Page 184 of The Re-Proposal

“Understood. I have other matters to tend to.” He checks his watch. “I asked Ris to stay with him tonight. I’ll head back to the office.”

I frown. “The office? Shouldn’t you—I don’t know—go home and sleep? We were up late last night helping Maggie. We barely got a few hours in.”

“There’s too much to do.”

“Like what?”

“Like catching Winifred.”

“Winifred?” I gasp.

“The police have been looking for him. Tonight, we found out he snuck back into the city, but no one knows why.”

“About that, we got a lead,” Vargas says.

Cody and I both go still.

Vargas flashes his phone. “I just got a call from Doberman.”

“They found him?”

“No, but they know why he’s here.”

“Revenge?” Cody looks bored. “Who did they confirm it with?”

“They found an online server made up of disgruntled ex-employees—”

“Wait. Wait.” I wave a hand. “An online server. Cody has his own anti-fan group?”

Cody’s expression is blank. “Let me guess. Their logo is a bear with a knife through its head.”

“How did you know?”

“All the hate mail lately has that same image.”

“You get hate mail?”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“We believe the guy who threw the spark plug porcelain at your window belongs to this forum. Clay and his team are trying to locate him.”

“Wait. You’re hunting down Motorcycle Guy? By yourself? Outside of the police?”

Cody nods.

“Why didn’t you tell me,” I stammer.

“I didn’t know you wanted the details.”

“Of course I want to be informed.”

“We have it handled.”

“Clearly.”

“I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed.” He drapes his fingers across my shoulder. “Don’t be mad.”

“Iammad.”

---