Right now, he needed answers.
He went back inside, where Andy was pacing the same short strip of floor over and over, as if the househad shrunk to just that space. The kid’s phone was clenched in his hand, thumb hovering uselessly over the screen. Every few seconds, he glanced at it, then away again, like he was afraid he might miss the text if he didn’t constantly check for it.
“They’re both coming,” Brian said quietly.
Andy stopped short and nodded. Relief and fear tangled together in his expression.
“Has Diego texted?” He already knew the answer, but asked it anyway to keep himself anchored.
Andy shook his head. “No.”
“Good.” Time mattered, but how they used it mattered more.
He pulled out one of the dining chairs and turned it around, resting his forearms across the back, and forced himself to breathe evenly. Kids read tension like it was a second language, and Andy already had more than enough of it.
The teen returned to his pacing, and Brian watched him for a beat, then asked, “You know your way around systems, right?”
There was a moment of hesitation. “Uh, yeah. I mean... I rerouted Diego’s IP. That’s all I did.” His words came faster after that. “I don’t mess with anything once I’m in a system. I just look around. I like testing my skills—seeing if I can get in. I don’t steal anything or break stuff.” He winced. “Okay, technically, the hacking part’s illegal, but that’s all I do. I swear. You’ve got to believe me.”
Brian listened without interrupting. The kid wasn’t bragging—he was trying to draw a line and stay on the right side of it. “I do believe you.”
Andy’s shoulders dropped a fraction.
“But I asked because...” He briefly bit his bottom lip, giving the idea he had a second thought before continuing. “Do you think you could get into the security system at the M.E.’s office? Exterior camera feeds for the parking lot and entrances. I want to see if that’s where Tess was taken.”
He knew what he was asking the kid to do, but he didn’t think they really had a choice. Going through official channels meant reporting the kidnapping, which came with delays they couldn’t afford and the chance word would reach Diego that the cops were involved. It was a risk either way. Damned if he did, damned if he didn’t.
Andy froze at the request. “You think it happened there?” He frowned. “Wouldn’t other people have seen something?”
“Not if it was quick. Tess parks in the employee lot at the back of the building. If no one else was leaving at the same time, it would’ve gone unnoticed.” He paused. “And if someone had seen it, they would’ve reported it. That’s why I want to see the camera feeds. If it happened there, we might be able to ID a vehicle or some of the gang members. If it happened somewhere else...” He let the rest go unsaid.
He had to run this like any other investigation. One critical step at a time.
Andy swallowed. “I can get in—unless it’s an internal system with no remote access or something heavily guarded, like a federal core system.”
“It’s neither of those. In fact, it’s an older setup. They’ve been talking about upgrading it for years.”
Relief and confidence flashed across the kid’s face. “Then I can do it without tripping any alarms or leaving any footprints behind. No problem.”
Brian exhaled slowly. “Good. Get to it.”
Andy didn’t hesitate. Grabbing his laptop from the couch, he dropped into a chair at the dining table, shoulders hunching as his focus narrowed. Fear seemed to burn off, replaced by something sharper. His fingers flew over the keys, movements quick and sure. Brian stayed close, standing just behind his shoulder, eyes flickering between the screen, the back door, and a clock on the wall by the kitchen.
“Got it. I’m in.”
Brian blinked. That was... fast. “Already?”
Andy nodded, his eyes locked on the screen. “Older systems are low-hanging fruit.”
“Huh?”
That earned him a snort. “Means it was easy.”
“Ah.” He stared at the screen as the camera list populated, one after another. Andy skimmed them with practiced efficiency, scrolling without hesitation.
“Look for the one labeled rear parking lot or employee lot—something like that,” Brian instructed.
“Here it is.” Andy clicked on the folder, and a live feed filled the screen—grainy, but steady. The lot was mostly empty—only a few vehicles remained, including Tess’s. Long shadows stretched across the pavement. “Looks like we can just rewind from here.”
