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He pulled the key from the door, took her hand and popped the trunk. “Let’s ride together. We can pick up the SUV in the morning.” He grabbed her backpack and put it on his shoulder.
They got into his truck and headed to his house.
In the dark quiet of the truck cabin, he asked, “Is there anything else that you’re hiding?” His tone gentle, teasing.
“I’ve been taking pictures of Seth and everyone I’ve seen with him. Including in the club.” She opened her purse. Looked at the pictures on her phone. “It was so dark in there. You can’t see the guy with the scar. The one who attacked me in the alley. But I have better photos of the man with glasses on my camera.”
He shot her a heated look. “What am I missing? What possessed you to go to the Bare Back? Why would that guy attack you?”
“It’s a long story, but a stripper who works there, Aubrey, she led me to Rafe. But she lied about not helping Haley spy on Seth. I went back to pin her down and get the truth. Find out what Seth is up to. Turns out it’s drugs, money laundering and prostitution.”
“Hold on. This Aubrey was working with Haley to do what? Collect evidence?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. Aubrey wasn’t completely honest. Considering everything I’ve learned over the past few days, it’s obvious that neither was Haley. I think she manipulated me into her helping get the fake credentials. But if she’s alive and fled, why wouldn’t she wait for the new ID?”
“Maybe it’s got to do with Teddy. If Seth did kill him, that might have been enough to push her over the edge. Drive her to do something rash.”
“But she can’t run far or for long without credentials. Or money. Or the place I was going to set up for her in Idaho.” She’d worked out a lease with someone who would accept cash and not run a background check.
“Why there and not halfway across the country? Say Georgia? Alabama?”
“Her mom is sick, and she didn’t want to go too far. Even though I warned that she wouldn’t be able come back and check on her.”
“You’ve learned a lot,” Brian said, pulling into his driveway. “Any reason you didn’t share all this with Powell?”
“You mean about Aubrey and possible evidence?”
“Yeah.”
They got out and he carried her backpack and duffel bag inside.
“Haley was either killed or put under so much pressure that she bolted prematurely. I wanted to think before offering up another sacrificial lamb. It’s a big decision.” Meddling with someone’s life.
He locked the door. “If she’s on the run, any idea where she’d go?”
“No, but...” An idea came to her.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know where she’d go, but I might know how to find her.” She dug inside her backpack and whipped out her flip phone.
Brian eyed it. “Is that your burner?”
“Same kind I gave to Haley.” Not that it did her any good. She flipped it open.
“Who are you calling?”
She swallowed hard. “Orson.”
He looked surprised. Then cautious. “Why?”
“He’s the best at what he does. Genius level IQ. Hacked into some government agency when he was only fourteen.” She stopped herself from saying more when Brian frowned, twisting his mouth like he tasted something sour.
“A real wunderkind,” he grumbled.
On the phone, she pressed and held down the number one, putting the call through.
“You’ve got him on speed dial? As your first option?” He mumbled something and raked a hand through his hair.
