Page 65 of The Meaning Of You

I caught Nick’s eye and gave him a thumbs-up. We were getting somewhere.

Lachlan continued, sounding more frustrated by the minute. “Davis didn’t want you to know about it for that very reason. You do work for the police and his brother is a cop. He didn’t want to compromise either of you.”

Nick blinked. “Compromise? Exactly what was he doing that mightcompromiseus? You said it was just research.”

“It was,” Lachlan insisted. “But that doesn’t make it safe.”

Nick and I exchanged a glance. We were hitting a wall.

He ran a hand over his mouth. “So, why did Davis askyou?”

Lachlan hesitated. “Because we knew each other from high school.”

Nick frowned at the screen. “I don’t remember him mentioning?—”

“We were acquaintances, nothing more,” Lachlan explained. “I was a year behind, so I barely clocked on his social radar. But we played in the same senior volleyball team, so... Anyway, he’d read a few of my investigative pieces and wanted to know if I could introduce him to an expert in the field he was going to write about.”

“An expert in creating new identities,” I offered, the words out before I could stop them.Shit.

Nick shot me a dismayed look and I mouthed an apology.

“Who the fuck is that?” Lachlan demanded.

Nick waved me around to his side of the table. “A friend.” He drilled me with a glare. “At least for now.”

I snorted and slid into the seat beside Nick. Then I wriggled my fingers at Lachlan King, an attractive man with a pale complexion and dark auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail. Freckles fanned both cheeks, and the expression he wore was definitively pissed off. “Hi,” I said.

Lachlan scowled but said nothing.

“Does this expert’s name happen to start with J.?” I pressed, ignoring Nick’s wide-eyed stare, followed by a sharp crack to my ankle.

“Jesus Christ.” Lachlan’s eyes closed for a long few seconds before opening again. “Do you have any idea the risk you’re taking just asking about this shit?”

I ignored his warning, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Clearly not. But how aboutyouanswer the question.”

He hesitated then said, “Yes. His name was Justin.”

I almost fist pumped the air but Nick fired me another warning glare, so I sat back and let him take over.

“Yes,” Lachlan answered in a hushed voice. “He forged identity documents and he was damn good at it.”

I made the leap. “Hewas your source for that drug kingpin you found, wasn’t he? Justin created his new identity, and then for some reason he leaked it to you.” My right leg jiggled up and down as I worked it through. “Andhewas the reason Davis was on that road the day of the accident. Davis had been to see him.”

The phone went silent and I repeated the question. “Hadn’t he?”

“Yes,” Lachlan hissed. “Yes.” He broke a heavy sigh. “Justin’s property was not far from there.”

Nick was frowning. “Why would this Justin guy dob in a client to you? It would ruin his business if word got out.”

“Or get him killed,” Lachlan muttered. “But he was already getting death threats from the man’s gang affiliations who he owed money to. They wanted to know where, or moreimportantly,whohe was. So, Justin contacted me on the quiet and slipped me the guy’s new name. He knew that when the man was arrested, Justin would be off the hook.”

“But how did the gang know it was Justin who’d set up the new identity?”

Lachlan shot me a scathing look. “Because he was the best. Everyone knew that. Even if they didn’t know exactly who Justin was, they knew how to get in touch with him.”

“And Davis wanted to learn about what Justin did,” I said, almost to myself.

“Yes,” Lachlan confirmed. “So I set up an introduction. Justin owed me a favour for keeping his name quiet when things got a bit hairy with the police, and even though he was reluctant at first, the two of them became almost friendly. It was supposed to be a single phone interview, but they ended up meeting a half-dozen times at Justin’s actual home. The idea blew me away since I’d only ever met him once myself, and certainly none of his clients ever saw his face. But it turned out Justin was a serious fan of Davis’s books. Go figure. The day of the accident was supposed to be their last meeting.”

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