This time, I didnt bother letting my face do the talking for me. I slugged him in the shoulderhard.
Fine. Michael held his palms up in surrender. Youre not
sanctimonious. Youre honorable. He paused and trained his eyes straight ahead. Maybe I didnt want to advertise the fact that Im not.
For a split second, Michael let those wordsthat confessionhang in the air.
Besides, he continued, if Id told you that between Redding and myself I was the safe option, I would have lost all of that carefully built-up bad-boy cred.
From self-loathing to sardonic in under two seconds.
Trust me, I said lightly, you dont have any cred.
Oh, really? Michael said. When I nodded, he stood up and took my hand. Lets fix that, then, shall we?
A wiser person would have said no. I took a deep breath. What did you have in mind?
Clear! Michael yelled. The two of us scuttled backward. A second later, a string of fireworks went off, scorching the floor of a fake foyer.
Somehow, I dont think this is what Agent Briggs had in mind when he built this basement, I said.
Michael adopted an austere look. Simulation is one of our most powerful tools, he said, doing a passable imitation of Agent Briggs. How else are we to visualize the work of the infamous Boom-Boom Bandit?
Boom-Boom Bandit? I repeated.
He grinned. Too much?
I held my index finger up an inch from my thumb. Just a little.
Behind us, the door to the basement opened and slammed shut. I half expected it to be Judd, asking what precisely we thought we were doing down here, but Michael had assured me the basement was soundproof.
I didnt know anyone was down here. Sloane looked at the two of us suspiciously. Why are you down here?
Michael and I looked at each other. I opened my mouth to answer, but Sloanes eyes widened as she took in the evidence.
Fireworks? she said, folding her arms over her middle. In the foyer?
Michael shrugged. Cassie needed a distraction, and I needed to give Briggs a few more gray hairs.
Sloane eyed him mutinously. Considering the amount of time she spent down here, I could see why she might take any misuse of the crime sets seriously.
Sorry, I said.
You should be, she replied sternly. Youre doing it all wrong.
What followed was a ten-minute lecture on pyrodynamics. And several more explosions.
Well, Michael said, surveying our work. Thatll teach Briggs and Locke to leave us to our own devices for too long.
I shoved my hair out of my face with the heel of my hand. Theyre working a case, I said, remembering the look on Lockes faceand the details Id managed to glean about what she and Briggs were up to. I think thats a little bit of a higher priority than training us is.
Sloane, Michael said suddenly, drawing out her name and narrowing his eyes.
Nothing, Sloane replied quickly.
Nothing what? I asked. Clearly, I was missing something here.
When I said Lockes name, Sloane looked down and to the side and her eyebrows pulled up in the center. Michael paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. What did you take, Sloane?
Sloane made a careful study of her fingernails. Agent Locke doesnt like me.
I thought back to the last time I had seen Sloane and Locke together. Sloane had come into the kitchen and rattled off some statistics about serial killers. Locke hadnt had a chance to reply when Briggs came into the room with an update on their case. In fact, I wasnt sure Id ever seen Locke say anything to Sloane, though she traded barbs easily enough with Michael and Lia.
There was a USB drive, Sloane admitted finally, in Agent Lockes briefcase.
Michaels eyes lit up. Am I to infer that you have it now?
Sloane shrugged. Thats a distinct possibility.
You took a USB drive out of Lockes briefcase? I processed that bit of information. When Lia had helped herself to the contents of my closet, shed said that Sloane was the kleptomaniac in the house. Id assumed she was joking.
Apparently not.
Lets concentrate on the important thing here, Michael said. What information do you lovely ladies think Locke would be carrying on her person while working a case?
I glanced at Sloane, then back at Michael. You think it has something to do with their current case? I couldnt keep the surge of interest out of my tone.
That is also a distinct possibility. Sloane was sounding distinctly more chipper.
Michael threw an arm over her shoulder. Have I ever told you that youre my favorite? he asked her. Then he cast a wicked glance at me. Still in need of distraction?
CHAPTER 22
This encryption is pathetic, Sloane said. Its like they want me to hack their files.
She was sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed, her laptop balanced on her knees. Her fingers flew across the keys as she worked on breaking through the protection on the pilfered USB drive. A stray piece of blond hair drifted into her face, but she didnt seem to notice. Done!
Sloane turned the laptop around so the two of us could see it. Seven files, she said. The smile fell from her face. Seven victims.