“Shit, I can’t work like this,“ Colt grumbles, pushing the keyboard away from him. ‘Someone, grab something to eat. Pax, quit tapping your feet. It’s driving me crazy.’
“Did you find anything?” my little brother mumbles.
My gaze remains fixed on Colt, but when he pulls his keyboard toward him without answering, I grab my phone to ask West toorder food for us. My fingers fly across my phone to send the text. As soon as I put my phone away, I sit down next to Paxton on the couch and rest my head on the backrest behind me. I close my eyes and Layne’s face appears in my mind’s eye. Not the image of what she looks like now, but fifteen-year-old Layne. I recall a pleasant afternoon at Folsom Lake with Pax, Jack, Brooks, Ash, Lizzy, and Layne. That army-green bikini, her black hair pulled back tightly in a ponytail that fell to her shoulder blades. The carefree smile on her face that I haven’t seen since she came back. I want that smile…
“Got something.”
Colt speaks softly, but I jump to my feet. With a few steps, I’m standing next to him. “What is it?”
“I’m not sure yet.” His frantic typing is driving me crazy.
“Colt, come on. What is it?” With raised eyebrows, I stare at the screen, following his movements. “Is that someone else’s computer?”
“Uh, yeah.” He leans closer to the screen.
Meanwhile, Pax comes up behind me and bends down, resting one hand on the desk where Colton’s sitting.
“Fuck, is that…”
“Yeah.” The tip of Colt’s tongue appears in the corner of his mouth.
“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Frustrated, I throw my hands in the air.
Pax points at the computer screen. “Our nerd has access to Vanderberg’s email account.” A broad grin spreads across Paxton’s face.
“What?” My jaw drops. “You’re in his email? You can read everything?”
Unconcerned, he continues clicking. “Okay, I’ll print out a few emails, but I believe it’s some kind of code. And I’m still waiting on Dragonfly to answer a question.”
“Dragonfly?”
Without taking his eyes off the screen, he nods and says, “It’s a code name. We don’t use real names online.”
Makes sense. I don’t really care, as long as I know he’s looking for information. “What’s your code name?”
After a sigh, he mumbles, “Lone wolf.”
“Lone wolf?”
“That’s what I said.” He pulls the beanie off his head and puts it on the table. “Is dinner ready yet?”
We silently eat the pizza West had just brought. Pax drops some tomato sauce from his pizza onto the paper in front of him.
“Shit.” Sighing, he grabs a napkin and starts wiping. “Not that it was anything important, but still… shit.”
“Is it those emails?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.
“Yep. They’ve ordered a ship, but haven’t specified when it will arrive. So not much intel.” He rubs his forehead with his free hand and brushes a stray strand of hair behind his ear.
“The Kid.” An hour has passed, and Brooks hasn’t moved from his spot in the corner of the couch; if he hadn’t spoken, I would have forgotten he was there. I turn to him with a questioning look. “He needs to know more. We have to go to him.”
I’m already getting up to go with him.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Pax deadpans. “You’re going to see two kids who are withmymom, not their mother.”
“Damn it, Pax, she’s my wife. I have to—”
“I’m going with Ash to see The Kid.”
