CHAPTER TWELVE
Gibson Global wasoff Ponce De Leon Boulevard on a large section of land with plenty of trees, a small marina, and a few small businesses sparsely scattered, all of which worked to their advantage. Since the company’s cargo ships and containers were located at Connolly Maritime, and the investigation was ongoing, the modestly sized one-story building was empty. Even without an investigation, the company would likely be closed while the family dealt with the repercussions of Gibson’s death.
Jack parked the smaller surveillance van on a side street several yards away and took care of the security cameras around Gibson Global using his laptop.
“Gibson’s personal computer is offline,” Jack said, stuffing his laptop into a black backpack. “We need to get in there to access his files.”
“What kind of security are we dealin’ with?” Ryden asked, smiling when Chip slapped his paw on Ryden’s leg and stared at him, making Ryden chuckle. “Your dog is not subtle.”
Joker snorted. “Not when scritches and you-know-whats are concerned.”
“The system is nothing I can’t bypass,” Jack replied.
“Can you disable it from here?” Ryden asked, giving in to Chip’s demand for ear scratches.
“For the most part, but I’ll need to disable the alarms manually from the security panel. I’ll let you know once it’s done. Comms in.” Jack pulled the black baseball cap low and stepped out of the van.
Ryden secured the tiny earpiece in his ear. “Comms check.”
“Loud and clear,” Jack replied.
“Loud and clear,” Joker echoed. He playfully flicked Chip’s ear, chuckling at Chip’s impressive side-eye. “So, you and Jay.”
Rydan glanced at Joker. “Really? You too?”
“What?”
“Why’s everyone so interested in what happens between me and Jay?”
Joker leaned back in his chair. “Well, for one, Jay’s like the little brother we never had. Also, you two have been dancing around each other for years now. It’s like the most frustrating dating show ever. Will he? Won’t he? What’s he going to throw next?”
“You watch datin’ shows?”
Joker arched an eyebrow at him. “Do I look like I watch dating shows?”
“How should I know? I can never tell with y’all. Ace watches Hallmark movies.”
“Because Colton loves them.”
“And Jack watchesThe Great British Bake Off.”
“Because Fitz loves it,” Jack replied through their earpiece. “He and Red nerd out about it. It’s also very relaxing.”
“See?” Ryden shrugged. “Why’d it be such a stretch that Gio might watch datin’ shows and, by extension, you?”
“Gio watches documentaries and quirky whodunit shows.”
“Really?”
Joker nodded. “Yep. And don’t think I don’t know you’re trying to distract me from my question.”
“YouBridgertonladies done spilling the tea,” Jack teased.
Joker rolled his eyes and shook his head. They secured their black baseball caps and blended into the shadows, wearing black T-shirts, tactical pants, and boots. Chip silently trotted alongside Joker as they made their way to the back of Gibson Global. A small light blinked twice, and they hurried to the open door where Jack waited. Gloves on, they got to work.
Inside, the building was dark, with just enough light coming through the windows to prevent them from bumping into things. Joker and Ryden removed their flashlights from their pockets, quickly and carefully scanning the doors for the right office.
“What’re we lookin’ for?” Ryden whispered as they passed the reception area. They headed straight for the door with Gibson’s name on it. Jack removed what looked like a keycard from his pocket and tapped it against the reader. How Jack had gotten his hands on a keycard so quickly was beyond Ryden, but that was why Jack was the head of Cybersecurity.
