Page 34 of Hack
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The flight was long, and by the time they were leaving the airport, all Archer wanted was a hot shower and a bed to sleep in. Unlike Carter, he hadn't been able to sleep through the flight. He never had been able to sleep on a plane. He always thought about everyone watching him. What if he snored, drooled, had a wet dream or something? Not that he'd had one of those in years, but with the erotic dreams he'd had of Carter last night, anything was possible.
They pulled out of the rental car parking and headed toward the motel, both of them silent in the post-flight haze that would take time to wear off. He'd made this trip several times and knew right where he was headed. He always used the same motel, finding it was better to stick with what you knew when you found one that was nice. He might not fork out the money for a nice hotel, but he wasn't into slumming it either. Just because he had money didn't mean he needed to spend it. Though he was rich, it wasn't a lifestyle he wanted. He'd put up with that when his parents had been alive. Now, he was happy to just survive. There was no need to flaunt what he had.
"We'll check in to the motel, get dinner, and plan out our path for tomorrow. It's probably best to wait until tomorrow night to get those tracking devices on the cars. Luis and Levitt will both be at the bar if they stick to their normal habits. It will be easy to place them on their cars in the parking lot. There's one camera, but it's on the front of the building, none in the back last time I was there." Archer glanced over at Carter.
"I'm debating on going in and talking to them. Just ask a few questions, try and get a read on their reactions when asked about Lyle." Carter stared out the passenger window. "I know others have interviewed them, but I just want to look them in the eye, know for myself what they say."
"Not a problem. Maybe if we get them at the bar, hopefully drinking, the liquor will loosen their lips a bit. Hell, maybe it will cause them to worry and contact Lyle to warn him."
"I wish I could have tracked their phones. I know the FBI put trackers on their phones when they first linked the family, but those numbers went dark months ago." Carter leaned his head back hard on the seat. "So many things the FBI could be doing, but they aren't paying enough attention to do it."
"Exactly why I left. Until there is another gravesite found, they won't even think about this case again. There has to be a way to get more information." Archer pulled off the freeway, heading to the motel. Levitt and Luis lived in a town just outside of Atlanta, in a rundown part of the area that no one wanted to stay in. He'd always gotten a motel closer to the city, where it was safer and he didn't have to sleep with his gun under his pillow.
"I'll see what I can do once I see the layout of the bar. Maybe I can hack into the bar's computers, or find a way to get into their home computers. I doubt there will be much there, but maybe they're communicating with Lyle through email or online. I've hacked their social media in the past, but neither of them is very active. Hell, Luis hasn't been online in over two years from what I can see." Carter sighed. "We're so fucking close. I know the piece we are missing is there. I just can't see it yet."
"Hopefully, this trip will come up with something." Archer was restless, but it was nothing compared to how Carter must feel. He had so much pain inside of him. It was obvious to anyone who paid attention. He wasn't sure taking down Lyle would do anything to ease that pain, but he hoped it would help.
"Thanks for setting all this up. I don't travel much. I'd have stressed about making reservations and getting a car."
Archer grinned as he pulled into the motel parking lot. It was your typical two-story motel with hallways leading off from the lobby, a pool, and gym located on the main floor. "Sometimes I think the reservation desks know me by name. I'm glad to do it."
They'd packed light, both with only a duffle bag and their laptops. They wouldn't be here long enough to need much. If they forgot anything, the Walmart across the street would have what they needed.
Walking silently into the lobby, he glanced around, glad to see the place didn't look too busy. He hated it when families would crowd the place and kids would run up and down the hallways at all hours. He checked them in, got two keycards, and handed one to Carter as they made their way down the hallway to their room.
Once inside, he glanced at Carter. "Window or bathroom?"
"Window." Carter moved to the bed closest to the small window. He tossed his bag on the bed, then set his laptop on the small desk that sat against the far wall. "How did Lyle's parents die?"
"It was a robbery. Both were shot at home. Happened when the boys were younger. Lyle found them when he came home from school. Luis was of age and took custody of Levitt and Lyle. Not that he was much of a parental figure." Archer sat down on the bed. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing really. Was just curious. Was hoping there might be other family to talk to around here. I knew his parents were dead, but maybe an aunt or an uncle."
"There is an aunt, but she lives in Dallas. According to the FBI interview, she hadn't talked to her sister in years." It had been a long time since Archer had read the report. "All interviews yielded nothing. No one knew where Lyle went, just that one day he was gone. The brothers both said he'd left without talking to them. Just packed up while they were away and disappeared. They say they haven't heard from him since."
"You don't believe it."
"Nope, not with these three. Everyone said they were close after their parents died. I can't see them not keeping in touch. It's why I think the brothers are our link to Lyle. If the brothers were on the up and up, I might see them walking away from whatever Lyle is up to, but Luis and Levitt are hardly your clean-cut pillars of society. They're drunk or high most of the time. While they may not agree with what Lyle does, my gut tells me that they still have contact."
"Then let's hope your gut is right." Carter pulled his laptop out of its bag and plugged it in. "I want to read up on the parents' murder."
Archer was sure that meant that Carter was going to hack into the police reports. The thought made him nervous, and he had to remind himself that Carter had been hacking into federal databases for years. The local sheriff's office wouldn't be an issue. "You want me to order pizza or something?"
"Do you mind if we stay in?" Carter glanced over at him.
"Not at all. What do you like or don't like on your pizza?"
"No pineapple, other than that, get anything."
"I knew I liked you." Archer laughed as he pulled out his phone to find a place that delivered.
"I'd hoped it was for more than my taste in pizza." Carter sat down at the desk, already starting to type.
"Oh, I like you for a lot of reasons. Lack of pineapple on your pizza is a big one though." He wanted to go over and show Carter exactly how much he liked him, but he wasn't going to interrupt his searching. As horny as he'd been since the interlude the night before last, they had a case to solve and that had to come before anything else. They hadn't touched since that night, but they had talked, both agreeing they were up for more should it happen. He hoped being stuck in a motel room for a couple of nights, they could at least work off some of the stress together.
Carter looked back at him and winked.
