Page 72 of Barron

“Abso-fucking-lutely. But first, we leave.”

Deacon followed Johnny Gun’s lead, and Barron walked close behind. If the guy had a change of heart, Barron didn’t want to leave him enough of a gap to escape through. At the halfway point, the two groups crossed, but Killer, Betty, and Los Emes were far enough away and so involved in their conversation that they didn’t notice Barron, Deacon, and Johnny G pass by.

“Fuck.” Barron wiped his face as they exited into the reception area. “We dodged that bullet.”

“No kidding,” Johnny G muttered.

“Daddy.” Yoanni rushed from her seat. Obviously no longer frustrated or upset with him, she threw her arms around his neck.Standing on her tippytoes, she reached up and kissed him. “I was worried.”

“It was close.” He pecked her lips. “But it worked out.” He spoke to Johnny G. “Are you coming with?”

“To the agency?” Johnny asked.

“Shifter’s uncovered important stuff. At his suggestion, I’m taking Yoanni. The rest of us should check out the findings as well. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling it will affect us all.”

“Does this include me?” Deacon asked.

“Sure,” Barron said. “You’re a Spawn. You have questions? Shifter has answers.”

Barron drove the truck into the building’s loading and unloading rear parking area. Johnny Gun and Deacon parked next to him. He helped Yoanni down from the truck, waved at his friends to come, and strode to the agency’s door. Smiling at Yoanni, he rang twice.

They didn’t have to wait long. Within minutes, Shifter opened the door and peeked his head out.

“Your timing is excellent. We’re all here. Now we can start.” Shifter slipped back inside. The group followed him down the hallway, turned into the computer room, and Yoanni gave a soft squeal. “Captain Weaver.”

James Weaver, mug of coffee in hand, stood from his chair. “Hello, everyone.”

Shifter’s remark about them all being here made sense to Barron now. “Evening, Captain,” he said. “I didn’t think Shifter would call you in.”

“Actually, he sent a text,” Weaver said. “But the bullet points in the text were enough to alert my police brain. I had to see the results of his search firsthand.” He turned his attention to Yoanni,arching an eyebrow as he studied her from top to bottom. “Interesting outfit, Miss Sanz. Aren’t you a bit chilly?”

“Ah, um,” she stammered, glancing at her clothes.

Barron came to her rescue. “I’ll get your stuff from the truck. You can start changing here.” He pushed open the bathroom door just outside the computer room. He turned on the light for her, then hurried outside to pick up her things. Once he dropped the small bundle in her hands, he rejoined the men.

Shifter sat in front of his triple monitor station, his talented fingers flying over the keyboard. “We should wait for Yoanni to change. She has to see this too. It also affects her.”

Yoanni emerged dressed in jeans and a knit top, her kinky clothes folded under her arm.

“Sit here, Nugget.” Barron touched her chair. She walked over without making a sound. Once she settled in her seat, Barron stood behind her with arms folded.

“Here we go.” Shifter opened three folders on his screen, and several smaller files dropped down. He clicked on the first. Barron’s latest photo of Betty appeared. “The reason I couldn’t find much on Betty Morris, as you know her, is simple. That’s not her name.” He clicked on another file. A photo of a woman who resembled Betty with bright red curly hair opened next to Betty’s picture on the screen.

Barron’s stomach twisted with an uncomfortable suspicion. Fate’s laughter rang in his ears.

“Her real name is Analise Bealing. Watch this.”

Shifter superimposed one photo over the other. Slowly, the system processed the images. A results window opened, showing the woman’s evolution in time. Acquired wrinkles, facial fullness or gauntness, hair color, cut, and even the shape of eyebrows. When the analysis was completed, a sign flashed underneath: Subject Found: Analise Bealing.

“There she is, and once the program confirmed Betty’s realidentity, I found her records. I know which grammar school she attended.” He clicked on the third file. Line after line of information rolled down.

“The last name Bealing is familiar, and not in a good way,” Captain Weaver said.

“Of course it’s familiar.” Shifter grinned, showing his gold canine. “Here’s more fun info for y’all. Does the name Stew Bealing ring a bell?”

“Fuck. Wait a minute, Stew Bealing is Nails,” Barron exclaimed. “Does that mean…”

“Analise Bealing is Nails’s sister,” Shifter finished.

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