Page 69 of Lost Truth
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Hayden fired up his algorithm for searching the dark web for code names. Job done, but he had no time to sit back and take a break. Kai was counting on all of them to keep working.
Abby leaned over to him and tipped her head at the door to the kitchen. “Join me.”
Hayden had too much on his plate for a trip to the kitchen. “Is this really important enough to stop working?”
“It is.” She kept her voice low and mysterious. “Just come with me and don’t say anything to the others.”
Okay. Now she’d piqued his interest. He glanced around to see if anybody had noticed their conversation, but his teammates were all busy working on their assignments, so he stood. She tucked her laptop under her arm and eased toward the kitchen as if she was casually getting something to eat. She pushed through the swinging doors, sending them flapping.
Obviously, she wanted to tell him something she didn’t want the others to hear. But what? Must involve her computer, so could it be a lead she’d found in her review of videos from Palmer’s camera?
Hayden glanced back at Cady, but she hadn’t looked up from her laptop and didn’t seem to notice him watching her.
Perfect time to slip away. He stepped through the doors, but gently closed them behind him.
Abby stood at the stainless steel island, her computer open and a paused video on the screen. “This is one of the doorbell videos from Palmer’s place from several weeks ago. A man I don’t recognize arrives at Palmer’s house at 2:45 in the morning to talk to him. More like shout at him, but their conversation leads me to believe this guy’s the head of the trafficking organization. Or at least Palmer’s boss.”
“Wow! Great, but why the secrecy? I’m sure everyone would want to see this.”
“It’s their topic of conversation I want you to see before Cady does.”
What could she want to hide from Cady? Only one possible topic.
“It’s about her father.” Hayden could barely get the words out over his throat closing. “Play it.”
The man standing at Palmer’s door was short, maybe five foot six, and stocky, but in a muscular way, and had a full head of wavy blond hair. He wore an expensive-looking pair of jeans and an athletic jacket. Hayden thought he might’ve seen him somewhere in the past, but he didn’t know where.
“Are you nuts?” Palmer asked. “Coming by here. We can’t have people see us together.”
“I needed to talk to you, and you weren’t answering my calls. So you gave me no choice.”
“What calls?” Palmer pulled his phone from the pocket of his robe. The light illuminated his face and the roll of his eyes. “I didn’t answer, because I was in bed sleeping.”
“I pay you good money for twenty-four/seven service, so don’t use any excuse for not responding.” From that tone alone, Hayden got a pretty clear read on the guy.
“Okay, fine,” Palmer said. “You’re here now. Say what you have to say and get going before anyone sees you.”
“You remember that birdwatcher friend of the mayor, Percy Vaughn?”
“Yeah, the old dude with dementia who went to live in Portland with his daughter.”
“His daughter,the reporter. A fact you failed to tell me about.”
“I don’t see how it’s relevant.”
The man glared at him. “That’s why I’m in charge and not you. We were counting on him not remembering any information that Sutton might’ve given him and not tell someone before he kicks the bucket.”
Hayden drew in a sharp breath. It would nearly kill Cady to see the cavalier way this man was talking about her father.
“But it’s been bothering me,” the unidentified man continued. “What if it comes back to him, and he shares it with his daughter? Then she starts digging for a story. Maybe even report us to the sheriff.”
“Okay, yeah.” Palmer shifted his stance. “I can see how that could be a problem.”
“A problem you’re gonna take care of for me.”
“But how? It’s not like I can make sure he doesn’t remember.”
