Authors: Iris Johansen
“I’ll give you as long as you need. You know how grateful I am that you’re even trying to locate Colby. I have to find him, Sam.”
“I know you do.” He paused. “And he knows it, too.”
She went still. “What?”
“The bastard knows I’m trying to find him for you.” His lips twisted. “He called me your white knight.”
“Oh, my God.” She dropped down on the couch beside him. “You’ve seen him, talked to him?”
“Not exactly. He decided to invade my own territory. He probably thought that I’d pay more attention. He didn’t need to worry. He had my entire focus from the minute he came online.” He shrugged. “He used your computer again, but I got the audio version. It was pretty damn effective.”
“I can see it was.” She moistened her lips. “What did he say? What happened? Tell me everything.”
“I will.” He looked down at his coffee. “Though I don’t come out looking like a superhero. You deserve to know every word he said.” He briefly and concisely related that short, terrifying episode at his home. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to tell you in person what that bastard was threatening you with.”
“Another death,” Beth said.
“As if I didn’t expect it,” Kendra said. “I knew he’d never stop.” She added grimly. “Not until I stopped him.”
“Or he stopped you,” Beth said. “So why issue this warning?”
“He wants me to worry, to be afraid, to wonder who’s next.” She looked at Sam. “And he sent the message through you. Why?”
He shrugged. “I had your computer?”
“No, he could have used another means.” She was thinking about it. “He called you my white knight. He knows our background. He issued a not-too-subtle threat.”
“He might have meant the death was to be Sam’s?” Beth said. “And it would be deliciously malicious to send him as a messenger of his own demise.”
“I’m glad you find it delicious,” Sam said. “Personally, I’m not high on the whole concept.” He set his cup on the coffee table. “And I’m not your white knight, Kendra. I’m just your friend, who is not the least bit brave about this whole mess.”
“You’re brave to be involved at all.”
Sam made a rude sound. “Look, I nearly wet my pants when that creep started playing his games with me.”
“Then stop, give me the computer, and I’ll give it to the FBI lab to work on.”
“And let that son of a bitch win? I had a long time to think on the drive down here. Colby might have sent me as his errand boy because he thought it would bother you to believe I was threatened.” He grimaced. “Or he could have thought I was getting too close to finding him and wanted to scare the shit out of me. Which he did. Maybe he wanted me to abandon you.”
“Either way I want you out of it.” She paused. “Do you believe he was actually there at your house?”
“He wanted me to think so, but now that I’ve had a longer time to think about it, probably not. He heard you call me the night he first invaded your system. As I recall, you said my first and last name. From there it was a fairly simple matter to learn a few things about me and find my address.”
“But he described your place to you,” Beth said.
“He described permanent features of my place. The wraparound porch, the hardwood floors in my bedroom and hallway … But nothing I brought to the house myself.” He picked up Beth’s iPad from the dinette table and typed something into the search box. In seconds, an online photo album appeared. He swiped his finger across the screen to show a succession of pictures of his home. “This is from a Bay area real-estate site. There are half a dozen other sites still out there with photos of my house when it was listed for sale last year. That’s how I found it. Albums like these are out there for almost any house that goes on the market, and sometimes they’re out there for years after they’re sold.”
Beth nodded approvingly at the photos. “Cool place.”
“Thanks.”
“So he was bluffing. It’s nothing to be comfortable about,” Kendra said. “Colby still knows who you are and where you live. And he knows you’re helping me track him down.”
Sam managed at smile. “I assure you, I’m not exactly comfortable, either.”
“So are we any closer to knowing where he actually is?”
“Not unless you’re willing to believe he’s fled to Antigua.”
“Antigua?”
“In the Caribbean. I traced it back to a relay center there. It primarily functions as a clearinghouse for financial transactions of questionable legality. Your friend Colby was content to use it as a means to scare the living shit out of me.”
“How would he know to do this?” Kendra asked wonderingly.
Sam shook his head. “It just confirms what I said before. He’s had some expert help, and it’s been fairly recently. I doubt he went into prison four years ago with the knowledge he would need to pull this off. The technology changes too quickly.”
“Antigua,” Kendra said. “Another dead end.”
“Not necessarily. I had to abandon my session in a bit of panic, so I didn’t get to try every way I could to track him.”
