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“This sounds serious.” He looked between me and Jack, but Jack stayed silent and let me do the talking.
“Very serious.”
I took in a deep breath but it didn’t really help. I knew my father was guilty of a lot of things, but it still felt like what I was about to do was some kind of betrayal. But I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. Especially me.
“I know that you have a job to do and I don’t want to take advantage of your friendship, but I have some items that I’d like you to look into. Discretely, if possible. I know you won’t be able to keep it a secret from the FBI, but I’d like you to be the one to look at them. Maybe it’s not as bad as I think it will be and I’m overreacting. But I have to make sure.”
“This is about your father?” he asked, going very still. “Why would I have interest in a dead man? Sometimes it’s best to leave things buried, Jaye. But you didn’t hear that bit of advice from me.”
“Believe me, I wish I could.”
I realized maybe it was best not to say anything about my father’s return from the grave. Especially since that guilt was gnawing a hole in my stomach. He was still my dad, blood not withstanding. I could give him the flash drives and wait and see if what was on them made my father a current threat. I looked at Jack and realized by the look he was giving me that he’d already deduced what I was going to do. He shrugged and left the decision up to me.
I realized I wasn’t only doing this for me, but I was doing it for Jack as well. Jack believed in the law. And if I kept this hidden and something bad happened because I didn’t speak up when I should have it would drive a wedge between us that could never be repaired.
“I found some things that belonged to my father. A few flash drives. Jack says they’re encrypted, so I thought you might be the best person to look at them.”
Carver sighed. “There’s a separate team of agents who have been working the case on your parents for the last couple of years. Technically, anything related to the case should go to them.”
“I know. I’ve met those agents up close and personal, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I ever step into their path again after the way they treated me. I’m giving them to you because it’s the right thing to do. But if I don’t have another option I’d just as soon throw them in the firethan hand them over to anyone else. I need to know what’s on there. What if the information could save a life?”
“And what am I supposed to do if I find something bad on those flash drives? I can’t keep it from the agent in charge of the case. And don’t expect there to not be anything on those flash drives. They wouldn’t be encrypted if there wasn’t a good reason.” Carver pushed back his plate and got to his feet. Carver wasn’t one to get agitated or have a bad mood for long. He used good humor and jokes to deal with theterrible things he saw in his line of work.
“I know that,” I saidsoftly. “I wouldn’t expect you to. I want to give them to you because I trust you. I know Malachi and Angela Graves are just another set of criminals to you. They’re nothing more than names with a thick file. But they were my parents. I just want to know what was on those flash drives, and if I have more to worry about once you find out.”
“You totally ruined my bacon experience,” Carver said, pouting a little. He sighedand slapped me on the back good-naturedly. “I’ll look at them. And I’ll give you a heads up once I turn the information over to the team in charge. But if you want some free advice from me, it might be best if you and Jack take a nice long honeymoon. Somewhere tropical maybe.”
“Thanks, Ben. I mean it.”
“I’d say anytime, but next time you find something like those flash drives you should probably go with your gut and throw them in the fire.”
A knock sounded at the door and Jack pushed his plate back. “That’ll be Greer and the other agents. Looks like it’s time to get started.”
“I’ll get it,” I said.“You get the flash drives for Carver.”
I went to the front door and opened it for Agent Greer.Lauren Rhodes stood beside him along with Donaldson, and two agents I hadn’t seen before, but I was surprised to see Sam Wolfe in their midst. I checked his color and his pupils automatically. He was a little pale, but he seemed to be standing on his own okay.
I stood aside and they all filed in and headed to the office. Jack and Carver came in behind us.
“How’s Agent Braddock?” I asked Greer.
“Thanks to you, he’s alive. He’s still in critical condition, but they think his chances look good. Carver tells me you had a bit of a breakthrough last night with the autopsy reports. Why don’t you go through it for us, and then I’ll give an update on my end.”
Carver had found an empty board from somewhere for my use, and I started tacking up the pictures in the groupings I’d put them in the night before. I explained what I’d found aboutthe three methods of killing and the three different killers. And then I explained the difference in Andrew Caine’s murder.
“So what we have here is tiers of killing,” I said. “We’ve got three members of the Vagos. Hired killers with three different methods—execution style shots to the head,a deep cut across the throat with a smooth edged blade, and a long range sniper. I read the reports on the Vagos and it’s a competition to them for status and ranking within the organization. That’s why you have the varying methods and multiple killers. Jesse Tydell is your sniper.”
“And he’s going to be the most dangerous because you can’t see him,” Lauren said. She leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest while she was thinking. “The other two like it up close and personal. They like the hunt and overpowering their victim before they use their method of killing to end their life.”
“Exactly,” I said, nodding.
“And then we have killer number four with Caine,” Jack said. “Different MO. Evidence points to a woman. This was a crime of passion, also up close and personal, but for a different reason. There was anger in this kill. We need to find out everything we can about Caine’s personal life. All the women he’s dated or been seen with.”
“That could take years,” Carver said. “The man liked his women.”
“Then start with whoever was most current and work backwards. Women usually know if the man they’re sleeping with is also hopping beds with others.”
“Do we have names of Jesse Tydell’s Vagos associates?” I asked. “Thosethat fit the kill descriptions?”
