a fact. “And now that I have the hospital database hack, they can eliminate potential subjects who don’t have the skill set necessary.”
“Wait, you already figured out how he broke into the hospital records?” Seth asked.
Taylor leaned back, finally giving his keyboard a rest. “Well, yeah. You said time was of the essence.”
“Kid, you’re a genius,” Walden proclaimed. From the maze of cubicles, the other cybertechs laughed, several launching Nerf bullets and arrows at Taylor who ducked and grinned. “How about I treat you to lunch?”
Seth frowned at that, glancing at Oshiro who was working the phone at the desk opposite. The US Marshal radiated the same intense energy as Lucy, not sitting as he spoke, instead doing a two-step shuffle, pacing the narrow space behind the desk chair.
“You didn’t tell anyone you were leaving DC.” Walden understood why Seth was so over-protective of June, but with Oshiro on the job, she was in good hands. “No one knows you’re here.”
“I know. But—”
June’s stomach growled, interrupting whatever worry Seth was about to voice. They all glanced at her, Walden chuckling and Seth with an indulgent grin.
“Guess the kid’s made her position clear,” Walden said.
Oshiro hung up and turned to them. “I’ve set up a bunch of dummy purchases in the DC area in case anyone’s following your credit cards and booked you into a vacant grad student apartment here. Last place anyone would look for a pregnant woman and a former US Attorney.”
“How’d you find a vacant student apartment in the middle of the semester?” Taylor asked.
“Didn’t. Called a friend’s kid and offered him a free week in a four star hotel with all the room service and pay-for-view he could want. He’s dropping off his keys in an hour—said to excuse the mess and you might want to wash the sheets.”
Walden stood, clapping his hands together. “Lunch. I’m treating. Hofbräuhaus .” Maybe this detail wouldn’t be as difficult as he’d thought. Between Oshiro handling protection and Taylor’s geeks tracking their subject, he and Lucy might have little to do except file the paperwork.
If this was going to be the last SAFE case, not a bad way to go. Especially after they nailed Daddy once and for all.
Chapter 9
BY THE TIME Walden knocked on her door to tell Lucy that they were headed over to the Hofbräuhaus , she was engrossed in her second reading of the Baby Girl case files. The first time through she’d been looking at the big picture of the events leading up to where they were today.
Now she was combing for clues. If they could identify and locate the man known as Daddy, they could end this.
“Did you realize he didn’t actually put the Baby Girl images up for sale until after the incident at the mall?” she asked as she rubbed her eyes. She should use reading glasses for working at the computer but hated the way they pinched her nose.
“Yes. I figured he thought it was less risky that way, disseminating them after she’s gone.”
“I’m not sure. Seems to me, if he was ready to auction her off, he could have gotten more money for her by putting those up first.” She frowned. Felt like she was close to understanding something important about how Daddy’s mind worked.
“But he made a ton of money from the images—why bother selling her at all? Why not just destroy the evidence?”
Lucy rolled her shoulders. “He’s been so careful, covering his tracks all these years. Selling June and releasing her images might be the only two mistakes he’s made.”
“Not much to go on—at least not for the past decade we’ve been hunting him.”
“Are you really going to take a job with the Bank squad?”
Her abrupt change of topic didn’t faze him—Walden was not easily fazed, period. “I think I’m due for a little peace and quiet. Something in short supply around here.”
He was talking about what happened two months ago. She sighed.
“Wait, you already figured out how he broke into the hospital records?” Seth asked.
Taylor leaned back, finally giving his keyboard a rest. “Well, yeah. You said time was of the essence.”
“Kid, you’re a genius,” Walden proclaimed. From the maze of cubicles, the other cybertechs laughed, several launching Nerf bullets and arrows at Taylor who ducked and grinned. “How about I treat you to lunch?”
Seth frowned at that, glancing at Oshiro who was working the phone at the desk opposite. The US Marshal radiated the same intense energy as Lucy, not sitting as he spoke, instead doing a two-step shuffle, pacing the narrow space behind the desk chair.
“You didn’t tell anyone you were leaving DC.” Walden understood why Seth was so over-protective of June, but with Oshiro on the job, she was in good hands. “No one knows you’re here.”
“I know. But—”
June’s stomach growled, interrupting whatever worry Seth was about to voice. They all glanced at her, Walden chuckling and Seth with an indulgent grin.
“Guess the kid’s made her position clear,” Walden said.
Oshiro hung up and turned to them. “I’ve set up a bunch of dummy purchases in the DC area in case anyone’s following your credit cards and booked you into a vacant grad student apartment here. Last place anyone would look for a pregnant woman and a former US Attorney.”
“How’d you find a vacant student apartment in the middle of the semester?” Taylor asked.
“Didn’t. Called a friend’s kid and offered him a free week in a four star hotel with all the room service and pay-for-view he could want. He’s dropping off his keys in an hour—said to excuse the mess and you might want to wash the sheets.”
Walden stood, clapping his hands together. “Lunch. I’m treating. Hofbräuhaus .” Maybe this detail wouldn’t be as difficult as he’d thought. Between Oshiro handling protection and Taylor’s geeks tracking their subject, he and Lucy might have little to do except file the paperwork.
If this was going to be the last SAFE case, not a bad way to go. Especially after they nailed Daddy once and for all.
Chapter 9
BY THE TIME Walden knocked on her door to tell Lucy that they were headed over to the Hofbräuhaus , she was engrossed in her second reading of the Baby Girl case files. The first time through she’d been looking at the big picture of the events leading up to where they were today.
Now she was combing for clues. If they could identify and locate the man known as Daddy, they could end this.
“Did you realize he didn’t actually put the Baby Girl images up for sale until after the incident at the mall?” she asked as she rubbed her eyes. She should use reading glasses for working at the computer but hated the way they pinched her nose.
“Yes. I figured he thought it was less risky that way, disseminating them after she’s gone.”
“I’m not sure. Seems to me, if he was ready to auction her off, he could have gotten more money for her by putting those up first.” She frowned. Felt like she was close to understanding something important about how Daddy’s mind worked.
“But he made a ton of money from the images—why bother selling her at all? Why not just destroy the evidence?”
Lucy rolled her shoulders. “He’s been so careful, covering his tracks all these years. Selling June and releasing her images might be the only two mistakes he’s made.”
“Not much to go on—at least not for the past decade we’ve been hunting him.”
“Are you really going to take a job with the Bank squad?”
Her abrupt change of topic didn’t faze him—Walden was not easily fazed, period. “I think I’m due for a little peace and quiet. Something in short supply around here.”
He was talking about what happened two months ago. She sighed.
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