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Egan nodded slowly, pursing his lips. “Have you considered this is possibly the first time he’s done this? Maybe it is an attraction gone awry on his part?”
“I had, before the rock through the window. The smashed daisy. I saw the crazed look in his eyes. I recognize it.”
He held up his hands. “Just checking, Watcher.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I think you may be onto something, though,” Egan mused. “We need to come at this from a different angle. Instead of searching the actual site, we need to dig into the back end. See if he left a trail.”
“If he’s as clever as we think, he’s probably rerouted through a ghost VPN.”
Egan smirked. “Even the cleverest people make mistakes.”
“I’m going to use the Hidden Justice software and search police records. See if anyone filed a report against this fictitious Andy Smith, or someone with the same MO.”
“Good plan.” He sat back. “We should concentrate on the slightly less popular sites. The bigger ones are harder to get into and tend to have safety checks in place. I think he’d haunt the ones he knew he could get in and out of easily. The Real Connection isn’t huge. I think that might be our starting point.”
“You sure you have time for this?”
“Absolutely. I want to help.” He lifted a shoulder. “I am a little bored at the gym. Nothing exciting about sweaty people. This is far more interesting.”
I laughed, not surprised. Egan loved computers as much as I did and was talented when it came to hacking and investigating. “Okay.”
We drew up a list, dividing it. Tossed around some more ideas.
“I was thinking of calling Marcus and Julian. With their experience, they might have ideas.”
Egan reached into a drawer and handed me a laptop. “Encrypted,” he said.
I used my own program to video call them. Marcus answered, his voice a familiar rumble, his smile wide.
“Damien. How are you?”
“Well, Marcus. I’m well. You alone?”
He turned the laptop he was using so I saw who he was sitting with. “Actually, I’m with Julian and Matteo. We’re having a drink and relaxing. Do you need me to be alone?”
“No, the more, the merrier. I need to pick your collective brains. Egan is here as well.”
“Hold on. Let me get us set up.” A moment later, I could see all three of them. They looked healthy and relaxed. We chatted and exchanged news, laughing over some antics their kids had been up to, offering congratulations on yet another baby for Marcus and Missy. Then Marcus paused. “What’s going on?”
“I have a situation.”
Instantly, they became the men I knew best. Intense, fierce, ready to lend a hand.
“Talk to us,” Julian stated, leaning forward, assuming his role as Commander.
I took in a deep breath and told them everything, leaving out the newer, private parts of my relationship with Raven.
They asked questions, listened carefully. Viewed the sketch that Egan scanned and sent them. They all looked a bit surprised when I described our first meeting and the fact that Raven was now ensconced in my apartment, but they didn’t comment.
“What can we do?” Marcus asked. “What do you need?”
“I could fly out and be another set of hands,” Julian offered.
“No,” I replied. “I don’t want to take you away from your families. I need your contacts. I was the IT guy—behind the operations. You had the more, ah, personal relationships with the law enforcement agencies.” I cleared my throat. “Those known and not known to the public.”
“You need to see if they have anything,” Marcus stated. “If there are any similar cases. If the guy in this sketch is known to them.”
