You drove the truck to McFeely’s, the little voice in his head pointed out.That could have been how they found you.
It wasn’t the truck. It was Grayson selling him out.
He didn’t seem like he was expecting Stone Solutions. He said he needed to see you. He told you he’s making a trip out of town.
Yeah, well, Grayson was a lying liar who lied. Reece never should have gone to meet him; he was lucky he hadn’t ended the night in cuffs.
He was all but stomping as he made his way through Owens’s house and into the study. Alex and Cora didn’t startle as he entered, which meant they’d felt his anger before he’d even gotten in the room. Great.
Traynor was there too, his gaze fixed on Alex, and Reece really did not need to see Traynor right now.
“You’re just in time to hear about today’s visit to the Empath Initiative.” Cora was curled up on the plush rug in front of the gas fireplace, her back against one of the armchairs. The fire was lit, bathing the end of the room in reddish-orange light.
Reece took a breath through his nose, forcing his voice to be steady. “You went to EI?”
“Mr. Traynor here said he had something I would want, but he needed to stop by his office.” Alex was in the other armchair by the fire. “But tell them what happened, Director.”
“Someone had already been in my office,” Traynor said. “I keep a key taped to the underside of one of the drawers. It was gone. And in its place, someone left new stuff.”
Reece frowned. “What stuff?”
Traynor counted things off on his fingers. “An empty envelope in the recycling, postmarked from British Columbia with a recent date. A folder of office floor plans for various EI locations. And several fake receipts.”
“What the fuck,” Reece said, taking his own seat in the armchair Cora was leaning on.
“The missing key unlocks a safe-deposit box,” Traynor said. “That’s where I keep the flash drives Victor Nichols sends me. The last one he sent has the research he pretends is about how to reverse corruption.”
“Pretends?” Reece repeated.
“That’s what he told everyone it was, especially Agent Grayson,” said Traynor. “But Nichols has never believed there’s a way to reverse the corruption. He was only ever looking for ways to make it stronger—and he had some good leads.”
Reece’s eyes widened. “And that research is in a safe-deposit box?”
“Not anymore,” Alex said. “Someone took the key. And guess whose name was in the visitor log for today?”
Traynor leaned down. “Evan Grayson.”
Reece frowned. “But that doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “I mean, yes, Evan might want to get his hands on Nichols’s research. But why leave behind maps and receipts?”
“I’m sure Evan had a reason—he always does,” Alex said. “He signed the EI log pretty late in the day; I don’t think he would’ve had time to make it to the bank too. So he’s probably still got the key.” He glanced at Traynor. “I need you to follow Evan tomorrow so we know when he’s got that drive.”
Reece’s stomach lurched.
No!the voice in his head shouted.No, Traynor can’t go anywhere near Evan. It’s not safe—
Reece slammed the metaphorical door on his feelings, too late. Alex and Cora looked at him.
“Traynor’s mine now,” Alex said. “He’s not going to hurt Evan, are you, Director?”
“No, sir,” Traynor promised.
“You’re just gonna follow him around Seattle,” Alex added.
“That’s right,” Traynor said eagerly.
“Those weren’t lies, so you know he believes it,” Alex said. “And I’m not even asking him to take that drive back once Evan has it. Just to call us when he’s got it.”
“Yes, sir,” Traynor said fervently.
