Page 20 of In the Line of Ire

"Youwon't be on your own. Someone will be close by."

I lookedup. "I know. I'm going upstairs. I want to check out something withLucas." I closed the laptop and got up, waving to Solomon as hecame out of the boardroom. I jogged upstairs and waited to bebuzzed into the floor above. This floor was off limits to clientsand anybody else but the agency team. Unlike the privateinvestigators’ communal office, this floor was secure. It housed aplethora of high-tech computer equipment and surveillance feeds.Lucas was right at home here, hidden behind a bank ofmonitors.

"Hello,"I said, dragging a chair over to sit next to him. All the screenssuddenly went blank.

"Itwasn't me," he said.

"Turningoff all the screens?"

"No,that was me."

"So whatwasn't you?"

Lucasgulped. "Nothing."

"Nevermind. I don't want to know anyway unless... is it something to dowith my Christmas present?"

"It's alittle early for Christmas shopping."

"So itisn't?" I pressed.

"No!"

"Really?"

"We doSecret Santa on December 1st. It's not December 1st. I haven't evendrawn your name yet."

"How doyou know you're going to draw my name? Wait! Do you rigit?"

"No!"yelled Lucas. He pressed his lips together as several people turnedaround, frowning at him.

"Lucas!"

"I don'trig it, okay? This is strictly work stuff."

"Okay,fine." I glanced at the blank screen. "But just in case you do rigit, I'd like a new office mug. Maybe with something funny writtenon it. And maybe some candy too."

"Good toknow. How can I help you otherwise?"

"I needto find the person who posted a video online."

"You'llhave to narrow that down a little bit."

"It's ona video-sharing site."

Lucasmade a rolling motion with his hand. He wanted more. "Their onlinename is Purple Monster. I don't know if it's a he or a she but I dothink they're local. They made a video and..."

"Holyshit! That was you!?" Lucas howled.

I jumpedat his sudden laughter. "What do you mean?"

"Thatvideo outside Lily's Bar! The one of the beer glass rolling aroundon the ground with two little feet waggling from the bottom of it.That's you, isn't it?"

"Well,ah, um..." I sighed and leaned forwards, resting my forehead on thedesk. "Yeah," I mumbled. "It's me."

"I knewit! I couldn't really see you but since it was Lily's Bar and Iknow you help her out all the time, I put two and two together...I've watched it at least ten times. My buddy in Hawaii sent it tome."

I rolledmy head to one side and looked up at him. "Hawaii?" Irepeated.

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