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“How tech savvy are you?” Mason asked leaning in close enough that his scent swarmed me.
Without missing a beat, I maneuvered through the systems on the computer. Bits of data, ones and zeroes began to scroll all over the computer. Gisella wasn’t going to be able to hide forever, if she was indeed hiding.
Yes, I was an assistant but initially before getting the role, I’d interviewed with a few cyber securities teams. I’d been offered a job at Kiriakis Tech before taking the role of assistant at DeLuca, after deciding I didn’t want to live on the East Coast. Sebastian’s offer allowed me to make good money, be close to home and still involved in the tech industry.
“What’s that?” Mason pointed at something that had caught his eye.
Bringing up the folder labeled X, I entered it. It contained still video images that appeared blurry and then full on videos. Clicking play on one, we found Gisella in her apartment in lingerie. Mr. DeLuca’s sister had been modeling in Italy, it just hadn’t been on the runway.
“God, she is still so basic,” I shook my head and Mason gave a snort.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to check out her calendar. Most people’s digital calendar was linked to their cellphones and there was no telling what she might have listed on there. I started at the top of August and saw the name Auggie listed with a cell phone number. In fact, Auggie seemed to come up a lot, with the exception of one Sunday, nearly the whole first week and half of August was Auggie.
The next name I saw was Benjamin and phone number but it only seemed to show him listed for a Monday and Tuesday.
Chavo was next taking up nearly the rest of the month.
Then there on today’s date, the 29th of August, was just one name, in all capital letters. MASON.
Our eyes met and he stepped back. The man before me appeared to be looking for exits and there were two options in the room. I tracked his eyes with my own and noted how his eyebrows had knotted together and his lips had formed a tight line.
“Why is your name on her calendar?” I frowned.
Mason returned the frown. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It could be a clue…”
“It’s not,” he grimaced.
“Look, I’m ready to wrap this excursion up. Black and brown women go missing every day, and here we are about to move heaven and earth to find Gisella.”
He sucked in a breath, pain crossing his face.
“Mason, what is the big deal?”
He seemed like he was holding his breath, his ears turning slightly red. “It’s my birthday.”
“What the fuck? Today? As in right now….some twenty something years ago you were born…?”
He nodded.
Have fun.
The words entered my head as if my sister were standing in the room right next to me. Rain always had a way of pushing me just a little bit, even as kids. I would want to stay inside and cozy up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and Beauty and the Beast, instead she’d drag me to go the large field and play kick ball with all the neighborhood kids.
“Gisella, can wait!”
“What?”
“I mean we’ll keep looking. But, you need a drink.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I don’t….” Pain crossed his face again and I knew he was desperate to escape this conversation but I wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“You don’t celebrate your birthday?”