“There’s more you can do?” Kendra asked.
“Maybe.” Sam took a deep breath. “But I’d need to draw him out again.”
“No,” Kendra said sharply. “I can’t let you do it.”
“Don’t fight me too hard. I might give in and run for the hills. It’s not something I’d enjoy doing, but it’s the only way. I might be able to get a fix on his home location even if he routes through a couple of these relay centers.”
“And what if Colby finds out you’re doing it? I want you to stop right now.”
He shook his head. “Nah, can’t do it.”
“You certainly can do it.”
“Won’t do it. I never realized what a coward I was until I came up against Colby. I didn’t like the way that made me feel. I’m not going to feel like that again.” He smiled. “Or if I do, maybe I won’t show it as much. It bothered me that Colby knew I was scared. Presentation is everything, you know.”
“No, I didn’t know.” She stared at him helplessly. “Look, drop it, Sam. It’s not worth it to me to have you in danger.”
“I’m touched.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “But though it’s an incredible surprise, I find it is worth it to me. Imagine that.” He got to his feet. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ll use your bathroom to take a shower and change, then I’ll go look for a place to rent for a week or so.”
“You’re staying in town?” Beth asked.
“Yeah, I like the idea of being close to Kendra. In case she needs me.” He grinned. “Or what’s more likely—if I need her.” His eyes were suddenly twinkling. “How about it? Kendra says you can be intimidating. Want to be my bodyguard?”
“No.” She studied him. “You’re not at all what I’ve been imagining since Kendra told me how you helped get the goods on those scumbags who held me at that mental hospital. I was thinking you’d be…”
“A white knight? We’ve already gone down that road. I’m just a fantastically talented computer genius who enjoys challenges.” He added, “And one who stayed on the sidelines while Kendra and Eve did all the real work of springing you from that place.” He grabbed his bag. “Hell, maybe I was scared then, too. I didn’t think so, but I’m having to take a second look at motivations.”
“Stop being so hard on yourself, Sam,” Kendra said. “And I want you to stay here. There’s no reason for you to rent a place.”
“Yes, there is. There’s no room here for me. I’ve got to set up a small computer lab. I
will
find Colby. Besides, that means bringing your computer on-site.” He shook his head. “I’m not going to expose you to that bastard again. Hell, I don’t want to expose myself. But I can’t stand the alternative.” He headed for the bathroom. “He’s messing with my head … and my work. And I have to keep your computer functioning in case he sends me … or you another message.” The bathroom door closed behind him.
“I hate this.” Kendra’s hands closed into fists at her sides. “Damn
him
. I’ve never seen Sam that upset. He’s right, Colby is messing with his head. He knew just how to reach him.”
“His work?” Beth asked.
“He lives for those computers. It was probably almost like a betrayal that Colby could use them against him. It’s natural that Sam would want to gain the upper hand in his own arena.”
“And possibly dangerous,” Beth said quietly. “If Colby was uneasy about Sam’s ability to trace him. The threat could be directed at Sam as I suggested. You said he was an egomaniac. It would be the thing an egomaniac might do. Even if he isn’t the victim of choice, if he continues to work to find a way to get to Colby, he might end up dead anyway.”
Kendra shuddered. Beth was being entirely too logical to be ignored. “I’m not going to be able to convince Sam. You heard him.”
She shook her head ruefully. “Then you need to have Griffin lock him up somewhere with a few dozen snipers to watch over him.”
“You’re joking, but that’s not a bad idea,” Kendra said. “Except Griffin would immediately try to take over the action and then where—” She stopped as a thought came to her. “But you’re definitely on the right track, Beth…”
“HEY, I WASN’T EXPECTING THIS.”
Sam stepped past Kendra into the spacious foyer and looked around. “It’s pretty damn incredible. Like a comfortable Taj Mahal. Who lives here?”
“Adam Lynch.” She closed the door after Beth entered, and it locked itself. “He’d appreciate the description. He always says that comfort is paramount, luxury is only icing on the cake.”
“Beautiful,” Beth murmured. “I had no idea your friend Lynch had either the taste or the funds to build a place like this.”
“What does he do?” Sam asked. “Stocks? Oil?”
“No, you might say Lynch is in services.” She waved her hand, and the lights came on in the entire first floor. “But he does very well.”
