Page 18 of One Step Sideways

“What are the chances you’d meet the same enhanced twice?” Danny murmured.

I thought about the kid. His mannerisms, reactions. “He doesn’t want to be in that situation,” I said. “His dad is forcing him.” And fuck, did I know what that felt like.

“We need to confirm a name,” Rawlings said, almost to himself.

“You said a case,” I reminded him. I had a feeling this was more than just a robbery.

He nodded then looked at Danny. Danny passed me a printed sheet and I looked at the picture. It was an enhanced teenager.

“We’re not sure—”

“It’s him,” I said, looking at the enhanced that had been at both robberies. “Who is he?”

“Shae Turner,” Danny said. “Seventeen. Mom, Abigail Turner, died in a house fire when Shae was thirteen, just after his father was released from prison. Shae inherited approximately $7000 which went straight into a joint bank account he opened with his father, John. It’s all gone. John Turner’s last stretch was seven years for possession. Shae spent many nights with his maternal grandmother up until father’s release. Coincidentally, the grandmother also died in a house fire while Shae was spending the night at his father’s a year after he was released. His school record was exemplary before then, even though he was the only enhanced student there. No known abilities. Then once daddy dearest got out, everything went to hell.”

“And no one cared,” I said bitterly. It wasn’t a question.

“You’d think,” Danny agreed. “He’s down as a missing person. He’s also eighteen in four days.”

“So, this is the job? To find the kid?” It seemed weird. Not something a private security firm would do.

Rawlings shook his head. “No. This has nothing to do with the teenager and we’ll pass his case on. This is a little different, and definitely something we’ve never done before. A-SAC Gregory has reached out to us to see if we might help with a case, and we think the dad is involved.”

I frowned. “Help how?”

Rawlings looked pained and I had an awful feeling it was because of what he was about to ask.

“They need someone with specialized experience.”

“Specialized?” I had an awful feeling.

“You know legally detaining enhanced is a challenge depending on their ability?” I nodded but Rawlings didn’t seem to need an answer. “Well, there was a scandal with keeping kids locked up in Orlando a couple of years ago that the Tampa team shut down, and for minors it’s been much better since then, but adults—”

“Or thosetriedas adults,” I said, which got another dip of his head.

“They’re using regular prisons, but maximum security.”

“I guess.”

“The trouble is, there’s been some so-called escapes.”

“What the fuck?” But then I stopped.“So-called?”What the hell did that mean?

Danny passed me another printed sheet of paper. I clasped it probably too quickly and our fingers brushed, and a million tiny jolts ran up my arm. I nearly shivered. I heard the tiny inhale and nearly dropped the paper, but Rawlings just carried on, oblivious to me touching what felt like a live wire. I was glad he did because I couldn’t have looked at Danny then if someone had paid me.

I’d heard the gasp. Did that mean he’d felt it? Maybe it was just one of those weird static things.

“Rome Molina, twenty-seven. Got in with the wrong crowd. Car theft, minor stuff, but the judge took one look at him and sent him away for nine years.”

I heaved a sigh and concentrated on the picture. “Same old bullshit then?”

“Thing is, he has a mom and a younger brother. They visited him last month and Rome only has four months left to do. Model prisoner. Everyone from the guards up liked him. They say all he wanted was to go home and start his life. He’s even got a job lined up. He has some sort of ability with machinery. Can see what’s wrong with an engine just by looking at it.”

“There’s a guard named Seamus Brown who insists there’s no way this guy escaped,” Danny said.

“Did anyone else escape?” I asked.

Rawlings shook his head. “Apparently the air-conditioning units all malfunctioned, and they think he got out with help through the vents. They think there was someone on the repair team that helped him. The guy didn’t show up for work today and no one can contact him. He was also a new hire.”