Afraid of the Dark - James Grippando [114]
Jack let that one go. The walls had ears, and Andie’s middle name was Walls.
“Anyway,” she said, “Something set him off today.”
“What set him off? That’s the thing I’m trying to understand.”
“I really don’t know. He’s been edgy lately, and when he came back from wherever he went tonight, it was like a bomb exploding. I had to fight my way out of the apartment. Thankfully, I can outrun just about anyone.”
Jack could attest to that.
“Anyway,” said Shada, “I started this conversation by asking you where Vince is.”
“Chuck doesn’t know?” asked Jack. “Why doesn’t he just track him down with his cell phone spyware the same way you found me?”
“We tried,” said Shada. “But the spyware doesn’t work if you remove the battery from the cell. Vince knows that, and that’s what has Chuck a little worried.”
“Maybe I should check in with his wife.”
“Chuck did already. If you call, she’ll just worry even more.”
The only other option was to call the police, but he knew the cops wouldn’t help find someone who’d been missing for just two hours.
“Let’s go to the hotel and wait for him,” said Shada. “I need your computer.”
“To find Vince?”
“No.” Shada put down the ice. “I’ve been getting more and more suspicious since I heard Jamal was dead. Once I get a bad feeling about someone, I don’t just sit around and play victim.”
“Meaning what?” said Jack.
Shada dug into her pocket and pulled out a handful of USB flash drives. “While Habib was out today, I copied some files from his laptop.”
“Does Chuck know about this?”
“Why do you think we tracked you down so fast when we couldn’t find Vince?”
Jack was suddenly feeling better about the trust issue. “Can I see those files?”
“Not without Chuck.”
“Naturally,” said Jack, wondering how the world had turned before Web conferences. “Let’s patch him in.”
Chapter Fifty-nine
It was a ten-minute walk to the hotel. Not surprisingly, Shada was facile with the computer, and Jack zoned out as she set up communication with Chuck. Funny how the mind works, but Jack spent half that time trying to remember the name of the pub they had just left. Too many authentic pubs had converted into gastro bars—not much profit in Scotch eggs, but tuna tartare was a whole new world—and Jack thought he might want to return someday with Andie, when this insanity was over.
Hamilton Hall. That’s it.
“We’re good to go,” said Shada. “Chuck, can you hear me?”
Jack expected to see Chuck’s face on his computer screen, but it was his usual desktop even when Chuck’s voice came over the speaker.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
Shada explained. “Chuck has control over your computer now. We can watch what he clicks on, what files he accesses. It’s as if he’s in the room with us and we’re looking over his shoulder.”
Jack wondered how many times Chuck had done one of these remote-access jobs without people knowing it.
“Go ahead and insert the flash drive,” said Chuck. He was talking about the files Shada had copied from Habib’s computer.
“Which one?” she asked.
“How the fuck would I know, Shada?”
“You don’t have to be nasty about it,” she said.
Jack detected the tone of a man none too keen on his wife’s sleeping habits. So much for any likelihood of long-term coordination between these two.
“I really don’t know which one to choose,” she said.
“Just pick one that has video content. I’m most interested in seeing what this fucker has been downloading.”
His tone wasn’t getting any sweeter. Jack just hoped Chuck could control his anger long enough to get the information they needed from Shada.
Shada sorted through the flash drives. She’d numbered them, presumably based on the order in which she’d copied the files. Jack filled the lull with what was on his mind. “Chuck, do you know where Vince is?”
Chuck didn’t answer right away, and it was more than just a Web transmission delay. Finally, the response came over the