“Judging by the whizbang-tech security I noticed on the grounds, there are a lot of people who might envy and like to take a little of that cash away,” Sam said. “And you seem very much at home here. Sure you’re not more than friends?”
“No, sometimes things aren’t the way they seem.” She smiled. “But what is true is that this place is supersafe, and I’d defy anyone to get to you if you stay behind these walls.”
“I don’t doubt it. And Lynch will let me stay here?”
“I’m sure he’ll agree once I can get in touch with him. He offered me the house.”
“You, not me. And if it’s so safe, why don’t you stay here with me? Think what a good time we could have.”
“I want to appear vulnerable to Colby. I need him to act. I don’t want this horror to drag on any longer than necessary.”
“You changed your locks. I’d say that should convince him you feel vulnerable.” He was looking up at the high, coffered ceilings. “Yeah, this house is really cool. The sound should be really great bouncing off those ceilings. You’re sure Lynch won’t mind if I stay for a couple days? Do you want me to call him?”
“No, he said the situation with which he’s dealing is very touchy. He’ll see I called, but I didn’t even leave a message. If he doesn’t get back to me, I’ll try to call him later.” She turned and moved toward the living room. “Let me show you around the place. You may find it a bit odd, but then that’s Lynch.” She looked over her shoulder at Beth and Sam. “For instance, you’ll see a huge banner photo of Lynch’s current girlfriend, Ashley, wearing a bikini and occupying an entire wall. She’s a supermodel and gave it to him as a present, and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings by removing it. It’s right ahead. Brace yourself.”
“I am.” Beth was looking past Kendra to the living-room wall. “But it’s still a shock.”
“Shock? Why? I know it’s—” Kendra’s gaze followed Beth’s to the wall, and her jaw dropped. “What?”
“Shock for you, too, evidently,” Beth said. “No bikini girl. Just Kendra Michaels. Evidently, Lynch got up his nerve to tell his lady friend that he wanted a fresh face on the wall. It’s a wonderful portrait. Did you pose for it?”
“No.” It was a mixed-media picture in which Kendra had been portrayed with her eyes closed. Now that the shock was abating, she was beginning to remember where she had seen that portrait. “Lynch and I were questioning an artist in his studio a few months ago, David Warren, and he kept working while he talked to us. I didn’t know he was doing me until right before we left his studio. Funny, he said that he knew that it wasn’t right until he closed the eyes of the woman in the portrait.”
“Strange. He must have sensed…”
“What can I say? Warren is an artist. I thought it was a bit weird, too.” She shrugged. “Anyway, we left his studio, and that was the last I saw of the portrait.”
“But not the last Lynch saw of it,” Sam said. “He must have gone back and purchased it.” He tilted his head, gazing at the picture. “You know, I might have gone back and done the same thing. The artist really caught you. I wouldn’t mind having that around to look at.” He grinned. “But then, I’m supposed to be your white knight. It’s only right that I should have my lady’s portrait.” He looked Kendra directly in the eyes. “Colby said I was one of many. Is Lynch a white knight, too?”
“Lynch would laugh at that. He much prefers to be a black knight and run his own show.” She cast one more glance at the portrait, then forced herself to turn away. “He probably just liked the work.” She moved toward the kitchen. “This kitchen is state-of-the-art, not that you’ll cook much. I remember how little you used anything but a microwave.”
“And still don’t. Just show me the office or study or whatever. I need to know what I have to work with.”
Kendra nodded and, for the next fifteen minutes, showed them quickly through the office area before taking them to the guest rooms upstairs.
“That’s enough,” Sam said impatiently. “I’ve got the general layout of the place. Now you and Beth leave and let me get to work.”
“I believe we’re getting kicked out.” Kendra was smiling as they started back downstairs. “Come on, Beth. I’m sure that we can find enough of value to do without bothering—”
“No,” Beth said flatly, stopping as they reached the bottom of the stairs. “I’m not going with you, Kendra. I’m staying here with Sam.”
“What?” Sam said, “You are not.”
“Yes, I am.” She ignored him, turning to Kendra. “It’s where I can be the most useful. There are going to be times when you’re going to want to deal with Griffin or Stokes without me. Then I’ll be mad as hell if you run out on me like you did before.”