Page 43 of The Meaning Of You

Samuel chuckled. “I remember. And you’re sure he never mentioned it to you?”

“Of course I’m sure,” I huffed indignantly. “But that’s not all. They were bought with a credit card from a bank we’ve never dealt with.”

That shut him up and I waited a long silent minute for his cop brain to fire into gear.

“Okay, I’ll admit it sounds a little off,” he finally conceded. “Maybe the laptop was in the car with him when he crashed?”

“It wasn’t,” I said, adamant. “I’ve been through the box of stuff the police gave back to me, including the inventory that came with it. There’s no mention of any laptop or parts of one anywhere, and the phone pieces just look like Davis’s usual one.””

“And you’re sure they didn’t keep it?” He was stretching and we both knew it.

“Why would they?” I scanned the items on the table once again.

“Point,” Samuel agreed. “How about I check with them anyway? I’ll ask the officer in charge of Davis’s traffic case.”

The relief I felt was surprising. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

Samuel continued, “And you’re thinking the laptop and folder might be in the caravan?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I thought I’d drive down and take a look. The idea that he’d just gone and bought a new laptop and phone without me knowing doesn’t sit right.”

Samuel’s sigh said it all about what might be on the line. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I huffed dispiritedly. “No, Samuel, of course I’m not bloody sure. There aren’t a lot of reasons why he’d do something like that, and none of them bode well.”

“Okay, fine,” Samuel soothed. “But if there’s anything on it that Davis didn’t want you to find, don’t you think he would’ve used a password?”

“Shit,” I grumbled. “I hadn’t thought that far. I’ll check our lockbox app.”

“And what?” Samuel huffed. “Search for the one that says secret laptop password?”

I snorted. “Knowing Davis, that’s not as ridiculous as it sounds. But I can search by the date a password was added or edited, so I’ll look around the date of the receipt. It’s at least worth a look. Besides, we’re assuming there’s something untoward in all this. It might be nothing more than a second laptop that he bought because he wanted to. In which case, there’d be no reason to hide the password would there?”

“And the credit card?” Samuel raised a point I’d conveniently chosen to ignore and had no answer to, so I said nothing. He sighed. “But you’re right. We’re jumping to conclusions.”

I wanted to agree. I wanted him to persuade me that I was panicking for no reason. Instead, I said, “You’re feeling it too, aren’t you? That this whole thing is weird.”

He hesitated long enough to let me know I was right. “I don’t know what to think,” he confessed. “A new laptop and phone are one thing, but a new credit card?” He sighed. “Davis wasn’t the secretive kind, so it has to mean something. You want meto come with you? I’m just shuffling paperwork. I’m not even supposed to be here.”

“No,” I answered in a rush. If Davis had been up to something, I didn’t want any company when I found out. “I’d prefer to do this on my own. If nothing else, it’ll get me out of the house. You can tell Lizzie I’m going to clean Davis’s stuff out. He loved that caravan. He used to drive us down there for fish and chips on the beach. Just don’t mention the laptop and shit. Not until there’s something more to tell.”

“Okay. But call me when you get back. Don’t make me hunt you down. I want a full report. In the meantime, I’ll check back through the case notes and ask a few questions.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Samuel. It means a lot that you’d help.”

“Why wouldn’t I help? And I’ll tell you one thing for free. If that brother of mine was up to no good, I’ll be digging him up and scattering the pieces as shark bait in Waitemata Harbour.”

My laugh sounded slightly manic. “Jesus Christ, Samuel, you’re weird as fuck sometimes.”

He snorted. “And you’re only seeing this now? Don’t forget to call.”

“I won’t,” I promised. “And I’ll do better with the whole keeping-in-touch thing, as well.”

He grunted. “See that you do.”

I ended the call and eyeballed Shelby who’d woken and was watching me with a decidedly bored expression. “Make yourself useful and guard the house.”

By way of response, she got to her feet and sidled past my face, making sure to brush my nose with her tail in the process. Then she jumped down from the table and made her way into the kitchen where she sat in front of her empty bowl, eyeing me expectantly.

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