Page 95 of Stitch
“I can’t believe I didn’t realise that sooner. My head is a fucking mess, guys.”
Reacher heaved a heavy sigh.
“Fuck this. I need a proper cup of coffee to deal with this shit. Ice, make drinks.”
“The fuck? Suddenly my tech skills are for shit, and I’m a fucking canteen lady? Go fuck yourself.”
I snorted, going to make the damn drinks myself. One coffee wouldn’t hurt the Pres, right?
By the time Camille returned from the bathroom, finally fully covered up, I handed her a coffee, and she took my chair, leaving me to sit beside Reacher.
“So, what else can your tech skills get us, Ice? Apparently not your head out of your ass.”
He fought the smirk my words caused, and flipped me off.
“Just dipping into her financials and shit. She was barely making ends meet, so that was no different from when she was here a lot, although she sometimes helped out at the spray shop for extra cash. The new address seems to be shared with another woman, so maybe that’s why the move. Shared bills and shit. Her body was discovered yesterday evening, by a poor bastard out walking his dog. Without autopsy records and shit, best they’re willing to estimate is that she’s been dead about 2-3 days.”
Fuck. She lay there out in the open somewhere, dead and unnoticed for thatlong.
“That’s… how the fuck does a body sit somewhere for that long and nobody fucking finds it?”
“She was out of the way, down a track in Shears Woods. I guess the dog wandered off the trail and barked his ass off or something.”
“Unless the guy who ‘found’ her was the murderer, and he wanted his work found?” I frowned at my wife, who came out with the most insightful shit sometimes.
“Jesus. She’s got a point. Who is this guy?”
Ice smirked again. “Oh… so now we need my ‘tech shit’?”
“Asshole… wait, that’s probably Ryder or Has.” I got up and pulled the door open, to find a groggy-looking Ryder standing there. I glanced out into the hall behind him, but there was no sign of Has-Been yet.
“Seen Has?”
He frowned. “That’s why you guys called me the fuck down here? Go knock on his damn door.”
I let him in, casting a look at Has’ closed door. I’d give him five more minutes, then go and do exactly that.
“Ry, sit down man. It’s not good news.” I made him a coffee while Reacher filled him in.
“Tell me you’re fucking kidding, please. She’s such a sweet girl. Fuck!” He had his head in his hands when I brought him his drink, and waited until he’d grasped it, before I ousted Camille from her seat, pulling her back into my lap.
“We’re gonna find out who did this, brother. He’ll pay for it.”
He rubbed his sleeve across his eyes, still looking a little teary when he looked at me.
“Damn right he’ll fucking pay. This asshole is on borrowed time. Ice, give me something to fucking do.”
Another huffy groan was his only response, as he kept fussing with his screen.
“No sign of Has, and his phone is off, so he didn’t get our text.”
I got up. “I’ll go knock on his door. He’ll want to be a part of this.”
I headed down the hall to Has’ door, and pounded on it with my fist.
“Wake up, asshole!”
There was noise behind the door, his voice, and was there another voice inthere?
