The Silence That Speaks (Forensic Instincts 4)

The kid’s hand tightened on his blade handle, waiting for the woman to cross. He was clearly ready to be as violent as necessary to get his hands on that purse.

Something inside Marc snapped.

He reached the kid in a heartbeat, before the traffic light had time to change.

Accosting him from behind, Marc locked an arm around his neck, squeezing until the kid was gasping for air and struggling to free himself.

“Drop it,” Marc commanded quietly.

The switchblade clattered to the ground.

“I suggest you get the hell out of here now.” Marc’s arm squeezed tighter, and the guy whimpered in pain and fear. “If I ever see you around here again, I’m going to break your neck. Are we clear?”

Against the inside of Marc’s elbow, the kid nodded.

“Good. Now go.” Marc practically flung the kid into the street.

Scrambling to his feet, the kid took off like a gunshot. He never once looked back. Marc scooped up the switchblade and pocketed it.

The traffic light changed.

The woman stopped texting and crossed the street, passing right in front of Marc, without the slightest idea of what he’d just saved her from.

Turning up the collar of his parka, Marc walked off in the darkness.

* * *

Casey was waiting up, pacing in the conference room, when Marc got back. He didn’t look the slightest bit surprised to see her up and at ’em at midnight.

“Hey,” he greeted her, tossing his jacket and duffel bag onto a chair. “Where’s Hero?”

“Sleeping on my bed. What did you find?”

“Conrad’s place was tossed like a salad.” He scowled. “Other than that, not a fucking thing. On the plus side, it’s what I didn’t find that might mean something.”

He went on to explain what Ryan had told him about the Mac Pro and the missing hard drive.

“Dammit.” Casey sank down into a chair, crossing one leg angrily over the other. “We’ve got to find out who has that hard drive and what’s on it.”

“They themselves might not even know. It could be that they can’t crack it, or that they don’t understand what they’re looking at.”

“Either way, they’re still trying to kill Madeline and Conrad. So we have zip.”

“We have suspects,” Marc reminded her. “Now we need to explore them. Want me to take a look at Nancy Lexington’s apartment?”

Casey shook her head. “Not yet. If Nancy’s at the helm, the hard drive could be at either of her children’s apartments as well as her own. We’re not about to break into one place after another.”

Marc shrugged. “I’m game.”

“I’m sure you are. But there are other suspects we need to follow up on. In the meantime, I’ll have Patrick put a tail on each of the Lexingtons. We’ll know every move they make.”

“Ryan can up that security,” Marc said. “He can bug their phones and put tracking devices on their cars. That way we’ll also know who they visit and who they call—which could include the person or persons they employ to do their dirty work.”

“Smart idea.” Casey glanced at her watch. “It’s pretty late—but Ryan’s a night owl. I’ll give him a call.”

“Uh, unless it’s an emergency, I’d give him the rest of the night off. I think he has plans.”

Casey’s lips twitched. “I hear you. It can wait until morning.”