, for want of a better word, is still in the testing phase at the moment, but now it’s killed something… Christ, I didn’t think I’d crack it. My alarm, it isn’t just an alarm.”
I can fucking see that. Dread pooled in Jackson’s belly. “So what is it?”
Randall chewed the inside of his cheek. “Something you really don’t need to know about.” He moved from the computers to a window that overlooked the rear of the house. “There had been information on the man who came for me, you know. In his pocket. A phone with contacts in it. A memory stick with data on it. Which is how I knew someone would be arriving tonight to finish off what they’d started—several future dates if that first one didn’t work. It was all there. The dates and times of ‘jobs’, much like Sid has, I suspect.”
Jackson nodded. “You’d have thought whoever it was would have known to change those dates and times once they’d realised their man and their information wasn’t coming back.” He joined Randall at the window, wondering where the hell the man was who’d come to kill Randall last time. Had Colin disposed of the body?
“You would think that, yes.” Randall stared out of one of the windows. “But the person who wants me killed hadn’t banked on Colin dragging the dead man into his car and delivering the body back to him. Or onto the property of his private residence, anyway. Complete with data, as though we hadn’t even seen it.”
“So I take it you copied it then?” Colin? Dragging a bloke? With one of his eyes hanging out? He couldn’t imagine, wiry and weak-looking as the man was, that he’d been able to do what he had. He must have been in some considerable pain. Maybe Colin had got rid of him the next day. Maybe… Don’t ask about it. Just don’t ask.
“I did copy it, yes. I still have it should you need to see it, although I doubt you do since Sid is kindly taking care of the main problem while we take care of the other later.”
We?
“Right. So, the main problem hasn’t got anyone who’ll take over where he left off?”
“Sadly, he does. Knowing him, he’ll have it written down in code somewhere that he wants his son killed even after he’s dead.”
“What?” Jackson widened his eyes. “Your fucking dad wants you dead and you’re prepared for him to be killed?”
“Yes, I am, and of course he wants me dead.” A faint smile touched Randall’s lips, showing sadness. “I’m a bastard.”
Jackson held back a wry chuckle. This just kept getting better.
You’re in way over your head, Hiscock.
“Oh, fuck me. Does this shit still go on?” Jackson was surprised. “Do snobs still want their illegitimate children out of the picture so badly they’d have them killed?”
“Seems so. I’m not about to tell everyone who I am, who he is to me, but he can’t take that chance. He’s…well known. According to him, I could ruin his political future.” Randall laughed quietly. “What he doesn’t realise is that I don’t care about his political future. I want no part of it or his life. I just want to live here in peace, to study, to work, but then I’m on the verge of being well known myself. He knows that. I’ve heard it frightens him. He wants something from me, yet he doesn’t want me knowing he has it. Having me killed, my software stolen, would mean he could have what he wants without the fear of me letting anyone know he has it.”
Jackson was confused as fuck, and it was on the tip of his tongue to ask Randall to explain what he was going on about, but he changed his mind. “What exactly do you do?” He gestured at the computers.
“I’ve developed certain software over the years, hence me having enough money to own this house. I don’t like this place much, just bought it because I could, because it meant beating my father in the bid for it. I wanted him to see he couldn’t have everything he wanted. Childish, but something I felt I had to do at the time. And now?” He rubbed a palm over his stubble. “Now I have new software that many people want. There’s an underground bidding war going on over it, apparently.”
Jackson swivelled to stare out of the window again. “Right. And that software is?”
Randall closed his eyes. “I told you earlier that I needed someone I trusted because of…secrets. Well, this is my secret. This room and everything in it. My work…” He paused. “My work nearly wasn’t complete, ready for tonight, and I thought it wasn’t until that deer was killed. If I’d known it would work, my latest tweaks, you wouldn’t even need to be here.” He sighed.
“What is this software? Why wouldn’t I need to be here?”
The penny dropped, but before Jackson could say anything, Randall blinked then
