Page 39 of A Simple Mistake
Jack had no reason to think Conrad was lying, and yet… His trip to help Skylar had just turned into a chance to settle old scores.
From his expression, Aidan guessed as much.“Alex said you had unfinished business.That you might relish the chance to… tidy up.Was she wrong?”
Jack returned to his breakfast.“No.She isn’t wrong.I went to help investigate a spate of high-profile kidnappings.Victims snatched from concerts and fan events.”
“Kidnap for ransom?”
“At first.Then they started killing.Cases all over the world.”
“How far did you get with the case?”Aidan took a sip from his own coffee.“I assume you didn’t get to the bottom of it.”
“We were trying to identify the kidnappers.Analyse data from all cases, find commonalities and patterns, but we caught a live case while I was there.We managed to rescue the victim, but—”
“But what?”
Jack hated having to answer that question.“We never got far enough to catch the kidnappers or identify their backers.Task force broke apart.”
Aidan nodded like someone familiar with team dynamics.“Recriminations?Politics?Or too many egos in the room?”
“All the above.”Jack had been happy to stay and keep working.Gatting had made sure they were recalled.“Akane,” he said.
“Come again?”
“It wasn’t Skylar who asked for me, was it?It was Sakurai Akane.”
“Damn, you’re good.”Aidan looked so dismayed, Jack guessed he’d lost a bet with Alex.“I don’t know who she is, but you’re right.Skylar says she suggested he call you.”
“Akane’s one of the sneakiest hackers I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.She was police when we worked together, but she’s intelligence now.They give her more scope to use her steel-trap mind.”
“You kept in touch.”
“We did.”They shared news and exploits and the last time they’d met face to face, they’d trained together in Akane’s father’s dojo.Tokaji-sensei had helped Jack realise where he’d made the wrong choice.And Jack, in his turn, had helped Akane see beyond the limitations of Japanese society and consider a job that challenged all of her.Jack didn’t have a large circle of friends, but he counted Akane amongst them.“How is Akane involved in Skylar’s problems?”
“I don’t know.I’m assuming Skylar has his hands full with his job and doesn’t have the bandwidth to investigate kidnapping cases.”
“Fair enough.”Jack had only the vaguest idea what all Skylar’s job as “stylist to Tempest’s Asia tour” involved, but he imagined it was manic.“What—precisely—do you want me to do, then?”
“I can’t answer that one, either.Take out sleazebags?Solve the kidnappings?I only know they want your help.”
“Make it up as I go, is that what I’m hearing?”
“Pretty much.Fly in, talk Skylar off the ledge, come home would also work for me.”
“Right.”Jack leaned back to let their server clear the empty plates, mentally sorting through Aidan’s briefing.He checked his watch, realised he had time before he had to board his flight.Time to check in with Akane.Time to retrieve his notes from the kidnapping case.
Then he’d have twelve hours to read, remember, and make plans.
“I know this isn’t an ideal situation,” Aidan began and stopped when Jack shook his head.
“Akane wouldn’t call if she didn’t think I could help.And if Icanhelp, then going is worthwhile.Let’s leave it there, and I’ll keep you in the loop.”
“Thank you.”The relief on Aidan’s face was almost comical, but Jack kept that thought to himself.
Hard at Work
Thesoundofthetaxi died away.Nico and Daniel hustled back upstairs, leaving Gareth alone in the hallway, staring at the closed front door.From one heartbeat to the next, the house felt too big and silent, like a church at night, and for a moment he didn’t dare move, afraid his steps would raise an echo.
He wasn’t as used to Jack rushing out to help at the drop of a hat as he’d believed.Just keeping his composure while talking to Conrad and watching Jack pack a bag had been harder than expected.As for moping in the hallway because he couldn’t fix things to his liking—Gareth growled at his own stupidity.
