Chapter Twenty-Four
This was never goingto work. They didn’t have a plan, only the mere suggestion of one. On the drive out to the Valless mansion in Chesterfield, Bryce tried to convince himself to turn back and contact Bonnell. But she would reassign the interview, and he and Jesse knew the most about the situation. Relegating it to someone else didn’t make sense. Besides, Jesse needed answers.
And to hell with it, Bryce needed them, too.
“One hitch to the plan,” Alex said as he leaned forward between the seats.
“What’s that?” Jesse asked.
“Valless might know us as psychic detectives. Me, anyway. If he remembers us.”
“Guess we’ll have to improvise. Or you can stay in the car.”
“Fuck, no. That’s how people get murdered.”
Bryce sighed. “I highly doubt you’re going to be murdered sitting in a car in the middle of the day.”
“It’s not the car part. It’s the ‘I’m young, hot, queer, and would be alone’ part.” Alex enunciated the next word. “Murdered.”
“Our lives are not a horror story,” Bryce replied. “And if they spook you that badly, stop reading them.”
Alex snorted and threw himself back against the seat, folding his arms over his chest. “You assume it only happens in horror.”
“Fine. You can come inside,” Jesse said. “Try to stay quiet, though.”
“I know how to run an interview,” Alex replied.
“Being quiet doesn’t mean doing nothing. Let us worry about the interview, and you can take any opportunity to snoop since there won’t be as much attention on you,” Jesse said.
“That actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
Jesse rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Imagine that. The trained FBI agent might know what he’s doing.”
“I’ve had training,” Alex said.
“Really not looking to argue with you. Let’s just chill until we get there.”
A blessed, but tense quiet filled the car. Following his phone’s route, Bryce turned off the interstate and navigated through the suburban town.
His phone chimed and announced they were at their destination, as Bryce pulled into a long drive. After about the length of a car, there was a gatehouse, and a fence running around the massive property. This Valless mansion had a giant yard surrounding it, which made the large building stand out more. It was a one-story sprawl of wealth.
Alex whistled and leaned forward again. “How do I get something like that?”
“These massive McMansion type things are nothing,” Jesse replied. “You should see the house I grew up in. It has character.”
“Screw character. I want the bank account that comes with a place like this.”
“Quiet,” Bryce said as he rolled down the window.
A guard from the gatehouse made her way over to the car. “We aren’t expecting any visitors today.”
“This is business,” Bryce replied.
Jesse took out his badge and handed it across. “I’m following up on the theft at Mr. Valless’s sister’s house. He seems like the kind of man who would appreciate an update in person.”
The guard took the badge, looked it over, and handed it back. “Well, you read that wrong about the boss. At least lately, he’s not been much of a people person.”
“How’s that?” Jesse asked.
