Page 62 of The Flame of Carson
“I’ve been better that’s for sure, but all in all not too bad.”Gage shrugged.
Stacey slid onto the bench beside Gage.“I’ll be keeping a close eye on him as he recovers.”
“Don’t let him push you around girl.”Krista grinned.
“Me push HER around?”Gage gaped.“Fat chance there.”
“You got that right.”Stacey added, eliciting pelts of laughter from the others.
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Gage looked up frompolishing off his steak to see it was only him and his team at the table.A quick glance around the yard showed Deb, Nick, and his parents sitting on the deck.Stacey, Krista, and Alora were over on the padded bench in the gazebo no doubt talking about the wedding.He took a deep swallow of his beer and looked at each of his teammates one by one.All of them had the same look.It was time to talk business.
“What’s up guys?”Gage asked.
“Gage, buddy we need to talk.”Ethan answered.
“Yeah, we do.Look, I know I am off the case, but this asshole is escalating.He’s all over the place.First, he starts with just emails and flowers, steps it up by attacking Walt, comes to my house and now he’s targeting me again by damned near blowing my ass to high heaven.We are two steps behind and enough is enough.We need to get in front of this guy.”Gage stated.
“You’re right Gage, we do.”Ethan nodded.
“I may have a way for us to do that.”Tony spoke up.“Yesterday, Elias called me.The information that Doug gave us was in fact legit.There is no doubt that he is here in Austin.Elias says he should have something more concrete for us soon.He thinks he’s close to narrowing down a search area.We get that, and we can possibly find a way to set a trap for him or at least throw out some kind of bait.”
“But he wants Stacey, we know that.”Gage argued.
“Does he?”Lance questioned.
This had everyone looking at Lance in question.Gage thought over what Lance was insinuating.Could they have all been looking at this whole case the wrong way?Was Stacey really the target.Yes, contact was made with her, but all the physical attacks had not been on Stacey.The first was on Walt and the last two were on Gage.Gage furrowed his brow at this line of thinking.
“Why do you think Stacey isn’t the target?”Grant inquired.
“I was listening to the recording from when he called Stacey...”
“Wait!Wait one fucking minute.He called her?When?”Gage demanded.
Ethan cursed, “The morning he blew up your house, he called her at her office.I told Stacey not to tell you, not yet.It was the first time he initiated contact with her other than through emails.Tony was tracing it, but he hung up before we could get a lock.I told her that if he called again, I would tell you.”
“I then sent the recording off to Elias and I think that’s why Elias is close finding him.”Tony added.
Gage took a slow breath and released it.“What...what was said?”Tony glanced at Ethan who nodded.Tony pulled out a digital recorder and hit play.Gage listened to the conversation.“I’m still not catching your line here Hawk.”
“He says that“I have plans and you play a major part in those plans.”He states that she plays a ROLE.If she were his target, don’t you think he would try to scare her?He’s not.Even his emails aren’t designed to scare.Piss off?That’s an affirmative.She’s a piece in his puzzle.”Lance explained.
Gage’s eyes cut across the yard to where Stacey was laughing with Krista and Alora.A shiver shot through him.If Lance was right, and it was rare the man’s instincts were wrong, then who was...“Oh shit.”
“What Gage?”Danny demanded.
“Stacey isn’t this fucker’s target.I think...I think I am.”Gage stammered.
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Yes, Gage had concludedthat it was himself and not Stacey was the actual target.The problem?There was no proof to back up his theory.Well, no proof yet anyway.All he had was his gut and his gut was saying he was right.He glanced up as Stacey came walking down the stairs.Since she was currently working from home, she was not dressed in her usual business attire, instead she was dressed in faded blue jeans and a purple and black flannel shirt.Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.He had to chuckle when he saw her wearing a pair of fuzzy green house shoes.
“You look comfy.”He smirked.
