“Will, you’re not listening. I can’t just hack into someone’s computer from here. It has to be connected to a network, or I have to physically have access. Otherwise, there is no way in. Who is this woman, anyway? What does she have to do with Blue Smoke?”
Will had forgotten that Joey was tied up and hadn’t been brought into the whole witness complication. “It’s a long story. But we’re here now, and I need to know what she knows.”
“So ask her,” she said. “But unless there is a way in, I can’t give you anything. Get access to the computer and then we can talk.”
“Fine. Thanks for nothing, Joey,” he said with a light-hearted sarcasm.
“Always a pleasure, Will.”
He hung up the phone and stuffed it back in his pocket. Apparently, the laptop was coming with him.
“Uhh, Will? I’m going to need your help out here.”
Will frowned toward the living room. Pierce didn’t sound scared. Almost like he was… laughing?
Will took one last glance around the room, his eyes landing on a photo on the table between the two beds. He grabbed it, studying the image. He saw Melanie, obviously younger. Maybe high-school age? Her eyes were bright and her smile spread widely across her face as she grinned into the camera, her arms around two other young women.
He went back into the living room. His eyebrows raised as he found Pierce pointing his gun at a grubby man with a white tank top and more hair on his chest than on his head.
Will reached for his weapon.
“What are you two doing here? Is it that Hannah girl? I knew she was all talk. Acting like she’s better than me. Now she’s what—got the feds after her?”
Will was surprised at the instant disdain he held for the man. “Who are you?”
“Can you put the guns down? This is my place, and you’re trespassing.”
Will nodded to Pierce, who lowered his weapon slightly. “Okay, now. Who are you?”
“I’m Clyde Jones. I own this place.”
Will nearly rolled his eyes at the way the slumlord’s chest puffed out with pride. As though owning this dilapidated hovel was something to brag about.
“What can you tell me about the ladies who live here?”
The sneer on Clyde’s face was immediate. “You gonna pay their overdue rent?” He eyed them up and down. “Little Bonnie Sue thinks she’s too good for me, eh? Maybe you’re not the police. Maybe you’re just Johns and you’re waiting for her to come home. Guess she found a way to earn that rent after all. That’s too bad, I had it all figured out how I was going to make her pay off her late fees.”
Will struggled to keep his temper under control as the man continued to spout his disgusting fantasies about Melanie and her roommate.
Will nodded to Pierce again, who raised his gun at the man.
“Enough! I want to know everything you know about them.”
The landlord was silent for a moment. “Those are some pretty expensive guns you guys got there. I’ll tell you what–you give me the three grand these two ladies owe me, and I’ll tell you everything I know about them.”
“Or, I could have my friend here put a bullet in every one of your appendages until you tell me what you know.” Will’s voice was ice as he threatened the slumlord.
That put the fear into the skeevy man’s eyes for the first time since Will laid eyes on him. “Whoa, whoa. No need to get hasty. Honestly, I don’t know much. I take their rent, when they’ve got it. The blonde one works nights at a gas station half a mile down. The other one? I don’t know what she does.” He scoffed. “Not much, judging by the rent she pays.”
“How long has Melanie lived here?”
“Melanie? Is that her name? She told me it was Hannah.” Clyde shrugged. “Not the first time. Lot of chicks don’t want to use their real name. Hiding from a boyfriend or whatever.”
“How long?” Will growled.
“I don’t know. A year? Maybe eighteen months. Hard to keep track.”
Will rolled his eyes. The man was scared enough to tell the truth, but apparently didn’t know anything about his tenants.
“Does Melan–” He stopped and corrected himself. “Does she have family? A boyfriend?”
Clyde shrugged before making another lewd comment. Will decided he was done with the despicable man.
“Get out. Now. You never saw us, got it?”
When the landlord didn’t move, Will yelled, “Go before I change my mind and decide to leave no witnesses!”
Apparently, Clyde was smart enough to understand the threat, and his eyes widened. He raised his hands as Pierce raised his gun again. Will could see the safety was still on, but Sweaty McPherson over there was clueless.
He backed out of the apartment, jabbering about being the owner and something about disrespect.
“Let’s go,” Will said to Pierce. “Tank? What’s the latest?” he asked over the long-distance comms.
“I lost her a few blocks from the apartment. Never picked her back up. I’m out front keeping watch. No sign of her.”
Will felt his frustration simmering just below the surface. They’d lost her, and the apartment had given them nothing–other than that she told the sleazy landlord that her name was Hannah. Will looked back at the photo he held from the bedroom at the smiling eyes of a young Melanie Byers.
“Who are you?” he mused out loud to the picture.
CHAPTER
EIGHT
Hannah parked on the street around the back of her apartment building. She was probably being paranoid thinking that she was being followed earlier, but anything was possible. She’d spent the morning at the Screaming Peach, responding to a few nibbles on her video offer from the news stations.
The conversation with KBC was especially promising. They seemed willing to work with her on a job, and they had a local affiliate, so she wouldn’t have to move.
Things were definitely looking up. When she rounded the back corner of the apartment, the busted door made her stop in her tracks. Her heart kicked into overdrive as she stepped gingerly over the front mat and pushed the broken door open.
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Trina worked nights at the gas station, but she’d been spending her days with her boyfriend, and Hannah hadn’t seen her in the last week or so. But what if she was here when the break-in happened?
Hannah grabbed a heavy vase from beside the door as she walked through the apartment. It probably looked ridiculous, but having the heavy object made her feel a bit safer. She could at least chuck it at the bad guy before running for her life.
It didn’t take long to verify that the one-bedroom apartment was empty. After she set down the vase, she looked around in confusion. Didn’t most burglars steal stuff? But the television was still on the flimsy stand against the wall, and her roommate’s bike still sat in the corner.
With an eerie feeling, she reached for the picture frame that was on the kitchen counter. It had definitely come from her nightstand. Dread filled the pit of her belly.
She walked into the bedroom. Maybe the thief just stole their underwear or something equally creepy.
She flinched at the realization that without a lock on her door, there was nothing to stop Clyde from coming in whenever he wanted. The thought made her sick to her stomach. She couldn’t stay here. She had to get out before he realized what had happened. He’d probably try to make her pay for the broken door anyway. Just one more thing she couldn’t cover.