He laughs harder. “I’ll take a katana through my chest over pleading. Listen, Justice is off tonight, exhausted from spending the day moving out. I’m down a guy.”
“What happened to the noob?”
“I’m glad you mentioned that, beautiful. That asshole never returned. A certain model citizen and her crony got into his head.”
Fluffing my pillow, I snort. “Whatever, I explained how to count shots, so he’d be more productive than using a jigger. Should’ve taken my advice.”
“I know.”
“Michie, a bartender who can’t count a shot is throwing away money—”
“Dammit, Chevelle, whose name is on the front of the bar?”
“I was only saying. Besides, if you’re not gonna beg, then I’m gonna preach.” I smile sweetly as Michie reverts to Japanese.
He grumbles, “I have the misfortune of being busy on the slowest night of the week and rubbing Buddha’s belly isn’t doing the trick. So, ask your husband if—”
“No, and yes!” I snap, climbing out of bed and meandering toward the door.
“To which, Chevelle?” he demands.
“No, as in I am a grown-ass woman. Lastly, Chevelle to the rescue.” I chuckle, walking across the hall to the guest bedroom. The lights are off—no faint iPhone glow. Camdyn must’ve fallen asleep already. In the receiver, I reply, “Michie, give me an hour.”
Once we hang up, I decide to text Camdyn a quick apology for signing him up for daycare duty. He’ll get the message the moment he awakens. While returning to our bedroom, I tap the phone in my palm. Should I tell Leith I’m helping Michie tonight?
“Eh, nah.” I think wiser of it. I open Leith’s top drawer to grab the keys to the Chevelle SS, which also holds the gun box for the pink .380 that I’ll never have to use.
Chapter 36
Leith
How can a lad be so much in love with a lass and such a feckin’ liar? I never thought it so, not ‘til recently. So as not to give Chevelle something to worry about, I left home Sunday evening and made like I was heading to the Valley when I’ve been less than a half-hour away. I’m in Long Beach at the house I bought for us before heading off to MIT. Erika is on our clan run, in one of the cars following Knox to Boston again.
When Chevelle called, I kept the phone focused on me, best I could. But the rickety nightstand resembles the one at Ms. Mable’s. She seemed to be none the wiser. From the outside looking in, I bet I look like a feckin’ pussy, hiding out. Nae. It couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth. The attorney, Wendy, said she’d have something to give me in a few days. Besides, Yates hasn’t responded to any of my ranting messages. The bastard’s aim is beyond me.
I checked the security cams on the house right after Chevelle and I got off the phone. Now, I stop myself from doing it again.
She’s safe. My wee one’s safe. Sweet dreams to the lot of them. Besides, Camdyn’s there. After the argument my brathairs and I had, I realize it’s been a while since I depended on anyone but myself.
Bottles of energy drinks are cluttered around. Seated against the headboard with my laptop, I crack my knuckles. As a programmer, not a hacker, I focus on my experiences, working in reverse through the breach in the application I created.
In the wee hours of the night, I’ve uncovered the conspiracy when I see a text from Wendy asking me to call her first thing in the morning. About as antsy as an army of midges, I ring her up. “What news do ye have?”
“Mr. MacKenzie, let’s meet tomorrow. I have lots to discuss with you in person.”
Detecting her concern, I say, “This is a secure line.”
She stalls. “You sure?”
“Positive.” I run my index finger around my thumb, concentrating on the attorney.
“Alright then, the guy I told you about, my associate, scrubbed information and found the digital print like a hound. Now, you pretty much have that covered. So, if this were a regular ol’ fraud situation, I’d come into play.”
I stop moving, fingers clutched under so that the skin stretches across my knuckles. “What are ye telling me, lass?”
“So far, he’s revealed two scenarios. The one you initially reached out about, which was sexting and or uploaded videos being leveraged for blackmail. Also, the AI, so-called Significant Other, is being used to extort money and gifts. A hacker who