What?
Was that even a thing these days? Didn’t people have ankle monitors, and…wasn’t anybody keeping tabs on him?
“He was reported missing five weeks ago,” Julian told her, “and so far he hasn’t been found.”
Petula swallowed, taking it all in while swiftly going over the implications. “You think he might come after us,” she stated.
Statler was the one to nod. “One or both of us. And if Jefferson is smart, which we remember he is, he won’t let a few name changes stand in the way of finding us.Ifhe already hasn’t.”
Petula, who had been paying attention to everyone, but mostly Julian, saw the man’s face go white.
“Shit,” Julian snapped.
“What?” Several voices barked out the question at the same time.
Julian looked shaken as he addressed them all. “I don’t suppose any of you have a beat-up blue pickup? Blacked out windows?” He named the make and model.
“Not us,” Hazard answered sharply. “Why?”
Julian groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Because when Petula and I met for coffee at the Moose and Muffin onSaturday, I noted a vehicle of that description drive by the café several times.” His look hardened. “I didn’t think much of it, knowing all of you are ex-military. I figured one of you had been assigned to look out for Petula.”
Sherbert got up purposely from his chair to retrieve his computer from a bag by the door. He sat down again, balancing it on his lap, already logging in.
“Sherb?” Statler asked.
“I want to see if the Moose and Muffin, or any of the businesses nearby, have video surveillance footage I can tap into,” he responded, already distracted.
“You can do that?” Petula asked. She knew Sherb was a computer whiz, but she didn’t know his skills extended to that kind of hacking.
“I’m…not sure,” he allowed with a grunt. “I’ve never tried before, on a local level. When I was deployed, I was privy to all kinds of encryption-busters that the government provided. The civilian world doesn’t work quite the same way, but I’m hoping for a miracle.”
“I know someone who can make it happen. I’m calling Tex,” Julian pulled his phone from his pocket without hesitation.
“Tex?” Petula questioned. “Who’s that?”
Sherb suddenly looked excited. “Only the best hacker anyone’s ever heard of.” His voice actually cracked before addressing Julian “Will you…let me talk to him?”
Julian nodded, then held up a finger.
“Tex? Julian.” He chuckled dryly. “Yeah. Of course you knew that. I’m here with Petula, Statler, and Statler’s crew.”
Julian’s eyes widened, and this time he gave an actual laugh before he addressed everyone in the room. “He just rattled off all your names.”
“Damn, that man is good,” Sherbert marveled.
Julian went back to the call.
“No.” He answered a question from Tex, then reiterated for the group. “This isn’t a social call. Petula might have picked up a tail. And by tail, I mean her brother. Sherbert needs to tap into some local camera surveillance to find out if it’s him, and doesn’t quite have what he needs to do it.” He gave Tex the address of the Moose and Muffin, then nodded and proffered his phone to Sherb.
“He wants to talk to you.”
Sherbert’s color, which was already high, went off the charts to a fiery red.
“Me?” he squeaked, but reached eagerly for Julian’s device.
“Mister… Tex. Sir,” Sherb stumbled. “It’s an honor to speak with you.” There was a brief pause. “Yes. I have my computer right here. Let me…” He lifted his device and walked toward the kitchen in a semi-daze. “I’m getting to a place where I won’t be disturbed.”
They watched him go, then Petula sparked up the conversation again.
