Jay tilted his head to the side, still completely unapologetic. “But didn’t you go out too?”
“To a public place!” Dave growled. “What danger could I be in, in the middle of the day, in a crowded restaurant?”
“The same amount I could be in at a police station.”
Dave moved to stand only a few steps away. “A police station you know very well is under the control of the killer.”
“Yet I was there at his invitation, or is that not what the finger was? I asked for no more than he should’ve guessed. A fingerprint ID.” Jay looked him over, seeming completely unperturbed by his irritation. “You have been very quick to point out when I might not be following this person’s plan. You agreed that the finger was an intentional lead.”
Dave shut his eyes a moment. “Then why go alone? While you were talking to Dr. Daniels, I might have been able to snoop around.”
Jay shook his head. “No. I needed to go alone. I am the target. The goal of this game revolves around me. Even if I had mistaken the intent, none of his lackeys there would have hurt me. But they might have hurt you. It is also worthwhile if the world doesn’t see me relying on you. If this person thinks I’m undeserving of my reputation, they might decide to end the game early.”
Dave stared at him for a long moment. “Next time, leave me a note explaining.”
Jay barked a laugh, then his eyes clouded over. “Hopefully, there is no next time. Wouldn’t want any more important body parts.”
Dave nodded in sympathy. He needs to be more careful to not let his reaction show, especially his annoyance at Jay. He had specifically asked if Jay had gone alone, hoping to reveal the origin of his hired muscles. Instead, he blatantly said he had needed to go alone.
“What about you?” Jay asked as he started to unpack the take out Chinese food. “Did you find a decent spot to overhear some tidbits?”
Dave worried for a moment that Jay had managed to catch on to his thoughts, but the man was still at ease.
“I think so, yes. I’ll go there next time the wives meet up and see what I can glean for us.”
Jay turned back with a smile and walked over to pat his shoulder. “Good man. And I am sorry I made you worry again. Though if this is your reaction to dangerous situations, perhaps I was wrong about detective work being perfect for you.”
“Maybe.” Then he let his eyes narrow, but didn’t lose his smile. “Although, if you are going to tell me you were this calm and collected on your very first job, I’m going to call you a liar.”
Jay laughed and shook his head. “Fair enough. Ready to eat?”
Dave nodded and pushed everything else to the back of his mind as he played the part of a friend.
***
Dave looked at his clock and rubbed his eyes. He should have been in bed like Jay, sleeping, but his computer had pinged the results of the hacking program he had set earlier.
The first lot of the file had shown aerial footage, but of where, he had no idea. Then there was a list of programs he had thus far been unable to breach. But his frustration had been held at bay and his persistence rewarded as he gained access to one of the newer files.
It was more aerial footage, this time of Carthage. Now, he looked at the map he’d brought up on his phone and nodded to himself. The drone, which is all his mind could assume the footage was from, had been launched periodically from the gym Jay went.
Anger flooded his veins as he turned to watch the video. He swore under his breath as he hit another firewall half way through. Yet, as he used the map on his phone to track the drone’s progress until the point where the video stopped, he felt a feral smile pulling on his lips. It didn’t matter that the rest of the drone's protection was beyond his skills because this was already enough for him to realize what had gone on.
By the date on the video, Jay had not been working alone for quite some time. Dave looked at the house that was visible only for a few seconds before the feed cut out. He knew that house well. He had ordered Lloyd to buy it and set up offices for him and Gary Peters. He shut off the program that was now only sending him ‘failure to breach’ notices. Somehow, Jay had managed to convince Gary to join his side. Dave didn’t have the energy to guess how at the moment, but like the rest, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Gary Peters would soon be joining Hector and Natalie Piers in the afterlife.
You can’t beat me, Jay. The harder you try, the faster you will break when you realize that.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Jay glanced through the crack in the door and then crept back to bed. Dave was still awake despite the absurdity of the hour. Jay had struggled with sleep. Knowing that the man who had kidnapped Stella, murdered Miranda Williams, and perhaps nearly a hundred others, was sleeping just a few steps away did not make one relaxed.
He glanced at his phone as the screen lit up. Jay looked at the message, heart pounding. It seemed Dave had not taken his disappearance earlier lightly. The alert was a hacking notice, telling him that the more minor of Joe’s security defenses had been breached.
