Page 103 of Broken Wheels

Doc shrugged. “Two reasons I can think of. First, maybe the person knows what’s going on, kind of like I did, and this is how they’re helping to stop him. Two, they’re so certain they’re in control, they figure they can give me a little and then shut me down.” He sighed. “But that wasn’t why I needed you to call Chalmers, although I do think he needs to watch his ass.” A shiver traveled through him. “I just hope I’m wrong.”

Dix’s phone buzzed, and he clicked Answer. “Has Agent Chalmers arrived?”

“Yes, sir,” Grayson replied.

“Send him up here.” He ended the call, then peered at Doc. “Show time.”

A few minutes later, there was a tap at the door, and he went to open it.

Chalmers stood there, frowning. “Why all the cloak-and-dagger antics?” he demanded as he came into the apartment.

Dix pointed to Doc. “Ask him.” He gestured to the dining table. “Let’s sit.” He needed to know what the fuck was going on.

Doc waited until he and Chalmers were seated before launching into a rapid, babbling stream of words that made little sense.

Dix held his hands up. “Whoa there, Doc. Slow down.”

Doc took a breath. “Have either of you heard of Aaron Spencer?”

Dix frowned. “That name rings a bell.” He searched his memory. “Yeah. CrossBow was hired to guard him a few times before he created his own security force. Some kind of do-gooder, isn’t he? I think there’s talk about him wanting to go into politics.”

“A do-gooder with his own security force?” Chalmers stared at them. “Why would he even need such a thing?”

“I think I know.” Another shiver rippled through Doc. “Here’s what I’ve gleaned so far.”

Dix listened, struggling to see where Doc was going with this. “So he’s gotten fed up of waiting for action from the government and decided to do what needs to be done. What’s wrong with that?”

Doc gaped at him. “You don’t see it, do you? Either of you.”

“See what?” Chalmers seemed as lost as Dix.

“Okay, let me paint you a picture.” Doc took another deep breath. “Spencer decides he wants to go into politics. Nothing wrong with that, right? But suppose he wants to make sure he has a huge following before he sets out on that road. His company makes a name for itself by swooping in and cleaning up a lot of messes. Spencer starts to get noticed. Wins awards. Public acclamation.”

“I’m still not seeing what’s got you so worried,” Dix confessed.

Doc swallowed. “Okay. All these messes….” He stared at them. “What if Spencer was the one to blame for them in the first place?”

Crickets.

Chalmers was the first to break the silence. “Let me see if I’ve got this right. You think Spencer created incidents primarily for him to swoop in and save the day? Why? The man has more money than God.”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s got a Messiah complex. Maybe he needs the adulation. Or maybe he just wants to get himself in the public eye before he announces he’s gonna run for office. Whatever office he feels suits him. And let’s not forget one really important fact.” Doc met Chalmers’s incredulous gaze. “Aaron Spencer… AS…. Do those initials ring a bell too?”

An icy wave washed over Dix. “Aw fuck.”

Doc nodded. “It’s him, I’m sure of it. He’s the one who’s taken over the development of the toxin, and he’s using it for his own nefarious ends.”

Dix leaned forward, his gaze locked on Doc. “Wow. You could be right.” He grinned. “This is Grade-fucking-A detective work, Doc.” Then his brow furrowed. “But what if it is him? How does that help us? Knowing it’s him doesn’t prove anything. Honestly, isn’t this just supposition at this point?”

“I can do some digging,” Chalmers said. “Let’s see if Spencer had two killers on his payroll. In fact, let’s take a closer look at his security staff,” he air-quoted. He bit his lip. “Listen, with my boss missing, the office is in an uproar. I’d like to talk to… well, someone I used to be close with.”

Doc’s brows went up. “How close?”

Chalmers pushed out a sigh. “He’s my ex. He’s a good guy, and we parted amicably. Well… mostly. Let me run this by him so we’re proceeding within the lines of the law. From this point on, everything has to be signed off on, especially if we’re going to try to bring Spencer down. With the money he has, he could keep this tied up in court for decades. We need ironclad proof.”

“And we need to keep this quiet,” Dix urged. “No one outside this room, with the exception of Gary and Michael and Chalmers’s friend, can know what we’re doing.”

“And what are we doing?” Doc asked, his eyes wide.

---