Gary let out a rueful laugh. “Then I think he and I will find we have much in common. I’ll be waiting for the call.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Jay sat in front of his computer and smiled at his work. All of Gary’s finds had been turned into replica social or police records, a neat trail of Jay’s fake hacker skills showing how the great Roe had infiltrated lives to achieve his goals.
The person Gary Peters had secured as their in was safe, their identity hidden neatly behind a handful of Lloyd’s more trollish thugs. Jay didn’t believe that the person who had been planning all this would believe them capable of offering up such delicate information, but he was certain that it would wrong foot them for long enough. This whole thing was a ploy for them to reveal themself. He knew they had to be close often to be able to garner the amount of information they had. So all this needed to do was make them feel vulnerable for long enough that they would act impulsively.
The front door opened, and Jay straightened from the table in the lounge. He gave Dave a smile as the man came into the house grinning from ear to ear.
Dave half smiled, but remained silent, pouring himself a coffee before coming over. “What have you been doing while I was away?”
Jay waggled his eyebrows like a silent movie villain. “Exploring and expanding some of my less reputable talents.”
Dave laughed, but it sounded a little off. Jay’s hand automatically tensed even as he mentally shook himself. This would all be for nothing if he fell for his enemy’s tricks. The part of Jay’s mind that had been keeping tabs of little inconsistencies rolled its eyes. There was no rush. No need to be impatient. If Stella was alive, rash action would only get her killed anyway.
“Are you ok?”
Jay felt chagrin color his cheeks and tried to pass it off as embarrassment. “Sorry. Just every day that passes, I worry that I’m already too late.”
Dave gripped his shoulder. “I’ve explained this already. She’s the main pawn. He won’t kill her until the game is over.”
Jay nodded,then tilted his head towards the screen. “So? What do you think?”
Dave glanced back, and Jay just caught the flash of some other emotion behind his gaze. “You sure you got the sources right? I don’t think any of Lloyd’s men had the smarts to do something like this.”
Jay half smiled even as his heart jolted at Dave’s almost immediate jump to the truth. “I agree. But that doesn’t then mean that they wouldn’t act on the word of someone who was offering money.”
Dave’s eyes narrowed. “But who? He seems to be linked to everything in Salisbury. Or are you wrong about Gary Peters. Maybe he has changed enough to willingly side with the other side of the law.”
Jay let his eyes lose focus, looking for all the world like he was considering Dave’s words. “Maybe.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“You’re right that Lloyd’s tied to Salisbury and to Mr. Haraby through Gary, but what about the rest?”
“The rest?”
“The person we saw in New Orleans, or the attack on Hector? Or even that damn forum.” Jay paused for effect, letting his eyes snap back into focus on Dave’s face as he said the next words. “Bloodangel_53. I think their identity will answer a lot of questions.”
Dave pointed back at the screen. “So, instead, you’re trying to get more details on the kills?”
“I feel like there’s a pattern here, or maybe I’m just grasping at straws.”
“Don’t worry. Something will turn up. The forensics report on Miranda is due in a few days. If it follows a similar time lapse to the previous victims,” he added as Jay raised a questioning eyebrow.
Jay nodded and stood, stretching. “I’m glad you’re here. You’ve helped keep me from doing anything foolish.”
“Oh?”
“You know, like slipping into a panic or offering a surrender to an unknown person.”
Dave laughed. “Not to mention saving your life, getting you leads, and doing the lion’s share of the boring report work.”
Jay joined in with the laughter, using it to hush his mind. He just had to stick to his plan. When Hector and Gary gave him the last pieces, he’d map it out. He glanced at Dave and decided he would reveal it to him first.
“I heard Lloyd was back. You want to try planting the tracker on him tomorrow?”
Dave sighed then nodded. “Sure. Though I am beginning to doubt that it’ll do us much good.”
Jay’s phone beeped, and he frowned as he scooped it from the table. The message was coded. Apparently some old relative of Hector’s blaming him for the man’s death, but Jay recognized the encryption. It was from Elliot telling him that Hector had information to pass on and a request for when would be a good time to have that call.
Dave whistled out through his teeth. “That guy really hates you.”
Jay shrugged and easily brought up a rueful laugh. “This kind of thing has been pretty common.”
“Are you planning on attending the funeral?”
Jay barked a laugh. “And get lynched by people like this guy? Not a chance.”
“But he was your oldest friend, wasn’t he?”
Jay sighed heavily. “The best thing I can do for Hector is win this game. I’m going to grab us some shopping. The fridge and cupboards are bare. Any requests?”
Dave smiled. “I’ll come along.”
***
Jay had managed to shoot Elliot a message while Dave got accosted by a saleswoman offering up some new product for tasting. He lounged now on the rooftop of the gym again, two days later, waiting for the call.
“Hello,
