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“They’re my family,” I retorted automatically.
“Not all families mean well. Every villain is part of a family.”
I guessed that was true. I squirmed in my seat again, wondering how much longer it’d be before Blaze could home in on this guy even more. I wanted to talk to him face to face, to force him to give me some straight answers.
As if sensing my thoughts, Blaze’s voice came again. “I’m closing in on him. Northeast.”
Julius nodded and took a turn at the next intersection. I focused on the phone again. “Who are you to be investigating anyone anyway?”
“I’m a special government agent. All politicians have people keeping oversight on them, as I’m sure you can understand. Damien Malik is my assignment.”
“And what makes you think there’s anything to be worried about with him?”
“I haven’t been able to gather enough evidence to prove anything in court,” the man said. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you the details. But I know what I’ve seen. I know you should watch your step.”
“This all sounds like a bunch of vague fearmongering to me,” I shot back. “Why should I trust you? I don’t even know your name.”
“My colleagues call me the Hunter. And I can hardly jeopardize my mandate by giving away too much to someone who’s become so close to the target of my investigation. I simply wanted to deliver the clearest warning I could.”
He sounded like he was about to wind up the conversation. Blaze was muttering on his end, obviously still working at tracing the signal. My heart thumped faster. I had to keep this weirdo talking.
“If you’re really a government agent, shouldn’t you have been able to track down my phone number?” I said. “Why did you contact me in such a roundabout way?”
“I wanted to make sure you were interested in knowing the truth. And that your father wouldn’t be hovering over you when we connected.”
“Well, you managed that. He’s not here now. So why don’t you tell me more about whatever it is you think he’s done.”
Blaze spoke up again with a ripple of excitement in his voice. “I’ve narrowed it down to a ten block radius. Sending the coordinates for the area to your phone, Julius.”
The phone mounted on the dashboard pinged with the incoming transmission. The map we’d already had ready zoomed in on a particular section of the city.
The Hunter, if I really had to think of him by that name, shifted his position with another rustle. “There are a lot of things you don’t know.”
I gritted my teeth. “Then tell me. Tell me what’s so wrong with my family. What have you seen? It isn’t much of a warning if I don’t even know what to watch out for.”
“I told you, you wouldn’t believe me—not when you’re so close to the situation. You’ll have to see it for yourself.”
“Are you going to show me then?”
“I don’t believe it’s safe for me to get that involved,” the Hunter said. “But now that you know to be cautious, you’ll be going in with your eyes open. If I find more evidence—better evidence—I’ll share that with you.”
His words sounded like a promise of help, but it was only more vagueness when you really looked at it. I was becoming increasingly certain that he had no intention of telling me anything at all. Which probably meant this was all bullshit. But I couldn’t stop now.
When I got my hands on him, I’d find out the reason for the bullshit.
Julius took another turn, accelerating as he went. The car swayed lightly under me. I peered out the window at the buildings we were rushing by as he swerved around the sparse traffic.
“Five blocks,” Blaze muttered, and the map zoomed in even more. Then he let out a huff of frustration. “Something’s interfering with the signal.”
I spat out the first question that came to mind that might keep the Hunter talking. “Can’t you at least tell me if there’s anything specific I should be watching out for? The general type of thing that’s made you uneasy?”
“I think you should draw your own conclusions, Rachel,” he said. “You’re smart enough for that. You’ll recognize the rot when you come across it.”
Now he was talking in ominous poetry. I groped for something else to say to stop him from hanging up, and Blaze’s voice pealed into my other ear.
“There! It was passing through an electric field meant to scatter the transmission, but I modified the search and found it. I’ve got an exact building now. Probably the top floor.”
Julius revved the engine faster. Relief rushed through me. “Well, if you feel like enlightening me more at some point,” I said to the Hunter, “you have my number now.”
