“Why do you say that?”
“Because she was only taken after exactly enough information was left to lead you here,” he waved a hand towards the antique box, “where another clue was waiting.”
Jay met Dave’s eyes and saw his own worry mirrored back. A single misstep and this would not go as they hoped.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”
Jay turned back to look at Dave then shook his head. “If my sources are correct, then it will be a wasted trip anyway. Mr. Haraby will have already left. Stay here, finish that flow chart of yours. I have written down the rest of my moves since Shreveport and before you caught up with me. See if there are any other correlations.”
Dave was still wearing a frown but nodded. “I will, but what if Mr. Haraby is still at the hotel?”
Jay gave him a humorless smile. “Then your presence would only give him someone else to target. I have known Stella for many years, and her father has disliked me for every single one of those. I am used to it.”
Dave chuckled. “Well, good luck then.”
Jay left the inn and headed through the darkening streets of Salisbury, planning his method for tackling Gregory Haraby. He knew the man hated him and that his confrontation with him had only made things worse, but he still had to try. Something spiky had been clawing at his chest since his talk with Ruby, since she had left him no alternative but to believe that it was all linked to him. His hands curled into fists as he tried to pinpoint his enemies back again over his life. The problem was that that list was far too long to be useful.
His head snapped up as the sounds of sirens blaring grew louder and several firetrucks flew past, swiftly followed by the police and a handful of ambulances.
Jay stood there a moment, unable to decide, then took out his phone.
“Dave, there seems to have been some problem in the direction of the estate. See if you can find the source. I’ll meet you back at the inn within an hour.”
Jay entered the hotel’s foyer and moved straight to the counter where the staff were whispering. He caught the words ‘conspiracy’ and ‘bomb’, but then they spotted him and swiftly pasted on friendly smiles. Jay glanced over them swiftly and picked out the lean, bespectacled man as the higher ranking.
“I’m looking to send a message to Mr. Gregory Haraby,” Jay requested, with a tone that, while friendly, clearly displayed the fact that he was used to getting his way.
“And you are?” he asked, clicking something on his computer screen, his false smile barely hanging on.
“Jayden Roe,” he answered. “But please, give my message first and my name last.”
The man pushed his glasses back up and then spoke with unconcealed, malicious pleasure. “I’m afraid Mr. Haraby checked out about an hour ago so I cannot deliver your message.”
Jayden bit back a curse and instead nodded his thanks. So Ruby was right. Mr. Haraby had left for Washington already. He drew in a deep breath. If whoever had Stella had not killed her yet, then they likely wanted to use her for something. Which meant he perhaps had a little time to figure out what they wanted from him.
He heard the woman behind the counter swear suddenly and looked up. Both her colleagues are now leaning over her shoulders for a look at her phone.
“Jesus,” exclaimed the bespectacled man. “Do you think it is terrorists?”
They all exchanged grim looks. They straightened up when they realized Jay had come closer and was looking at the screen too.
“Can I help with something else?” he asked annoyingly.
Jay seemed to be lost in thought for a second. “Yes. Forget my name. Forget I was ever here.”
He turned on his heel and left. He hoped Dave had been smart enough to stay out of the way once he realized what was going on. Jay raced back toward the inn, the images from the news broadcast flashing through his mind. The great estate of Miranda Williams was an inferno. From the bit of the report he had seen, there were thought to still be people inside the smoldering house.
He burst through the door and nearly sagged in relief when he spotted Dave. The other man seemed to have shared the same thoughts and let out an audible sigh.
“What happened?” they asked together.
Jay half smiled. “Surely you can guess?”
Dave gave the same half-smile. “Given how quickly you returned, Mr. Haraby has already left.”
Jay nodded, then asked after a pause. “And on your side?”
“Can’t you guess?” Dave asked.
Jay smothered a laugh. “I know only that her house is on fire. The rapid spread of the fire makes me think it was intentional rather than accidental. So you decided not to linger in case the arsonist was still around?”
Dave tilted his head to the side. “Mostly right, though as you are missing crucial information, I won’t fault you for it.”
Jay shook his head and spotted the case at Dave’s feet. “Wait. Are you leaving?”
“Yes,” Dave replied, but seemed to realize that they weren’t on the same page. “I mean, aren’t we both leaving?”
Jay’s brows furrowed. “I need to know more about the fire. I mean, an attack so soon after our visit hardly seems coincidental.”
Dave watched him for a long moment. “It isn’t coincidental. It also wasn’t just Ms. Williams’ house that went up in flames.”
Jay took in the somber look on the other
