Chapter 14 - The Voice of a Dead Man
Mason looked like he had been punched.
Thomas Cole kept talking.
“You grew up well.”
Mason stepped toward the phone on the table as if he could physically reach through it.
“You’re alive.”
“Obviously.”
“You let us believe you were dead.”
“That was necessary.”
“For nineteen years?”
“Emotion makes time sound dramatic.”
I hated him instantly.
I leaned toward the phone.
“Where is Aaron Pike?”
Thomas chuckled.
“Straight to business. Your father said you were like that.”
My skin crawled.
“You knew him.”
“Better than you did near the end.”
Mason slammed a hand on the table.
“Don’t talk about her father.”
Thomas went quiet for one beat.
Then, “Still protective. Your mother would be proud.”
Mason went pale.
Hsu signaled technicians to keep tracing.
I forced myself to stay calm.
“What do you want?”
“The drives.”
“What’s on them?”
“You already know enough.”
“Did you kill my father?”
Silence.
Then he said, “Your father made choices.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only answer you’re getting tonight.”
“Why use Sienna?”
“Because she was easy.”
The cruelty of it was effortless.
Mason closed his eyes.
Thomas continued.
“She wanted money. Diane wanted importance. Kane wanted relevance. Everyone wants something, Olivia. Good intelligence work simply identifies the price.”
“And me?”
“You want control.”
“No. I want the truth.”
“Same addiction. Better branding.”
The trace indicator flashed red.
Signal bouncing.
No location.
Thomas sighed.
“You have twenty-four hours. Bring the original drives to the Jefferson Rail Depot tomorrow at midnight.”
“That depot has been closed for twelve years.”
“Then parking won’t be a problem.”
“What happens if I don’t?”
A pause.
Then a photo arrived on my phone.
My mother.
She was sitting in the back seat of a car.
Eyes closed.
Head tilted against the window.
I stared at it.
“You have her?”
Thomas said, “She came willingly.”
My stomach twisted.
“What?”
“She believes she can negotiate for Sienna.”
“She’s an idiot.”
“On that we agree.”
The line went dead.
I called Mom immediately.
Her phone was off.
Her attorney had not seen her in three hours.
Sienna began crying when we told her.
“This is my fault.”
“Yes,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
Sienna flinched.
I continued.
“And now you can help fix what you helped break.”
She wiped her face.
“How?”
“You said Pike trusted you once.”
“Not anymore.”
“He doesn’t have to trust you.”
I looked at Hsu.
“He just has to answer.”
Sienna’s phone, sealed in an evidence bag, suddenly lit up on the table.
One incoming message.
May you like
From Aaron Pike.
DON’T TRUST THOMAS. HE’S CLEANING HOUSE.
