Page 124 of Broken Wheels

“I want this over as much as you do, but until we find evidence to prove Spencer’s in this up to his fucking neck, the safe house is the best place for you. At least you’ve got Gary for company.”

Doc chuckled. “Sure, but there’s stuff I want to do with you that I don’t want to do with him.”

Gary yelled in the background. “Two things. One: Gee, thanks. Feeling the love. And two: Way too much information.”

“And you can’t do any of that stuff till you get the all clear, so you’re not missing out on anything,” Dix reminded Doc. “Now go be my genius.” He disconnected, only to have the phone ring instantly. “Grayson, what’s up?”

“I’m swamped down here. I’m fielding calls from outraged citizens demanding to know what’s going on. Plus they want to know if Dr. Malone is here.”

“Just thank them for their call, tell them no comment, and hang up.” Dix shook his head.

Fuck you all the way to hell, Aaron Spencer.

Chalmers’s phone buzzed, and he removed it from his pocket. He stared at the screen, his face scrunched in confusion. “What the hell?”

“What’s wrong?”

“I just got an encrypted message on WhatsApp.”

Dix arched an eyebrow. “What’s so surprising about that? I figure with your winning personality, you’d be getting them all day, every day.”

Chalmers narrowed his gaze. “I’m telling Josh you’re being mean to me.”

The bastard would too.

“So what’s strange about this message?”

Chalmers looked Dix in the eye. “It says it’s a message for Dr. Malone, and the sender claims to be my boss.”

Dix froze. “What kind of message?”

“It says it will provide a link for him to follow.”

He snorted. “Yeah right. I’ve had those kind of emails too. You know the ones. ‘Click here to reactivate your account.’”

“But I think it is from him,” Chalmers insisted.

“How can you be sure?”

Chalmers handed his phone to Dix. “Read the third line.”

Dix peered at the screen and read aloud. “And just so you know it’s me, you still owe me for keeping you out of trouble after that party where you grabbed the waiter’s ass.” He raised a brow. “Oh?” Dix handed the phone back.

Chalmers flushed. “I was drinking. Grady and I had broken up, and when I saw this guy bent over, I thought it was his ass. I cupped it and whispered, ‘Hey, hot stuff.’ He was less than amused.”

That was something Dixon could understand. Right then he’d give anything to touch Doc. As much as he wanted to continue this discussion, there were more important things they had to address.

“Does he say what happened to him?”

Chalmers typed, and Dix peered over his shoulder to read the new reply.

I’m enjoying Aaron Spencer’s hospitality.

“What the fuck?” Chalmers typed fast.

Yeah. They initially took me to help them get at Dr. Malone. Then when that wasn’t happening, they wanted me to give them information on the bureau. That was also a no-go, though not for lack of trying on their part. Then he threatened my family. That got me to do what he said real quick.

“Ask him if he knows where he is.”

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