Page 79 of Red Marked

“Probably not.”

“The other ten have been active enough to be able to get to know them…somewhat. Here’s the interesting part.” She clicks. “This one posted most days. He posted photos, rants, what he had for breakfast, right up until a week before the accident. Then nothing for three months. After that, maybe once or twice a month. It was like he crawled into a hole for a while.”

“That set off alarm bells.”

“Big ones.” She clicks again. “Then there’s this one. Same month as the accident, he’s driving a fifteen-year-old pickup. Two months later, he’s in a brand-new car. A year after that, he’s posting from the deck of a house three times the size of the one he had. He has no new job that I can see.”

“He came into some serious cash, then.”

“That’s what it looks like.” She sits back. “Those are my top two suspects. The rest seem…normal, but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t one of them, so I have all of their details, in case we need to check them out.”

“Good thinking.”

It’s more than we had this morning.

“Also, Halleron seemed perfectly regular on paper. He worked for a landscaping company in sales. I have no idea how he got mixed up in all of this.”

“This is great.” I step back. “You’ve uncovered a few leads. For starters, we have two suspects to go and see when we get to Mistveil tomorrow. We have the other names if we need to follow up with all of them.”

“I’m hoping I’m right and it doesn’t come to that. Chasing down eleven people could take longer than we have.”

“If we’re desperate, I can always pull a few strings. As I mentioned before, I have some contacts on Draig Island who can dig into it for me using official channels. I’d rather not.” I rub the back of my neck. “Every favor I call in is a conversation somebody might remember. The wrong individuals might be informed that I’m snooping.”

“That’s the last thing we want.”

“Exactly.”

“I don’t think I’m way off.” She looks at the two faces on the screen. “I think I’m on the right track.”

“Me too.”

She stands and stretches, arms over her head, back arching, and that dress climbs.

I look back at the computer screen.

Fuck!

We’ll soon have our own rooms. I can’t wait. Although it’s been nice to come home to a cooked meal, I’m very private and like my space.

I go over to the refrigerator and grab a water. I note she already has one on the desk next to her, so I don’t offer.

“About tomorrow.” I uncap the bottle and take a sip. “We need to have a solid plan on how to get you out of here. I will be escorted out by a small team. They’ll take me through the security checkpoint on the jungle’s edge. That’s protocol. Anyone coming in and out of feral territory needs to be signed off. From there, I’m on my own to Mistveil City. We need to find a way to get you out of this facility. Then through the stretch of jungle between here and the jungle boundary. Then, even more difficult, over the heavily guarded boundary. Once you’re two or three miles over it, it’s easy to get to Mistveil City. I’ve asked Rex, Atlas, and Dane to help get you out. They’ll take you over the⁠—”

“No.” She shakes her head.

“What do you mean, no?” I frown.

“The more of us trying to make it out, the bigger the chance of being seen. Besides, I don’t need an escort.”

“You would have to travel on foot, making you vulnerable. There are ferals on this side. Granted, not many, but enough to make it dangerous.” I drink more of the water, watching her as I do.

“I can handle myself, especially against a small number of them. Besides, they won’t even know I’m there,” she tells me.

“It only takes one.”

“I’ve dealt with them before,” she says. “I can do it.”

I cap the bottle. “I’m sure you can, but I’m not taking any chances. If⁠—”