Page 13 of Hack
"It did, but I want to hear it from you. Where you live might not be where home is. They can be two different places."
"You're not kidding." Archer smiled. "I was raised in Virginia. I have a home there, but I seldom live there. I travel a lot, mostly living in motel rooms. I get restless when I'm not working. I can only sit and stare out the window at home for so long before I feel the need to move on."
"Must get expensive." Carter reached for his drink.
"Money has never been an issue for me. I inherited plenty, and use very little. Clients pay for my rooms and everything else I need while working a case. Most only take a few days, but sometimes I'm on a job for a month or more. I do a lot of missing person cases and take on a few cheating spouses, but for the most part, it's just someone needing me to put the time in that the police won't to look for the facts and evidence. Every moment of my free time I'm hunting Lyle." Archer stabbed a piece of meat. "What about you? How'd you end up in California?"
Carter shrugged. "After my daughter and wife died, I was lost. Wasn't sure what to do with myself. I ended up meeting someone who'd lost his sister, same type of murder, different case. We became good friends. He lived here and so I moved. There was nothing left for me back east."
"Can I ask what you do here?" Archer asked.
"You can ask, but it's probably best I don't tell you. You know enough about me from Howard I'm guessing to know where my skills lay. I dig for information that people need. Gather evidence and facts. I guess a lot like you do, only I do it all from behind a computer." Carter shrugged. "Details aren't important."
"No, and I wouldn't want you to put yourself at risk sharing more than is safe." Archer set his fork down. "I appreciate you being willing to do all this. When Howard suggested I talk to you, I debated if it was worth bothering you."
"No, I get it. I can access files you can't, and that could make a big difference in the leads you follow. I'm glad that Howard told you to call me. I've tried for years to put this case behind me, but it's always there. It never lets go. It will be good to have someone to talk to who is familiar with the case. I've had ideas and theories over the years. Maybe together we can piece everything together and think of something new that hasn't been looked at yet." Carter smiled. "I'm curious to see what information you have."
"Well, this job shouldn't be too hard. It's an insurance claim I need to investigate. Those usually don't take too long. I'll need to fly home and gather my files, but I shouldn't be more than a few days. I'll call you as soon as I get back into town." Archer was so excited to find someone else who wanted to dig into the case that he was dreading the job he had to finish first. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to pick up any other work until he met with Carter again.
"Sounds good." Carter nodded.
They spent the next hour talking over little things, sharing their experiences working for the government, and talking about simple things like where they'd traveled and places they'd seen. Conversation with Carter came easy, and he was glad there didn't seem to be any tension between them. This was something that took a lot of trust, and tension would just make things worse. Archer had so few friends, that just being able to enjoy a meal with someone was a nice change. He kept to himself so much, traveled so much, that he didn't make close ties with many people.
As they walked out of the café, Carter turned to him. "When do you leave?"
"I'd planned on a couple of days, but if I can change my flight, I'll go tonight. The sooner I get done, the better. You've given me renewed hope that we can locate Lyle and, as you said, bring him to justice."
"That's a lot nicer than what I said." Carter smiled.
"True, but as long as he isn't hurting another child, I don't honestly care what you plan for him. I was at some of the gravesites, and I've seen pictures of the rest. He doesn't deserve mercy." Archer fought off nightmares about some of the things he'd seen.
"Glad we understand each other." Carter offered his hand, then his business card. "You now have my number. Call me when we can meet again."
"Thanks, I will. Take care." As Archer watched Carter walk off, he found himself looking forward to what the next week would bring. He'd worked alone for so long, having no one as a real sounding board for his thoughts and ideas. He talked to Howard, but it wasn't the same, and Howard hadn't been part of the case. He'd worked white-collar crimes and corporate fraud. Having someone who knew the case and understood it all was going to be different. Hopefully, together, the two of them could bring this case to an end.
