I didn’t trust him. But I did trust Joe.
“Have a seat, both of you. What’s going on, Joe?”
“My mother has disappeared from Newhaven, and now Marj is missing as well.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah. May I speak freely?”
“Of course. This place is swept every evening for surveillance devices.”
I stopped myself from widening my eyes. Why the hell would any place be swept every evening?
“The Spider hasn’t answered us in days,” Joe said.
Booker lifted one eyebrow, which gave him a sinister look. “Oh?”
“Bryce knows about the Spider. He’s in this with me. He and I are the only ones who remember the kid. By the way, we remembered his last name. Valente. Justin Valente.”
Booker’s eyes fluttered slightly
. A nervous habit?
“What was the last contact you had with the Spider?” he asked.
“He said he had information, and that he’d send it in a separate email. The email never came, and he hasn’t responded to anything since. Plus, he seemed to be communicating with someone else on our encrypted account.”
“I’ll see if I can find him.”
“He’s the least of our worries,” I said. “Marjorie and her mother come first.”
“Of course.”
“I understand you got Daphne into the facility,” I said.
“I handled the paperwork for her commitment,” Booker said. “My involvement doesn’t go any further than that.”
I looked to Joe, raising my brow. He didn’t respond. He trusted this guy, clearly.
“Look,” Joe said finally. “I know you need to keep your hands clean, and I respect that, but—”
“I can’t help you,” Booker said. “I’m pretty sure the Spider can’t be involved in the disappearances. That’s not how he works.”
I shook my head. “Seriously? You like to keep your hands clean? What kind of person who keeps his hands clean has to have his office swept for bugs every night?”
“Bryce—”
“Come on, Joe. This guy isn’t who you think he is.”
“Look—” Booker began.
“Easy, Cade,” Joe said. “Bryce’s nerves are on edge.”
“Yours should be as well,” I said angrily. “I’ll say it again. This guy isn’t who you think he is.”
Booker stood. “You’re right. I’m not. And you need to leave. I’m armed.”
“So am I,” I said. “And I’d be willing to bet everything I own that Joe is too.”