He wasn't much taller than her. Something about him seemed familiar, but nothing that would hold up in a court of law. Nothing that would make me shout out 'a-ha.'
"Anything?" Cass set his milkshake down and sat beside me.
I shook my head.
"Have you ever felt like something was caught on the edge of your brain, but you couldn't figure out what?" I asked, addressing the question to all of them. "I feel like I should know exactly who that is, but I don't."
"How can you when you can't see their face?" Cass asked. "They could be someone I know too, but I can't place them." He squinted at the screen before consoling himself with a mouthful of milkshake.
"You'd have to get out and meet people before they can be someone you know," Jules said.
"I get out and meet people," Cass argued. "I wouldn't be here otherwise." He jerked his head across the span of the table, indicating all of us.
Boner snorted at the retort, but didn't point out that Cass had Jules there. It was implied eloquently enough.
Jules smirked at both of them.
I grimaced, but focused on the phone in my hand, replaying the footage over and over, hoping at some point, something in my brain would click.
I was usually more observant than this. Being sloppy got people like me killed. Okay, I was being hard on myself. Imagining I could identify someone from grainy CCTV footage.
"You should stop for a while," Cass said, breaking through my thoughts.
How long was I sitting there watching that footage? Long enough that he'd finished his milkshake. Long enough that my eyes were starting to hurt.
I turned off the phone and put it down.
"I'm missing something," I said softly.
I was still struggling to get my head around the idea Erin betrayed me. I thought we took care of each other. She was more than my employee, she was my friend. Or so I thought.
If I'd missed that, what else had I missed?
I had to figure it out before it got us all killed.
We all startled when an unfamiliar ring tone sounded out through the kitchen area.
"That's Fairfield's phone," Cass whispered.
"Who the hell would be calling that prick?" Boner asked.
Cass shook his head, slid the phone out of his pocket and placed it on the table in front of us.
CHAPTER 19
HARLOW
"We can't just…answer that." I stared at the phone while Cass scrambled to his feet and bolted to his bedroom. He came back with his laptop, all but slammed it down on the table and wrenched it open.
The phone stopped ringing.
"Typical," Boner remarked.
I hummed my agreement. "I guess if it's important?—"
The phone started ringing again.
Cass gestured something vague, but then nodded and waved his hand at the phone, indicating that someone should answer it.
